JPS63249179A - Cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To store a large quantity of recovered toner without hindering the work of jam processing or the like by attachably and detachably supporting a storage vessel, where the toner recovered with a cleaning means is stored, in a cleaning garage. CONSTITUTION:A storage vessel 30 of the toner recovered by cleaning means 11 and 13 is attachably and detachably supported in a cleaning garage 20 which supports a cleaning device and can be moved in parallel to a photosensitive drum 41. Thus, the capacity of the storage vessel 30 of recovered toner is increased, and the cleaning device where the cycle of toner disposal is long and the danger of toner leakage is lessened is obtained because the vessel 30 is connected to the cleaning device 10 only by a fixed type joint, and jam processing and other maintenance are facilitated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a cleaning device for an image forming apparatus, which is provided with a storage container for toner collected from the circumferential surface of a photosensitive drum.

[1r view of the invention] After the image has been transferred to the transfer material, the residual toner on the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum is peeled off and cleaned by a cleaning device for the next toner image formation, and is once deposited at the bottom of the cleaning device container. After that, the toner is sent via a conveying means to a toner storage container prepared separately from the cleaning device and collected.

This toner storage container is usually installed on the front panel of the image forming apparatus main body, but there are also examples where it is installed integrally with the bottom of the cleaning device container or by using the space inside the photoreceptor drum. Can be seen.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, when the toner is installed on the entire surface panel, the size of the toner is reduced so as not to interfere with work such as Kuyam treatment, so the amount of toner that can be stored is small, and it is necessary to monitor whether the toner can be stored or not using a detection means.

Further, when the cleaning device W1 is provided at the bottom of the container, the size of the separation claw unit must be increased to avoid the space required, and there is the same drawback as described above.

- If installed inside the photosensitive drum, there is an advantage to storing a large amount of toner, but it requires many joints in the toner conveyance path, and toner leaks when attaching and detaching the toner. They have the disadvantage of contaminating the interior and interfering with operation.

As a result of solving and improving this problem, the present invention provides a toner storage container that does not interfere with work such as jam removal and can store a large amount of collected toner with a relatively simple conveyance path configuration. The purpose is to provide a cleaning device.

[Means for solving problems]

The above object is a cleaning device for an image forming apparatus, which has a cleaning device disposed facing a photoconductor drum and operated in connection with an image forming process on the photoconductor drum, which supports the cleaning device and cleans the photoconductor drum. This is achieved by a cleaning device characterized in that a cleaning garage that is movable parallel to the drum removably supports a storage container for toner collected by the cleaning means.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 shows a partial cross-section of the side surface of a cleaning device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows the arrow A'g! This shows the parts.

10 is a cleaning device; 20 is the cleaning device ra;
The cleaning galleys 7 and 30 that support the cleaning device 10 are storage containers that contain the toner conveyed from the cleaning device 10.

The cleaning device 10 includes a cleaning blade 11 and a cleaning roller 13 as cleaning means for the photosensitive drum 41, and is biased clockwise or counterclockwise by a drive mechanism using the pongee 12 or the pongee 14 as a fulcrum, respectively 8! It has sides.

The cleaning rake 20 is the cleaning device W.
A channel-shaped frame member formed with a pair of upper and lower bent portions 21 for inserting, engaging, and supporting the sliding walls 23 and 24 having elongated holes 25 on the front and rear sides, respectively.
are arranged symmetrically.

In addition, the cleaning layer 20 slides the sliding walls 23 and 24 onto the inner surface of the fixed substrate through a total of six guide plates 42 attached to the inner surfaces of the front and rear fixed substrates of the image forming apparatus, so that the cleaning layer 20 is moved horizontally. The cleaning device 10 is supported so as to be slidable, and by operating a cam mechanism or the like, each of the cleaning means of the cleaning device 10 supported by the cleaning device 10 can be brought close to the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 41 as shown in the figure, or moved from the position shown in the figure. It is configured so that it can be moved leftward to separate the cleaning means from the drum circumferential surface.

The storage container 30 is attached to the cleaning device 10.
It is a tightly spaced rectangular parallelepiped container with a corresponding depth dimension, and is removably supported on the outer surface of the side wall of the cleaning container 20 via four mounting holes 31.

At the upper front surface of the storage container 30, the end of a conveyance pipe 35 containing a built-in conveyance coil 34 made of a flexible helical member connected to the bottom of the I7-Ning RF110 is removably attached. ing.

That is, as shown in the cross-sectional view of the main part of FIG.
6 is rotatably supported after press-fitting, and by rotating the cap 36, the opening hole 3613 of the cap 36 can be opened by matching with the opening hole 35^ of the conveying pipe 35, or can be made to be mismatched and can be shielded. I'm standing next to you.

Therefore, when the elongated hole 36C of the cap 36 is engaged with the stepped pin 33 of the storage container 301 and the cap 36 is rotated clockwise, the conveying pipe 35 is transferred to the storage container 30 as shown in the figure. It is inserted into the connection hole 32 and fixed, and at the same time, the opening holes 36B and 35^ are aligned and opened.

When the image forming process starts in the state shown in FIG. 1, the related drive 8! Due to the drying operation, the cleaning blade 11 is biased in a clockwise direction around the shaft 12, and its tip is pressed against the circumferential surface of the drum, and the residual toner on the circumferential surface begins to be removed, completing the cleaning of one image. The biasing force is lost and the pressure contact with the drum circumferential surface is released.

Further, the cleaning roller 13 is driven by the above-mentioned driving mechanism. [
The cleaning blade 11 is pressed against the circumferential surface of the drum by being biased counterclockwise around the shaft 14 only for a predetermined period of time when the cleaning blade 11 is in pressure contact and when the pressure is released. Alternatively, the toner peeled off from the circumferential surface of the drum that adheres when the pressure contact is released is cleaned.

The toner dropped by the cleaning means is leaked from the cleaning device 10 by the counterclockwise rotational movement of the roller 15 from the toner receiver provided further upstream of the cleaning blade 11 in the rotational direction (arrow B) of the photoreceptor drum 41. After being transported and accumulated at the bottom of the storage container 30 without any movement, they are transported upward through the transport pipe 35 by the driving force generated by the rotation of the transport coil 34 and fall into the storage container 30 through the openings 38B and 35^. and will be accommodated.

When the storage container 30 is full due to continued falling and storage of toner, when the conveyance pipe 35 is removed from the cleaning lens 20, the connection hole 32 becomes a toner outlet and the stored toner is removed. It can be easily discharged and disposed of.

In this case, since the opening hole 35^ of the removed conveyance pipe 35 is covered by the rotation of the cap 36, there is no risk of the internal toner leaking out and staining the surrounding surface even if the pipe is left alone.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, the capacity of the storage container for collecting toner is increased, and furthermore, it can be connected to the cleaning device only by a fixed type joint, so the toner disposal cycle is long and the risk of toner leakage is extremely high. Less cleaning equipment will be provided. Furthermore, since the cleaning device does not have the storage container placed in front of it, it is useful for facilitating jam removal and other maintenance work. Furthermore, by removing the cap of the toner conveying device from the storage container for collecting toner, it has become possible to easily attach and detach only the storage container.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of the cleaning device of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side (partially sectional) view of the main part indicated by arrow A. 10---Cleaning device

Claims (1)

[Claims] A cleaning device for an image forming apparatus having a cleaning device disposed facing a photoconductor drum and operated in connection with the image forming process of the photoconductor drum, the cleaning device supporting the cleaning device and parallel to the photoconductor drum. A cleaning device characterized in that a movable cleaning garage removably supports a storage container for toner collected by the cleaning means.