JPS63241585A - Toner recovering device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To permit sure detection of the presence of a toner recovering vessel and the recovering amt. of the toner with a fewer detecting means by using an optical detecting means which forms an unmounting signal or overflow signal in accordance with the transmissivity in the part to be detected of a container body and the transmissivity of the toner recovered in the container body. CONSTITUTION:A light emitting element 56 attains a 1st light emission state in which the element emits light relatively strongly and a 2nd light emission state in which the element emits light relatively weakly. The presence or absence of the recovered toner is detected in association to the 1st light emission state and the presence or absence of the projecting part 62 provided to the container body 16 is detected in association to the 2nd light emission state. The pressure of the toner recovering container 8 and the amt. of the recovered toner which are heretofore separately detected can, therefore, be detected by using a piece of the optical detecting means 54 consisting of a combination of the light emitting element 56 and a light receiving element 58. The constitution of the toner recovering device is thereby simplified and the manufacturing cost thereof is reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present invention relates to a toner recovery device, and more particularly, to a toner recovery device that recovers toner removed from a photoreceptor in an image forming apparatus such as an electrostatic copying machine.

<Prior Art> Generally, an image forming apparatus such as an electrostatic copying machine is equipped with a toner collecting device that collects toner removed from the surface of an electrostatic photoreceptor. Such a toner collection device includes a toner collection container that is detachably attached to a collection position of the device, and when the toner is collected as required in the toner collection container, the collected toner (or only the collected toner) is collected together with the toner collection container. ) are now discarded.

The toner recovery device as described above is further provided with container detection means and recovered toner detection means in association with the toner recovery container. The container detection means can be composed of, for example, a mechanical microswitch, and detects whether or not the toner collection container is present at a predetermined collection position. Further, the collected toner detection means can be constituted by, for example, an optical detector consisting of a combination of a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and detects whether a predetermined amount of toner has been collected in the toner collection container.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional toner collection device, the presence of the toner collection container and the amount of collected toner are detected by separate dedicated detection means, that is, the container detection means and the collected toner detection means. The problem is that it is complicated and expensive.

<Object of the Invention> The present invention has been made in view of the above facts, and its main purpose is to provide an excellent method that can reliably detect the presence of a toner collection container and the amount of toner collected with a small number of detection means. Another object of the present invention is to provide a toner collection container.

<Summary of the Invention> According to the present invention, in a toner collection device including a toner collection container for collecting toner at a predetermined collection position, and an optical detection means comprising a combination of a light emitting element and a light receiving element; The container has a container body that accommodates the recovered toner, and when the container body is placed in the predetermined collection position, the detection portion provided on the container body is positioned between the light emitting element and the light receiving element, and the optical detection is performed. The means is based on the transmittance of the detected portion of the container body and the transmittance of the toner collected in the container body,
When the detected part is not present between the light emitting element and the light receiving element, a non-attached signal is generated, and when collected toner is present in the detected part located between the light emitting element and the light receiving element, an overflow occurs. A toner collection device is provided that generates a signal.

<Preferred Specific Example of the Invention> Hereinafter, a specific example of a toner recovery device configured according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In a specific example, the present invention will be described with reference to an electrostatic copying machine, but the present invention can be similarly applied to other image forming apparatuses.

In FIG. 1 showing a part of an electrostatic copying machine, the illustrated electrostatic copying machine has a bottom wall 2 and a front-to-back direction (left-right direction in FIG. 1,
A front board 4 and a rear board (not shown) are provided which extend upwardly from the bottom wall 2 at intervals (in the vertical direction in FIG. It is attached so that it can be opened and closed freely (in Figure 1, the front cover 6 is attached to the front board 4).
(shown in the closed position covering the front of the device). Although not shown, between the front board 4 and the back board (not shown),
A rotating drum with an electrostatic photoreceptor disposed on its peripheral surface, a developing device that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoreceptor surface of the rotating drum into a toner image, and a developing device that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoreceptor surface of the rotating drum into a toner image; A cleaning device or the like for removing residual toner is installed as required.

The illustrated electrostatic copying machine is configured so that the toner removed by the cleaning device is collected in a toner collection container 8. Referring also to FIG. 2, the cleaning device includes a toner transporting means 10. The toner transporting means 10 shown in FIG.
to the front (left in Figure 1, downward in Figure 2)
It includes a hollow cylindrical body 12 extending into the hollow cylindrical body 12 and a spiral transfer member (not shown) disposed within the hollow cylindrical body 12. The hollow cylindrical body 12 penetrates the front substrate 4 and protrudes forward, and a toner discharge port (not shown) is formed at the bottom of the protruding end. Therefore, the toner removed from the photoreceptor by the action of the cleaning device is transported in the direction indicated by arrow 14 by the action of a spiral transport member (not shown) and is discharged downward through the toner discharge port.

On the other hand, the toner collection container 8 has a container body 16 made of, for example, a translucent synthetic resin material, and has an opening 18 at its upper end. In a specific example, such a toner collection container 8 is supported by a container support 2 via a support mechanism 20.
It is configured to be removably attached to 2. To explain further, the container support 22 includes a rectangular bottom wall 24 on which the container body 16 is placed, and a side wall 26 fixed to the side edge of the bottom wall 24, which are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction. It has a pair of channel-shaped strip members 30 whose opposite ends are attached to both ends of the side wall 26 by mounting screws 28, and defines a storage space whose upper surface is open. In addition, the support mechanism 20
is equipped with a support member 32, and the support member 32 includes a mounting main body portion 34 attached to the front surface (outer surface) of the front board 4 and a mounting main body portion 3.
Support protrusions 36 projecting forward at the upper and lower ends of 4.
and 38. A connecting member 40 is attached to the side wall 26 of the container support 22, and a pair of protrusions 42 (only one is shown in FIG. 2) provided on the connecting member 40 are rotatably connected via a connecting pin 44. There is. With this configuration, the container support 22 can be brought into the removal position shown in solid line in FIG. 2 by pivoting in the direction shown by arrow 46 (FIG. 2). In this take-out position, the container support 22 protrudes forward, and the toner collection container 8 has an open upper portion (in other words, various components of the electrostatic copying machine are substantially located above). It is located in a part that does not exist.

Therefore, as is easily understood, by grasping the container body 16 and lifting it upward, the toner collection container 8 can be separated from the container support 22, and the container body 16 can be opened from above into the storage space. Position the bottom wall 24
By placing the toner collection container 8 on the container support 22, the toner collection container 8 can be mounted on the container support 22. On the other hand, the container support 22 can be brought into the storage position shown in FIG. 1 and shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2 by pivoting in the direction shown by arrow 48 (FIG. 2). In the specific example, the support protrusions 36 and 38 of the support member 32 are provided with stop pieces 50 (FIG. 1) with which the pair of protrusions 42 provided on the connection member 40 can come into contact. When the pair of protrusions 42 come into contact with the stop piece 50, the pivoting movement beyond the storage position is reliably prevented. In this storage position, the container support 22 is rotated approximately 90 degrees from the take-out position and extends along the front substrate 4, and the toner collection container 8 is moved to a predetermined collection position (as shown in FIG. It is located at the position partially indicated by the chain double-dashed line in Figure 2). At the predetermined collection position, the toner collection container 8 is located below the protrusion of the hollow cylindrical body 12 of the toner transfer means 10 that protrudes from the front substrate 4, and
A toner discharge port (not shown) provided in the toner collection container 80 and an opening 52 (FIG. 2) defined in the opening 18 of the toner collection container 80 are vertically aligned. Therefore, upward movement of the container body 16 is prevented by the opening 18 coming into contact with the hollow cylinder 12, and therefore, it becomes virtually impossible to separate the toner collection container 8 from the container support 22. Also, a spiral moving member (not shown) removed from the photoreceptor
The toner transferred in the direction shown by the arrow 14 is transferred to the toner collection container 8 through the toner discharge port of the hollow cylinder 12 and the opening 52 defined in the mouth 18 of the container body 16.
will be collected as required within. In connection with the support mechanism 20, it is preferable to provide biasing means such as a biasing spring for biasing the container support 22 toward the storage position.

In connection with the above-mentioned toner collection container 8, an optical detection means 54 is further provided. The optical detection means 54 includes a light emitting element 56 and a light receiving element 5 that receives light from the light emitting element 56.
They are attached to supports 60 attached to the front surface of required portions of the front substrate 4, corresponding to the above-mentioned collection positions consisting of eight combinations.

On the other hand, in relation to this optical detection means 54, the container body 1
A protrusion 62 constituting a detected portion is provided at the upper end of the sensor 6 . The inside of the protrusion 62 is hollow and communicates with the inside of the container body 16, so that the toner collected in the container body 16 can flow into the inside of the protrusion 62. In a specific example, the protrusion 62 is formed integrally with the container body 16 from a translucent synthetic resin material. As shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2, the protrusion 62 as shown above is located between the light emitting element 56 and the light receiving element 58 of the optical detection means 54 when the toner collection container 8 is placed in the predetermined collection position. It is now positioned.

The optical detection means 54 mentioned above includes a detection circuit as shown in FIG. Referring to FIG. 3, the light emitting element 56
can be composed of, for example, a light emitting diode 64,
One terminal of the light emitting diode 64 is connected to terminal B. This terminal B is connected to a power source (not shown). Further, the other terminal of the light emitting diode 64 is connected to one terminal of each of a first resistor 66 and a second resistor 68, which are arranged in parallel with each other. In the specific example, the resistance value of the first resistor 66 is small, and the resistance value of the second resistor 68 is significantly larger than that of the first resistor 66. Furthermore, the other terminal of the first resistor 66 is connected to the collector of the transistor 70.

The base of this transistor 70 is connected to a terminal A, and a diagnostic signal to be described later is supplied to this terminal A. Therefore,
When current is delivered to the base of transistor 70 , transistor 70 becomes conductive, so that the current from the power supply is such that the resistance of first resistor 66 is significantly less than the resistance of second resistor 68 . Therefore, the light emitting diode 64 and the first
substantially through the resistor 66, causing the light emitting diode 64 to enter a first light emitting state in which light is emitted relatively strongly. In contrast, when substantially no current is delivered to the base of transistor 70, transistor 70 is non-conducting;
Accordingly, current from the power supply substantially flows through the light emitting diode 64 and the second resistor 68, causing the light emitting diode 64 to enter a second light emitting state in which light is emitted relatively weakly.

Further, the light receiving element 58 can be composed of, for example, a phototransistor 72, and the emitter of the phototransistor 72 is connected to the base of the transistor 74. Also,
The collectors of phototransistor 72 and transistor 74 are connected to the base of transistor 76, which is connected to terminal C via resistors 78 and 80. The emitter of transistor 76 is also connected to terminal C, and its collector is connected to terminal C. Note that the terminal C is connected to a power source (not shown).

With this configuration, when the base of the phototransistor 72 receives light, the phototransistor 72 becomes conductive, which causes the transistor 74 to become conductive. Transistor 76 will then also become conductive, allowing current to flow through transistor 76 to the terminal.

In the toner recovery device as described above, the container body 16
Since the protrusion 62 provided on the container body 16 is made of a translucent material, the transmittance of the protrusion 62 is determined based on the transmittance of the protrusion 62 and the transmittance of the toner collected in the container body 16. The presence or absence of the toner and the presence or absence of collected toner are detected. In connection with this, in the specific example, if the protrusion 62 does not exist between the light emitting diode 64 and the phototransistor 72, all the light from the light emitting diode 64 actually reaches the phototransistor 2. When light is received and the protrusion 62 is located between the two, part of the light from the light emitting diode 64 is received by the phototransistor 72, and when recovered toner is present on the protrusion 62 between the two. The light from the light emitting diode 64 is substantially stopped and blocked so that it is not received by the phototransistor 72.

Next, mainly referring to FIG. 4, FIGS. 5-A to 5-C, and FIGS. 6-A to 6-C together with FIG.
Detection of the presence or absence of the protrusion 62 and the presence or absence of collected toner by the optical detection means 54 will be described.

In a specific example, terminal A in FIG. 3 is supplied with a diagnostic signal as shown in FIG. That is, the diagnostic signal includes an H signal with a high output level and a low signal with a low output level, and the H signal and the L signal are alternately sent during periods t1 and tt. When the H signal of the diagnostic signal is sent to the terminal A, since the H signal has a high output level, the transistor 7o
becomes conductive. Thus, current from a power source (not shown) substantially flows through the light emitting diode 64 and the first resistor 66, so that during the period t1 the light emitting diode 64 is in a first light emitting state in which it emits relatively intense light. Become.

On the other hand, when a diagnostic signal is sent to terminal A, the transistor 70 becomes non-conductive because the output level of the L signal is low. Current from the power source will then substantially flow through the light emitting diode 64 and the second resistor 68, thus causing the light emitting diode 6 to flow during period ta.
4 is a second light emitting state in which light is emitted relatively weakly.

In relation to the light emitting state of the light emitting diode 64 as described above, the phototransistor 72 is set to the 6-A corresponding to various states.
The optical detection means 54 receives light as shown schematically in FIGS. 5-6-C and generates signals as shown in FIGS. 5-A-5-C.

As shown in FIG. 6-A, there is no protrusion 62 provided on the container body 16 between the light emitting diode 64 (light emitting element 56) and the phototransistor 72 (light receiving element 58) (in other words, the toner recovery When the container 8 is not attached to the container support 22, or when it is attached to the container support 22 but the toner collection container 8 is not positioned at a predetermined collection position, there is a gap between the two. Since there is nothing to block the light from the light emitting diode 64, the light from the light emitting diode 64 is effectively stopped.
That is, all of the light in the first light emitting state (indicated by the solid arrow) and the light in the second light emitting state (indicated by the broken arrow) are received by the phototransistor 72. Accordingly, phototransistor 72 becomes conductive during periods t1 and t2, which causes transistors 74 and 76 to also become conductive (FIG. 3);
6 from the terminal 1 as shown in FIG. 5-A, i.e. period 1. And in period t2, a non-installation signal, which becomes the [I signal, is output.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6-B, a light emitting diode 64 (light emitting element 56) and a phototransistor 72 (light receiving element 58)
) is located between the container body 16 (more specifically, when the toner collection container 8 is located at a predetermined collection position and toner has not been collected up to the projection 62), Since the protrusion 62 exists between these two, part of the light from the light emitting diode 64 is blocked.
That is, the light in the first light emitting state where the light is emitted relatively strongly is transmitted through the protrusion 62 and is received by the phototransistor 72, but the light in the second light emitting state where the light is emitted relatively weakly is blocked by the protrusion 62. No light is received by the phototransistor 72. Therefore, the phototransistor 72 becomes conductive during the period t, and an H signal is output from the terminal in this conductive state, whereas the phototransistor 72 becomes non-conductive during the period t2, and the third
As can be easily understood from the figure, the transistor 76 becomes substantially non-conductive and an L signal is output from the terminal.

Thus, through the transistor 76 from the terminal 5-
In response to the output signal as shown in Figure B, ie the H signal of the diagnostic signal (ie period t).

A normal signal is generated which becomes an H signal (in the period tt) and an L signal in response to the diagnostic signal (in the period tt).

In addition, as shown in FIG. 6-C, a light emitting diode 64 (light emitting element 56) and a phototransistor 72 (light receiving element 58)
The toner is collected up to the protrusion 62 located between the
Specifically, when the toner collection container 8 is located at a predetermined collection position and toner is collected until the toner collection container 8 is substantially full, there is collected toner between the two. Therefore, the light from the light emitting diode 64 is substantially blocked by the recovered toner, that is, neither the light in the first light emitting state nor the light in the second light emitting state is received by the phototransistor 72. , Therefore, in such a state, period t and period 1
At t, the phototransistor 72 becomes non-conductive;
This also keeps transistor 76 substantially non-conducting.

Thus, the output signal from the terminal is as shown in FIG. 5-C, ie, period 1. And in period t2, an overflow signal that becomes an L signal is output.

Incidentally, when the optical detection means 54 generates the above-mentioned non-mounting signal or the above-mentioned overflow signal, it is preferable to stop the operation of the electrostatic copying machine based on the non-mounting signal or the overflow signal.

As described above, in the toner recovery device in the specific example, the light emitting element 56 is in a first light emitting state in which light is emitted relatively strongly and in a second light emitting state in which light is emitted relatively weakly. to detect the presence or absence of collected toner.
Furthermore, since the presence or absence of the protrusion provided on the container body 16 is detected in relation to the second light emitting state, the presence or absence of the toner collection container and the amount of collected toner (collected toner), which were previously detected separately, are detected. By using one optical detection means 54 consisting of a combination of a light-emitting element 56 and a light-receiving element 58, it is possible to detect as required whether a predetermined amount of toner has been collected that is substantially full. The structure can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

Although an example of a toner recovery device configured according to the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific example of the toner recovery device, and various modifications and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is possible.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a part of an electrostatic copying machine equipped with a toner recovery device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a part of the electrostatic copying machine shown in FIG. 1, partially in section. FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a detection circuit of an optical detection means in an integral example of the toner recovery device according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating diagnostic signals sent to terminals of the detection circuit of FIG. 3; Figures 5-A to 5-C show output signals when there is no detected part of the toner collection container between the light emitting element and light receiving element of the optical detection means, and toner collection between the two, respectively. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an output signal when a detected portion of the container exists, and an output signal when collected toner exists between the two. Figures 6-A to 6-C respectively show a state when there is no detected portion of the toner collection container between the light emitting element and the light receiving element of the optical detection means, and a state where the toner collection container is located between the two. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a state in which a detected portion exists, and a state in which collected toner exists between the two. 8... Toner collection container 10... Toner transfer means 16... Container body 20... Support mechanism 22... Container support 54... Optical detection means 5G... Light emitting element 58...・Light receiving element 62... Protrusion (detected part) Patent attorney Tadashi Kishimoto Akimaro, 7 Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In a toner collection device including a toner collection container that collects toner at a predetermined collection position, and an optical detection means consisting of a combination of a light emitting element and a light receiving element; The optical detection means has a container body that stores toner, and when the container body is placed in the predetermined recovery position, a detection portion provided on the container body is positioned between the light emitting element and the light receiving element, and the optical detection means includes: Based on the transmittance of the detected portion of the container body and the transmittance of the toner collected in the container body,
When the detected part is not present between the light emitting element and the light receiving element, a non-attached signal is generated, and when collected toner is present in the detected part located between the light emitting element and the light receiving element, an overflow occurs. A toner collection device that generates a signal. 2. At least the detected portion of the container body is formed of a translucent material, and when the toner collection container is located in the predetermined collection device and no collected toner is present in the detected portion, The light from the light emitting element is partially blocked by the detected portion, thereby causing the optical detection means to generate a normal signal, while the toner collection container is located at the predetermined collection position and the detected portion is blocked. When collected toner is present, the light from the light emitting element is substantially all blocked by the collected toner present in the detected portion, thereby causing the optical detection means to generate an overflow signal and causing the toner collection container to emit light. Claim 1, wherein substantially all of the light from the light emitting element is received by the light receiving element when the light emitting element is not present at the predetermined recovery position, thereby causing the optical detection means to generate the unattached signal. The toner collection device described. 3. The light emitting element repeatedly performs a first light emitting state in which light is emitted relatively strongly and a second light emitting state in which light is emitted relatively weakly;
The optical detection means detects whether or not collected toner is present between the light emitting element and the light receiving element in relation to the first light emitting state, and detects whether collected toner is present in relation to the second light emitting state. The toner recovery device according to claim 2, which detects whether or not the detected portion of the container body exists between the light emitting element and the light receiving element. 4. The optical detection means detects the light emitting element in the first light emitting state and the second light emitting state when the detected portion of the container body is not present between the light emitting element and the light receiving element. The unattached signal is generated in connection with light being received by the light receiving element, and when the detected portion is present between the light emitting element and the light receiving element, the first detection part of the light emitting element is generated. The normal signal is generated in connection with the fact that the light in the second light emitting state is received by the light receiving element, but the light in the second light emitting state is not substantially received by the light receiving element, and the light emitting element and the light receiving element When the detected portion and the collected toner are present between the light emitting element and the first light emitting state and the second light emitting state, the light is not substantially received by the light receiving element. 4. The toner recovery device according to claim 3, which generates the overflow signal. 5. A first resistor having a small resistance value and a second resistor having a significantly greater resistance value than the first resistor are arranged in parallel and connected to the light emitting element, and the light emitting element is in the first light emitting state when current flows substantially through the first resistor, and is in the second light emitting state when current flows substantially through the second resistor. Third
The toner recovery device according to item 1 or 4. 6. The toner collection container is detachably attached to a container support, and the container support has a storage position in which the toner collection container is positioned at the predetermined collection position and an ejection position in which the toner collection container is allowed to be removed. The toner recovery device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is movable between the toner collection devices.