JPS63137281A - Cleaning device for image forming machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a toner from being scattered from an entrance by arranging an operating element in a supporting frame body and arranging a cover member, a cover member closing elastic means, and a non-operating element in a toner storage box and opening the cover with both elements at the time of inserting the storage box. CONSTITUTION:An operating element 94 is arranged in a supporting frame 4 of a device. In a storage box 64 having a toner entrance 134, a spring 168 is attached between a box body 128 and a cover 150 and the cover member 150 is elastically deflected to the close position of the entrance 134. A non- operating element 174 is arranged in the cover member 150, and the operating element 94 acts upon the non-operating element 174 to move the cover member 150 to the open position against elastic deflection when the toner storage box 64 is inserted to a space 62 of the frame body 4 where the box 64 should be stored. Thus the toner is not scattered from the toner entrance 134 when and after the toner recovery box is taken out.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present invention relates to a cleaning device for removing residual toner from the surface of a photoreceptor in an image forming machine such as an electrostatic copying machine.

(Prior Art) In an image generating machine such as an electrostatic copying machine, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of a photoreceptor disposed on a rotating drum or an endless belt, and then the electrostatic latent image is converted into a toner image. After development, the toner image is transferred to a transfer material, which may be conventional paper, and the toner image remaining on the photoreceptor surface after transfer is removed for the next image forming step. A cleaning device used to remove residual toner from the photoreceptor surface needs to include a removal means for removing the residual toner from the photoreceptor surface and a toner storage means for storing the removed toner.

On the other hand, especially in small and low-cost image generating machines, a rotating drum having a photoreceptor disposed on its peripheral surface and various components such as a cleaning device located around the drum are constructed as a unit. It has been proposed and put into practical use to be replaceably attached to an image generator. In such a unit type image generating machine, for example, if the toner storage capacity of the toner storage means in the cleaning device is made sufficiently large for the effective life of the photoreceptor, it can continue to be used until the effective life. Later, the entire unit can be replaced with a new unit and the old unit discarded. However, if the toner storage capacity of the toner storage means is made sufficiently large for the above-mentioned useful life, the cleaning device will inevitably become sublime, the unit will become smaller, and the image generating machine to which the unit will be installed will also become smaller. development is inhibited.

Regardless of whether the cleaning device is configured as a unit with a rotating drum or the like, miniaturization of the cleaning device and also of the image forming machine requires
It is desired to downsize the toner storage means in a cleaning device. However, when the toner storage means is made smaller, the toner storage capacity inevitably decreases. In such a case, when the toner storage means becomes filled with toner during use, it is necessary to interrupt use of the image generator and collect the toner. In order to conveniently perform such toner collection, the toner storage means is constituted by a removable toner collection box, and when the toner collection box is filled with toner, the toner collection box is used to store new toner. Replacing it with a collection box has also been proposed and put into practical use.

<Problems with the Prior Art> In particular, cleaning devices for small and inexpensive image generating machines require a relatively complicated and expensive spiral blade mechanism or the like to convey the toner removed from the photoreceptor forward or backward. Although it is desirable to omit it, in such a case,
In order to collect toner sufficiently uniformly throughout the toner collection box, it is important to use a toner collection box having a toner inlet that extends in the front-rear direction along the photoreceptor. However, especially when such a toner collection box is used, when or after the toner collection box filled with toner is taken out from the cleaning device, the toner may scatter from the toner inlet, causing damage to the surroundings or the operator. It often contaminates hands and clothes.

<Problems to be solved by the Invention> The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned facts, and provides a cleaning device in which a toner collection box having a toner inlet extending in the front-rear direction is replaceably installed. The technical problem is to reliably prevent toner from scattering from the toner inlet during and after removal from the cleaning device.

<Means for Solving the Invention> According to the present invention, (a) the supporting frame of the cleaning device including the toner collection box storage space extending in the front-rear direction is provided with an operating element; A toner storage box including a box body having a toner inlet includes a cover member attached to the box body so as to be movable between a closed position where the toner inlet is closed and an open position where the toner inlet is opened; (c) a non-operating element provided on the cover member is disposed together with an elastic means for elastically biasing the toner collection box to the closed position; The above technical object is achieved by acting on the non-actuating element to cause the cover member to move into the open position against the bias of the elastic means.

That is, according to the present invention, there is provided a support frame including a toner collection box storage space extending in the front-rear direction and an operating element, a box body having a toner inlet extending in the front-rear direction, a closed position in which the toner inlet is closed, and a support frame including an operating element; A cover member attached to the box body so as to be movable between an open position and an open position, an elastic means for elastically biasing the cover member to the closed position, and a non-operating element provided on the cover member. and a toner collection box that is inserted into the housing space in a freely drawable manner, and the operating element and the non-operating element are configured such that when the toner collection box is inserted into the accommodation space, the operating element is inserted into the non-operating element. A cleaning device in an image generator is provided, characterized in that the cleaning device is configured to act on an actuating element to move the cover member into the open position against the bias of the resilient means.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least the front surface of the storage space is open, and the toner collection box is inserted into the storage space by being moved at least rearward, and the toner collection box is moved at least forward. The actuating element and the non-actuating element are pulled out from the storage space by the toner collection box, and the actuating element does not act on the non-actuating element while the toner collection box is moved rearward to a specific position. The actuating element is configured to act on the non-actuating element while the collection box is moved rearward from the particular position to the final position. In the specific position, the toner inlet of the toner collection box is surrounded by the support frame over its entire length.

<Operation of the Invention> In the cleaning device of the present invention, when the toner collection box is inserted into the storage space of the support frame, the operating element acts on the non-operating element to move the cover member to the open position, and the toner inlet of the box is opened. will be released. Therefore, toner can be carried into the box from the toner inlet without any hindrance. On the other hand, when the toner collecting box is pulled out from the accommodation space of the support frame when the box is filled with toner, the actuating element no longer acts on the non-actuating element, and the cover member is then closed by the biasing action of the elastic means. position, and the toner inlet of the box is closed. Therefore, toner is reliably prevented from scattering from the toner inlet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred specific examples of the cleaning device constructed according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a unit containing a preferred embodiment of a cleaning device constructed in accordance with the present invention. The unit, designated as a whole by the number 2, has a support frame 4. A rotary drum 6 is mounted on the support frame 4 and has a suitable photoreceptor disposed on its circumferential surface. The support frame 4 further includes:
Along with the charging corona discharger 8, a cleaning device, generally designated by the number 12, is provided. The illustrated cleaning device I2 includes removing means 14. It includes a sealing means 16, a carrying means 18, and a toner storage means 20.

The removing means 14 includes a support member 22 attached to the support frame 4 and an elastic blade 24 attached to the support member 22.
and has. A free end, ie, a lower end, of the blade 24 extending in the front-rear direction is pressed against the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 6.

The sealing means 16 is formed from a flexible film extending in the front-rear direction, and the lower end of this film is fixed to the support frame 4, and the upper end is brought into light contact with the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 6. . The carrying means 18 has a sponge roller 28 rotated in the direction shown by an arrow 26 and a separation plate 30. The separation plate 30 is fixed to a hanging wall 32 that is integrally formed with the support frame 4.
The lower end of the sponge roller 28 is pressed against the circumferential surface of the sponge roller 28 . The toner storage means 20 will be described in detail later.

The unit 2 is removably installed in the housing of an image generating machine such as an electrostatic copying machine. Continuing with reference to FIG. 1, in the illustrated embodiment, a horizontally extending substrate 31 is disposed within the housing of the image generator. A pair of guide rails 33 and 34 are fixed to the lower surface of the substrate 31, spaced apart from each other in the horizontal direction, and extending in the front-rear direction (direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 1).

On the other hand, guided rails 36 and 38 extending in the front-rear direction are integrally formed on both sides of the upper surface of the support frame 4 of the unit 2. The unit 2 is mounted in a predetermined position within the housing by engaging the guided rails 36 and 38 of the support frame 4 with the guide rails 32 and 34 and sliding it rearward, and by sliding it forward. will be separated from. A static elimination lamp 10 and a toner detector 40 are also fixed to the lower surface of the substrate 31 (the toner detector 40 will be explained in more detail later).

In the image generating machine to which the unit 2 is installed, the rotary drum 6 of the unit 2 is rotated in the direction indicated by an arrow 42. In the charging region 44, the surface of the rotating drum 60 is charged to a specific polarity by the charging corona discharger 8. Next, in the exposure area 46, the image to be generated is projected onto the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 6 by an appropriate optical system (not shown), and
An electrostatic latent image is generated on the circumferential surface of. Thereafter, in the developing area 48, a suitable developing device 50 shown by two dots and 11 lines is installed.
The electrostatic latent image is developed into a toner image. The developing device 50 is disposed at a predetermined position within the housing.

If desired, such a developing device 50 can also be mounted on the support frame 4 of the unit 2. Next, in the copying area 52, a transfer material, which may be ordinary paper, which is conveyed in the direction shown by the arrow 54, is brought into close contact with the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 6, and a transfer corona discharger is used to apply corona discharge to the back surface of the transfer material. By the action of good transfer means (not shown), the rotating drum 6
The toner image on the peripheral surface of is transferred to the transfer material. The transfer material to which the toner image has been transferred is peeled off from the rotating drum 6 by an appropriate peeling means (not shown), the toner image is fixed by an appropriate fixing means (not shown), and then the material is removed from the housing. is discharged to. On the other hand, the rotating drum 6 continues to rotate further, and in the cleaning area 56, the blade 24 of the cleaning device 12 removes the toner remaining on the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 6 after the transfer. Furthermore, in the static elimination area 58, the light from the static elimination lamp 10 is irradiated onto the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 6, thus eliminating residual charges. The toner removed from the circumferential surface of the rotary drum 6 in the cleaning area 56 falls downward and is conveyed in the direction shown by the arrow 26 as the sponge roller 28 rotates. Then, it is separated from the sponge roller 28 by the separation plate 30, and
The toner is carried into the toner storage means 20 as indicated by an arrow 60.

The sealing means 16 prevents the toner from falling downward from the cleaning device ff12.

Therefore, the above-described configuration and operation of the unit 2 and the image generator to which it is installed do not constitute novel features of the present invention, and therefore, detailed description thereof will not be provided in this specification. Omitted.

Continuing the explanation with reference to FIG. 1, the support frame 4 of the unit 2 includes a toner collection box extending in the front-rear direction (direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 1) on the left side in FIG. A housing space 62 is formed. In this space 62, there is a number 6, which constitutes the toner storage means 20 as a whole.
A toner collection box indicated by 4 is removably inserted.

The space 62 formed in the support frame 4 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4, especially FIG. 3, together with FIG.
The entire front surface is open, and almost the entire left side surface and the left half of the lower surface are also open. On the other hand, the support frame 4 includes a bottom wall 66 extending substantially horizontally along the right half of the lower surface of the space 62 , an upper wall 68 extending substantially horizontally along the upper surface of the space 62 , and a top wall 68 extending substantially horizontally along the upper surface of the space 62 . It has a rear wall 70 extending substantially vertically from the rear end to the rear end of the top wall 68 . The bottom wall 66 is integrally formed with a vertical inner wall 72 that protrudes upward by a predetermined distance (a distance corresponding to approximately ⅓ of the total height of the space 62) from its upper surface. One side of the upper end of this guide wall 72 (left side in Fig. 1)
An abutment step portion 74 extending in the front-rear direction is formed at the front and rear sides. Further, guide walls 76 and 78 are formed on the bottom wall 66 and project upwardly at intervals.
6 and 78 define a guide groove 80 extending in the front-rear direction. The guide wall 78 is formed with a lower guide protrusion 82 that protrudes to the left in FIG. As can be understood by referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the lower guide ridge 82 extends substantially horizontally rearward from a front end aligned with the front end of the bottom wall 66, 7
0, but ends a predetermined distance ahead of the rear wall 70. The upper wall 68 has an upper guide protrusion 8 that hangs down substantially vertically from the left side edge of the upper wall 68 in FIG.
4 is formed. The upper guide protrusion 84 extends from the front end aligned with the front end of the upper wall 68 to the rear wall 70.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, rectangular notches 86 and 88 are formed at the front and rear ends, respectively. Furthermore, a protrusion 90 that protrudes downward is formed at the rear end of the upper guide protrusion 84 . As shown in FIG. 3, a continuous opening 92 is formed at the rear end of the earthen wall 68 and at the upper part of the rear wall 70. As shown in FIG. As will be further described later, when the unit 2 is installed in the housing of the image generator, the toner detector 40 fixed to the lower surface of the substrate 31 in the housing passes through the opening 92 and into the space 6.
Protrude into 2. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an operating element 94 is formed on the front surface of the rear wall 70 and is formed of a protruding piece that protrudes forward. Further, at the lower end of the rear wall 70, there is an L-shaped protruding wall portion 9 that protrudes forward.
6 is formed, and a stop block portion 98 is formed at the rear end corner of this protruding wall portion 96.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, an additional member 100 is fixed to the front surface of the support frame 4 with screws (not shown), and the support frame 4 is made to protrude forward. If desired, the additional member 100 can also be formed integrally with the support frame 4. The additional member 100 includes a bottom wall 102 and a relatively high side wall 1 extending upward from one side edge of the bottom wall 102.
04, and a relatively low side wall 106 extending upward from the other side edge of the bottom wall 102. A guide wall 108 is formed on the bottom wall 102, and a guide groove 110 is defined by this guide wall 108 and the lower part of the side wall 104. This guide groove 110 is aligned with the guide groove 80 and extends in the front-rear direction.

The inner surface of the side wall 104 has a circular arc portion 112 and a flat portion 114 extending upward from the circular arc portion. As can be understood by referring to FIG. 6-B together with FIG. 4, the circular arc portion 112 and flat portion 114 on the inner surface of the side wall 104 correspond to the circular arc formed on one side edge of the front wall 116 of the support frame 4. Although it has approximately the same shape as the portion 118 and the flat portion 120,
No. 6-B for such circular arc portion 118 and flat portion 120
In the figure, it is displaced by a predetermined angle in the counterclockwise direction.

As can be understood by referring to FIG.
A recessed portion 122 retracted clockwise in FIG. 6-B is formed at the rear of the inner surface of 04. The recessed portion 122 is aligned with the circular arc portion 118 and the flat portion 120, in other words, the circular arc portion 124 and the flat portion 12 are flush with the circular arc portion 118 and the flat portion 120.
It has 6.

Referring to FIG. 5 in conjunction with FIG. 1, the toner collection box, generally designated by the numeral 64, includes a box body 128, preferably formed from a transparent to translucent synthetic resin. This box body 128 is a hollow body that is elongated in the front-rear direction. One side of the box 128, that is, the right side in FIG. 1, has a circular arc portion 130 and a flat portion 132 extending upward from the circular arc portion 130. A toner inlet 134, which is preferably a rectangular opening extending in the front-rear direction over substantially the entire length of the box 128, is formed at the lower part of the arcuate portion 130. A guided protrusion 136 that protrudes downward is formed on the lower surface of the box body 128. The lower end of the guided protrusion 136 extending in the front-rear direction has a substantially circular cross-sectional shape. A rectangular lower guided projection 138 is formed at the rear end of the lower surface of the box body 128 and projects to the right in FIG. On the upper surface of the box body 12B, there are rectangular upper guided protrusions 14 that protrude upward at the front and rear ends, respectively.
0 and 142 are formed. A substantially rectangular depressed portion 144 is present on one side of the rear end of the upper surface of the box body 128, and a detected protrusion 146 is formed in the depressed portion 144. A grip piece 148 is formed on the front surface of the box body 128 and projects forward. The toner collection box 64 further includes a cover member 1.
Including 50. This cover member 150 has a main portion 152 that has an arcuate cross section and extends in the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG.
54 is formed. Furthermore, connecting pieces 156 and 158 are formed at the front and rear ends of the main portion 152, respectively, and extend inward. Holes 157 and 159 are bored in the connecting pieces 156 and 158. On the other hand, recesses 160 and 162 are formed on the front and rear surfaces of the box body 128 in correspondence with the connection pieces 156 and 158.
A short shaft 164 projecting forward is provided in the recess 162 .
A short shaft 166 (Fig. 6-C) is provided to project rearward. The cover member 150 has a connecting piece 156
is placed in the recess 160 and the short shaft 164 is inserted into the hole 157, and its connecting piece 158 is placed in the recess 162 so that the short shaft 166 (Fig. 6-C) is inserted into the hole 159. By this, box body 1
It is attached to 28. The cover member 150 attached to the box body 12B is in the closed position (shown in FIGS. 6-B and 6-C) where the lower surface of the protrusion 154 (FIG. 1) abuts the lower edge of the toner inlet 134. position) and its protrusion 154 (
The position where the upper surface of the toner inlet 134 (FIG. 1) abuts the upper edge of the toner inlet 134 (FIG. 1).

between the position shown in Figure 7-B and Figure 7-C),
The axes extending in the front-rear direction, that is, the short axes 164 and 166
It is freely pivotable about the central axis of. Box body 128
An elastic means 168 composed of a helical spring is arranged between the cover member 15 (+) and the cover member 15 (+). The helical spring constituting 168 has the short axis 16
6, one arm is brought into contact with one side 170 of the recess 162, and the other arm is positioned within a notch 172 formed in the connecting piece 158. Thus, the resilient means 168
is elastically biased clockwise (counterclockwise in FIG. 6-C) when viewed from the front, thereby elastically holding the cover member 150 in the closed position. When the cover member 150 is in the closed position, the toner inlet 134 of the box body 128 is closed by the cover member 150.

On the other hand, when the cover member 150 is moved to the open position as described below, the toner inlet 134 of the box body 128 is opened. The cover member 150 includes a connecting piece 1 thereof.
A non-actuating element 174 is also formed consisting of a projecting piece projecting rearwardly from 58. An inclined surface 176 is formed at the tip of the protruding piece constituting the non-operating element 174 .

The toner collection box 64 as described above is inserted into the toner collection box storage space 62 in the following manner. Referring to FIGS. 6-A to 6-C together with FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, first, the toner collection box 64 is moved rearward from the front side of the additional member 100. , insert the rear part of the toner collection box 64 into the additional member 100. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6-B, the guided protrusion 136 formed on the box body 128 is connected to the guide 111 of the additional member 100.
Positioned within 0. And the 6th - of the box body 128
In Figure B, the portion excluding the upper left portion is positioned within the space defined by the bottom wall 102 and both side walls 104 and 106 of the additional member 100. Thus, as can be seen from FIG. 6-B, the toner collection box 64 is separated by the side walls 104 and 106 of the additional member 100, as shown in FIGS. 6-A and 6.
It is constrained to the first angular position illustrated in Figures -B and 6-C. Next, move the toner collection box 64 further rearward to the sixth position.
Move it to the specific position shown in Figure A.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 6-A, one side of the lower end of the rear surface of the box body 128 (lower left side in FIG. 6-B) comes into contact with the protruding wall 96 (see also FIG. 3). This prevents the toner collection box 64 from moving further rearward. As can be understood by referring to FIGS. 6-B and 6-C, the toner collection box 64 is located in the sixth
- While the box body 128 is being moved rearward to the specific position shown in FIG.
0 in the guide groove 110 and the guide groove 80 formed in the support frame 4. Further, the lower guided protrusion 138 of the box body 128 moves rearward along the lower surface of the lower guide protrusion 82 formed on the support frame 4.

When the toner collection box 64 is inserted to the specific position shown in FIG. 6-A, the box body 1 is inserted as clearly shown in FIG. 6-A.
The front end of 28 is positioned to correspond to the recessed portion 122 formed on the rear inner surface of the side wall 104 of the additional member 100. Further, the lower guided protrusion 138 of the box body 128 is connected to the support frame body 4.
The lower guide protrusion 82 is located beyond the rear end of the lower guide protrusion 82 and behind it. In addition, the upper guided protrusions 140 and 14 of the box body 128
2 are located corresponding to the notches 86 and 88 formed in the upper guide protrusion 84 of the support frame 4. Therefore, the restriction of the toner collection box 64 to the first angular position shown in FIGS. 6-B and 6-C is released. Therefore, when the gripping piece 148 formed on the front surface of the box body 128 is gripped and rotated clockwise in FIG. 6-B and counterclockwise in FIG. 6-C, the toner collection box 64 is 6th-
From the first angular position shown in Figures A, 6-B and 6-C to the second angular position shown in Figures 7-A, 7-B and 7-C. , are rotated around the lower end of the guided protrusion 136. When the toner collection box 64 is rotated to the second angular position, the lower end of the arcuate portion 130 on one side of the box body 128 is rotated as shown in FIGS. 7-B and 7-C. , comes into contact with the upper end of the vertical inner wall 72 of the support frame 4, and thus the toner collection box 64
is prevented from further rotating clockwise in FIG. 7-B and counterclockwise in FIG. 7-C beyond the second angular position. Moreover, as understood by referring to FIG. 7-B and FIG. 7-C, the upper guided protrusions 140 and 142 formed on the box body 128 are connected to the notch 86 of the upper guide protrusion 84 and 88 and is located on the right side of the upper guide protrusion 84 in FIG. 7-B and on the left side in FIG. 7-C. In addition, one side of the lower end of the rear surface of the box body 128 is located above the protruding wall portion 96, so that the toner collection box 64 can be moved further rearward.

Next, the toner collection box 64, which has been placed in the second angular position, is further moved rearward to the final position shown in FIG. 7-A. As a result, one side of the lower end of the rear surface of the box body 128 (lower end left side in FIG. 7-B) comes into contact with the stop block 98 (see also FIG. 3) formed on the protruding wall portion 96, Then, one side of the upper end of the box body 128 (upper left side in FIG. 7-B) comes into contact with the protrusion 90 formed at the rear end of the upper guide protrusion 84,
This prevents the toner collection box 64 from moving further rearward. The toner collection box 64 is located at the specific position (
6-A) toward the final position (i.e., the position shown in FIG. 7-A), the upper guided protrusions 140 and 142 of the box body 128 In Figure 7-B of the protrusion 84, the right side, No.
The toner collection ff64 moves counterclockwise in FIG. 7-B.
In FIG. 7-C, clockwise rotation is prevented, so that the toner collection box 64 is in the second angular position shown in FIGS. 7-A, 7-B, and 7-C. be restrained. Further, when the toner collection box 64 is moved rearward from the specific position to the final position, as will be understood by comparing and referring to FIG. 6-C and FIG. 7-C, The actuating element 94 provided on the body 4 exerts a so-called camming effect on the non-actuating element 174 provided on the cover member 150 of the toner collection box 64, so that the cover member 150 is moved against the elastic biasing action of the elastic means 168. 6-C and 7-C in the clockwise direction. Then, the cover member 150 is moved from the closed position to the open position, and the toner inlet 134 of the box body 128 is opened as shown in FIG.

When the toner collection box 64 is inserted into the desired final position as described above, as shown in FIG. The toner detector 40 is positioned as required relative to the toner detector 40 fixed to the lower surface of the toner detector 31. More specifically, the toner detector 40 has two hanging parts 178 and 180 hanging downward at an interval, and the detection protrusion 146 of the box body 128 is connected to the two hanging parts 178 and 180. Located between 180 and 180. One of the hanging parts 178 of the toner detector 40 is provided with an appropriate light emitting element (not shown), and the other hanging part 180 is provided with an appropriate light receiving element (not shown) that receives light from the light emitting element. (not shown) are provided.

When the operation of the image generator to which the unit 2 is installed is repeatedly performed, the rotating drum 6 is rotated as shown by arrow 60 in FIG.
The toner removed from the circumferential surface of the box body 1 passes through the open toner inlet 134 in the toner collection box 64.
28.

When the box body 128 is almost filled with toner, toner also exists in the detection target protrusion 146 of the segment body 128. In this way, the hanging portion 1 of the toner detector 40
Light from a light emitting element (not shown) disposed at 78 is blocked by the toner, and the hanging portion 1 of the toner detector 40 is blocked by the toner.
The light receiving element (not shown) disposed at 80 can no longer receive light, and based on this, the toner detector 40
8 generates a signal indicating that it is filled with toner.

A warning means (not shown), such as a warning lamp, provided on the image generator is then activated. Furthermore, if necessary, operation of the image generator may be disabled.

When the box body 128 of the toner collection box 64 is filled with toner, the toner collection box 64 is removed from the support frame 4 and a new toner collection box 64 is inserted into the support frame 4.
It is necessary to insert it into the above-mentioned space 62 of. In order to remove the toner collection box 64 from the support frame 4, the above-described insertion operation may be performed in reverse. That is, first, box 1
28 by gripping the gripping piece 14B formed on the front surface of the
The toner collection box 64 is moved from the final position shown in FIG. 7-A to the specific position shown in FIG.
forward to a position where the toner collection box 64 at the second angular position is prevented from moving forward by abutting the front end surface of the recessed portion 122 formed on the inner surface of the side wall 104 of 0. Make it move. Thus, as can be understood by comparing FIG. 7-C and FIG. 6-C, the non-operating element 174 provided on the cover member 150 of the toner collection box 64 is provided on the support frame 4. The actuating element 94 is removed. Therefore, the cover member 150 is forced into the closed position, which closes the toner inlet 134, by the elastic biasing action of the elastic means 16, and is elastically held in this closed position. As can be understood by referring to FIG. 7-A and FIG. 6-A, even when the toner collection box 64 is moved forward to the above-mentioned specific position or a position slightly forward of the specific position, the box body 128 toner inlet 13
4 is surrounded by the support frame 4 itself and the front extension of the additional member 100, and in this state the cover member 150 is already in the closed position. Therefore, at the initial stage of the operation of separating the toner collection box 64 from the support frame 4, in other words, before the toner inlet 134 is closed by the cover member 150, toner is scattered from the toner inlet 134 to the surroundings and the operator's hand is exposed to the toner. and will not contaminate clothing, etc.

Next, the toner collection box 64 is moved from the second angular position to the sixth angular position shown in FIGS. 7-A, 7-B, and 7-C.
-A, 6-B and 6-C.
Rotate it to the angular position.

Thereafter, the toner collection box 64 is moved further forward and separated from the support frame 4 itself and the additional member 100. During such a detachment operation, since the toner inlet 134 of the box body 128 is closed by the cover member 150, toner is reliably prevented from falling off and scattering from the toner inlet 134. The separated toner collection box 64 is
It can be discarded as is.

Although an example of a cleaning device configured according to the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to such specific example, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It goes without saying that modifications are possible.

For example, in the illustrated example, the cleaning device 12 is disposed in the unit 2 including the rotating drum 6;
The present invention can also be applied to a cleaning device disposed within the housing of the image generator completely separately from the rotating drum 6.

In the illustrated example, the operation of inserting and pulling out the toner collection box 64 into the toner collection box storage space 62 is as follows.
This is accomplished by mainly moving the toner collection box 64 in the front-back direction, but if desired, the toner collection box can be moved in any other direction such as up and down to change the toner collection box relative to the toner collection box storage space. It may also be possible to perform insertion and withdrawal operations.

(Effects of the Invention) In the cleaning device configured according to the present invention, when the box body of the toner collection box is filled with toner, when the toner collection box is pulled out for replacement, the elastic biasing action of the elastic means is applied. The cover member is moved to the closed position and the toner inlet of the box is closed.
The toner is reliably prevented from falling and scattering from the toner inlet and contaminating the surrounding area or the operator's hands and clothes.

The cover member and the components disposed in relation to it are:
It is relatively simple and inexpensive, and the cost of manufacturing the cleaning device does not increase significantly due to the cover member and associated components.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a unit including a preferred embodiment of a cleaning device constructed in accordance with the present invention. 2 is a side view showing a toner collection box housing space in the unit shown in FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view showing the toner collection box storage space in the unit of FIG. 1 as viewed along the line m-m of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is an exploded partial perspective view showing the front end of the toner collection box storage space in the unit of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the toner collection box in the unit of FIG. 1. Figures 6-A, 6-B, and 6-C are the first
FIG. 3 is a side view, a front view, and a sectional view showing a state in which the toner collection box is inserted to a specific position in the toner collection box storage space in the unit shown in the figure. Figures 7-A, 7-B, and 7-C are the first
FIG. 3 is a side view, a front view, and a sectional view showing a state in which the toner collection box is inserted into the toner collection box storage space to the final position in the illustrated unit; 2...Unit 4...Support frame 6...Rotating drum 12...Cleaning device 62...Toner collection box storage space 64...Toner collection box 94...Operating element 128... Box body 134... Toner inlet 150... Cover member 168... Elastic means 174... Non-operating element! 4------

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A support frame including a toner collection box storage space extending in the front-rear direction and an operating element, a box body having a toner inlet extending in the front-rear direction, a closed position in which the toner inlet is closed, and the toner inlet. A cover member attached to the box body so as to be movable between an open position and an open position, an elastic means for elastically biasing the cover member to the closed position, and a non-operating element provided on the cover member. and a toner collection box that is removably inserted into the storage space,
The actuating element and the non-actuating element are arranged so that when the toner collection box is inserted into the storage space, the actuating element acts on the non-actuating element to move the cover member against the bias of the elastic means. A cleaning device for an image generating machine, characterized in that the cleaning device is configured to be moved to an open position. 2. At least the front side of the storage space is open, and the toner collection box is inserted into the storage space by moving at least backward, and pulled out from the storage space by moving at least forward. The operating element and the non-operating element are such that the operating element does not act on the non-operating element while the toner collection box is moved rearward to a specific position, but the operating element does not act on the non-operating element while the toner collection box is moved rearward to a specific position. 2. A cleaning device in an image generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the activating element is configured to act on the non-activating element while being moved from the specific position to the final position. 3. The cleaning device for an image generating machine according to claim 2, wherein at the specific position, the toner inlet of the toner collection box is surrounded by the support frame over its entire length. 4. The support frame is provided with a guide means, and the toner collection box is provided with a guided means, and the guide means and the guided means are arranged so that the toner collection box is located at the rear. restraining the toner collection box at a first angular position while the toner collection box is being moved toward the specific position and forward from the specific position; When the toner collection box is in the first position, the toner collection box is prevented from moving backward beyond the specific position, and the toner collection box is
When the toner collection box is rotated from the angular position to the second angular position, the toner collection box is allowed to move backward beyond the specific position to the final position, and the toner collection box is rotated from the specific position to the second angular position. The second position is moved between the second and final positions.
4. A cleaning device for an image generator according to claim 3, wherein the cleaning device is constrained to an angular position of . 5. Any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cover member of the toner collection box is pivotable between the closed position and the open position about an axis extending in the front-rear direction. A cleaning device for an image generating machine according to claim 1.