A printer toner cartridge waste toner box

Abstract

This utility model belongs to the technical field of printer equipment, specifically relating to a printer toner cartridge waste toner box. A printer toner cartridge waste toner box includes a box body, a spiral conveyor rod rotatably disposed within the box body, a transmission device for connecting to the end of the spiral conveyor rod, a discharge port disposed on the box body, and a sealing cover detachably connected to the discharge port. A support column extending into the box body is installed on the sealing cover; a groove is formed at the upper end of the support column to support the rod body of the spiral conveyor rod. This utility model ensures that the spiral conveyor rod remains stable during transportation and vibration environments, preventing it from falling off, while simultaneously ensuring that waste toner is completely and smoothly discharged without obstruction during the toner discharge process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of printer equipment technology, and specifically relates to a printer toner cartridge waste toner box. Background Technology

[0002] In office equipment such as laser printers and copiers, the toner cartridge is the core imaging component. During the printing process, toner is transferred from the toner cartridge to the paper, but not all toner is fully utilized; some residual toner always remains. If this residual toner is not collected in time, it can contaminate the printer's internal components, affect print quality, and even damage the equipment. Therefore, modern toner cartridges are usually equipped with a dedicated waste toner box for collecting and storing this residual toner.

[0003] One of the core functions of a waste toner box is to efficiently collect and temporarily store waste toner. To optimize collection efficiency and prevent waste toner from accumulating and causing blockages inside the box, advanced waste toner boxes on the market typically have a spiral conveyor inside. This spiral conveyor rotates to evenly transport and distribute newly falling waste toner to all corners of the waste toner box, thereby making full use of the storage space of the waste toner box and avoiding blockages at the inlet due to waste toner accumulation.

[0004] However, the screw conveyor itself is usually a slender rod with helical blades, mostly made of engineering plastics, and has a certain degree of elasticity. This structure is very prone to detaching from its mounting position when the printer is transported, handled, or subjected to severe vibration. Once the screw conveyor detaches, it cannot be driven normally by the drive mechanism, loses its function of conveying waste toner, and causes waste toner to accumulate and clog the feed inlet rapidly, rendering the waste toner box ineffective.

[0005] The document with authorization announcement number CN223413618U discloses a structurally stable spiral powder feeding waste powder box. This solution sets a first limiting plate on the bottom box and sets several second and third limiting plates on the box cover to clamp and limit the spiral conveying rod from below and above, so as to fix the spiral conveying rod after the cover is closed.

[0006] However, this solution has a significant drawback: these limiting plates, fixed inside the box, become obstacles to waste powder discharge when the user needs to clean it. Waste powder, especially after becoming damp or compressed, easily adheres and accumulates around these limiting plates, making it difficult to remove completely. This not only results in waste powder residue, affecting the actual effective capacity of the waste powder box, but may also cause new and old waste powder to mix and form clumps during the next use, further hindering the operation of the screw conveyor. In other words, this structure, introduced to solve transportation stability, sacrifices the most basic smoothness of powder discharge from the waste powder box.

[0007] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for an innovative waste powder box structure that can fundamentally solve the problem of the spiral conveyor rod falling off during transportation, while completely eliminating any obstruction to waste powder discharge when it is necessary to discharge powder. Utility Model Content

[0008] To address the aforementioned problems, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a printer toner cartridge waste toner box that ensures the spiral conveyor rod remains stable during transportation and vibration environments, preventing it from falling off, while also ensuring that the waste toner is discharged smoothly and completely without obstruction during the toner removal process.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of this utility model is as follows: A printer toner cartridge waste toner box includes a box body, a spiral conveyor rod rotatably disposed within the box body, a drive mechanism for connecting to the end of the spiral conveyor rod, a discharge port disposed on the box body, and a sealing cover detachably connected to the discharge port. A support column extending into the box body is mounted on the sealing cover; a groove for supporting the rod body of the spiral conveyor rod is formed at the upper end of the support column.

[0010] As a further preferred embodiment of this utility model, the discharge port is provided with an internal thread; the sealing cover includes a cover plate, a cylinder disposed on the upper end of the cover plate, and an external thread disposed on the outer wall of the cylinder and adapted to the internal thread; one end of the support column enters the cylinder and is rotatably connected to the cover plate.

[0011] As a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sealing cover further includes an inner cylinder disposed in the middle of the cover plate and used for inserting the support column, and ball bearings disposed on the cylinder wall of the inner cylinder and rotatably connected to the outer wall of the support column.

[0012] As a further preferred embodiment of this utility model, the support column is located inside the box and a sealing ring plate is provided on the outer wall of the side near the sealing cover.

[0013] As a further preferred embodiment of this invention, the outer diameter of the sealing ring plate is larger than the inner diameter of the discharge port; and the sealing ring plate is a flexible ring plate.

[0014] As a further preferred embodiment of this utility model, the upper end of the support column is provided with two opposing plates to form the groove, and the plates are parallel to the rod of the spiral conveyor.

[0015] As a further preferred embodiment of this utility model, a baffle plate is provided on the bottom surface of the groove near the inner wall of the box body, with its two ends respectively connected to the two plates.

[0016] As a further preferred embodiment of this utility model, the inner wall of the box is provided with a receiving part for mounting the rod body of the spiral conveying rod.

[0017] As a further preferred embodiment of this utility model, a blocking ring is provided on the side of the spiral conveyor rod near the receiving part.

[0018] As a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the receiving part includes a mounting cylinder, a notch provided on the wall of the mounting cylinder near the bottom surface of the box body, and an elastic block provided at the notch; the rod of the spiral conveying rod passes through the notch and enters the mounting cylinder by squeezing the elastic block.

[0019] The beneficial effects of this utility model are: This invention, through the structure of the sealing cover and the support column, and the fixed cooperation between the two ends of the spiral conveyor rod, forms a stable three-point support system, reducing the problem of the spiral conveyor rod falling off due to vibration during transportation.

[0020] The support column of this utility model can be removed together with the sealing cover. When discharging powder, the inner wall of the box is smooth and free of any dead corners or residues. Waste powder can be discharged without obstruction, ensuring the effective capacity of the waste powder box and its long-term reliability. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Appendix Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention.

[0022] Appendix Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model from a side view.

[0023] Appendix Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the sealing cover and support column of this utility model from a top view.

[0024] Appendix Figure 4 Appendix to this utility model Figure 1 A partial structural diagram.

[0025] Appendix Figure 5 Appendix to this utility model Figure 2 A partial structural diagram.

[0026] Figure description: Box body 100, spiral conveyor rod 200, transmission device 300, sealing cover 400, support column 500; Emission outlet 110, monitoring window 120; Internal thread 110a; Cover plate 410, cylinder 420, inner cylinder 430, ball bearing 440, retaining ring 450; External thread 420a; Groove 510, sealing ring plate 520, baffle 530, receiving part 540; Mounting cylinder 540a, notch 540b, elastic block 540c. Detailed Implementation

[0027] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", "left", "right", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship that the utility model product is usually placed in during use, or the orientation or positional relationship that is commonly understood by those skilled in the art. They are only used to facilitate the description of this utility model and to simplify the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0028] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be interpreted as indicating or implying relative importance. In the description of this utility model, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, terms such as "set" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0029] As attached Figure 1 ~Appendix Figure 5 As shown, this embodiment provides a printer toner cartridge waste toner box, including a box body 100, a spiral conveyor 200 rotatably disposed within the box body 100, a transmission device 300 for connecting to the end of the spiral conveyor 200, a discharge port 110 disposed on the box body 100, and a sealing cover 400 detachably connected to the discharge port 110. A support column 500 extending into the box body is installed on the sealing cover 400; a groove 510 for supporting the rod body of the spiral conveyor 200 is formed at the upper end of the support column 500.

[0030] The box body 100, serving as the main body of the waste powder box, is hollow inside to hold the collected waste powder. The box body 100 is typically injection molded from plastic and can be a single piece or a separate piece (bottom box and lid). A drive mechanism 300 is located at one end of the box body 100. The drive mechanism 300 is typically a gear that can be manually rotated or connected to an external drive motor to obtain rotational power. A spiral conveyor 200 passes through the interior of the box body 100, with one end fixedly connected to the drive mechanism 300 and the other end rotatably connected to the inner wall of the box body 100, allowing it to rotate along with the drive mechanism 300. The spiral conveyor 200 has continuous spiral blades (not shown in the figure), whose function, during rotation, is to evenly convey and distribute the waste powder falling from a feed inlet (not shown in the figure, typically located above the box body 100 near the drum cleaning scraper) towards the depth of the box body 100. The discharge port 110 is located at the bottom of the box 100. The sealing cover 400 can be detachably connected to the discharge port 110 by means of snap-fit ​​connection, threaded connection, or interference fit. During normal waste powder collection, the sealing cover 400 is in a tightly closed state to prevent waste powder leakage. A transparent monitoring window 120 can also be provided near the discharge port 110. The amount of waste powder inside can be observed through the monitoring window 120 to remind the user whether the waste powder box needs to be replaced or cleaned.

[0031] The core improvement of this invention lies in the integration of the sealing cover 400 with an internal support structure. A groove 510 is machined into the upper end of the support column 500 (i.e., the end that extends into the housing 100). The shape of this groove 510 matches the diameter of the spiral conveyor rod 200, serving to support the rod. Furthermore, the groove 510 is a V-shaped or U-shaped groove formed by two opposing plates, which are parallel to the axial direction of the spiral conveyor rod 200, thus providing good linear contact support with low friction and accurate positioning.

[0032] During production and assembly, the spiral conveyor rod 200 is first installed at both ends inside the housing 100, and then the sealing cover 400 with support columns 500 is installed. During installation, the support columns 500 extend into the housing, and the grooves 510 at their tops precisely support the spiral conveyor rod 200. Thus, in addition to the traditional support points at both ends, the spiral conveyor rod 200 has a third support point in the middle provided by the support columns 500, forming a stable multi-point support system. This system effectively limits the vertical jump and lateral sway of the spiral conveyor rod 200 during transportation and vibration environments, fundamentally solving the technical problem of it easily detaching from its mounting position. When cleaning is required, the sealing cover 400 is removed, and the support columns 500 are completely pulled out, with the grooves 510 at their tops also removed from the housing. At this point, there are no obstructions inside the housing except for the necessary spiral conveyor rod 200 (whose two support points are located at the edge of the housing, having minimal impact on powder discharge). Waste powder can be discharged completely and without obstruction from the spacious discharge port 110, perfectly solving the problem of poor powder discharge and residue caused by the fixed limiting plate in the background technology.

[0033] In some preferred embodiments, to achieve precise positioning and smooth operation of the support column 500, the connection method between the sealing cap 400 and the support column 500 has been optimized: the discharge port 110 is provided with an internal thread 110a; the sealing cap 400 includes a cover plate 410, a cylinder 420 disposed at the upper end of the cover plate 410, and an external thread 420a disposed on the outer wall of the cylinder 420 and adapted to the internal thread 110a. One end of the support column 500 enters the cylinder 420 and is rotatably connected to the cover plate 410. Specifically, the cover plate 410 has an inner cylinder 430 in the middle for inserting the support column 500, and the inner cylinder 430 has ball bearings 440 rotatably connected to the outer wall of the support column 500 on its cylinder wall.

[0034] When the sealing cap 400 is rotated, torque is transmitted through the external thread 420a on the cylinder 420, causing the entire sealing cap 400 body to rotate to tighten or loosen. Meanwhile, the internal support column 500, connected to the cover plate 410 via ball bearings 440, can remain relatively stationary or rotate slightly in the circumferential direction. This effectively prevents rotational friction between the groove 510 at the top of the support column 500 and the rod body of the screw conveyor 200 during installation and disassembly, thus protecting the rod surface, preventing wear and plastic debris generated by friction, making operation smoother, and improving product reliability and service life.

[0035] In some preferred embodiments, to prevent waste powder from leaking from the annular gap between the support column 500 and the inner wall of the discharge port 110, a special sealing structure is provided: a sealing ring plate 520 is provided on the outer wall of the support column 500 located inside the housing 100 and near the sealing cover 400. The sealing ring plate 520 is preferably made of a flexible material such as soft rubber or thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), and the outer diameter of the sealing ring plate 520 is larger than the inner diameter of the discharge port 110.

[0036] When the support column 500 is inserted into the discharge port 110 along with the sealing cover 400, the sealing ring plate 520 is compressed and undergoes elastic deformation, tightly adhering to the inner wall of the discharge port 110, or entering the box body 100 and located at the upper end of the discharge port 110, forming a reliable seal. This design is simple and effective, achieving the seal through the installation action of the support column itself. It is low-cost and highly reliable, effectively preventing the leakage of fine powder-like waste powder, ensuring the cleanliness and environmental protection of the waste powder box.

[0037] In some preferred embodiments, a baffle 530 is provided on the bottom surface of the groove 510 near the inner wall of the box 100, with its two ends respectively connected to two plates. The baffle 530 and the two plates form a three-sided enclosure structure. In particular, the baffle 530 can contact the spiral blades on the spiral conveyor rod 200, ensuring that during transportation, no matter how the box is bumped, the movement of the spiral conveyor rod 200 in that direction will be blocked by the baffle 530, ensuring its stable placement in the groove and thus preventing it from falling off.

[0038] In some preferred embodiments, the inner wall of the housing 100 is provided with a receiving portion 540 for mounting the rod body of the spiral conveying rod 200, and a retaining ring 450 is provided on the side of the rod body of the spiral conveying rod 200 near the receiving portion 540. When the spiral conveying rod 200 is installed in place, the retaining ring 450 will contact the end face or a specific structure of the receiving portion 540, thereby precisely defining the axial position of the spiral conveying rod 200 and preventing it from moving excessively in that direction.

[0039] Furthermore, the receiving part 540 includes a mounting cylinder 540a, a notch 540b provided on the wall of the mounting cylinder 540a near the bottom surface of the housing 100, and an elastic block 540c provided at the notch 540b; the rod of the spiral conveyor 200 passes through the notch 540b and enters the mounting cylinder 540a by pressing the elastic block 540c. This structure achieves a quick and stable "snap-fit" assembly. When assembling the spiral conveyor 200, its end is aligned with the notch 540b and pushed in forcefully. The elastic block 540c deforms elastically under pressure, creating a passage so that the end of the spiral conveyor 200 can enter the mounting cylinder 540a. Once the end is fully inside, the elastic block 540c quickly returns to its original shape, closing the notch 540b, thereby confining the end of the spiral conveyor 200 within the mounting cylinder 540a. This design eliminates complex processes such as screw fixing or hot riveting, improving assembly efficiency. It also utilizes the self-recovering properties of elastic materials to achieve reliable positioning, while providing a certain degree of cushioning and shock absorption. Furthermore, even if the spiral conveyor rod 200 detaches again, it can be quickly reinstalled.

[0040] The specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative examples illustrating the spirit of this utility model. Those skilled in the art to which this utility model pertains may make various modifications or additions to the described specific embodiments or use similar methods to substitute them, without departing from the spirit of this utility model or exceeding the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A printer toner cartridge, comprising a cartridge body (100), a spiral conveyor (200) rotatably disposed within the cartridge body (100), a transmission device (300) for connection to the end of the spiral conveyor (200), a discharge port (110) disposed on the cartridge body (100), and a sealing cap (400) detachably connected to the discharge port (110), characterized in that: The sealing cap (400) is fitted with a support column (500) extending into the box body; the upper end of the support column (500) has a groove (510) for supporting the rod body of the spiral conveyor (200).

2. The printer toner cartridge waste powder box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The discharge port (110) is provided with an internal thread (110a); the sealing cover (400) includes a cover plate (410), a cylinder (420) provided at the upper end of the cover plate (410), and an external thread (420a) provided on the outer wall of the cylinder (420) and adapted to the internal thread (110a); one end of the support column (500) enters the cylinder (420) and is rotatably connected to the cover plate (410).

3. The printer toner cartridge waste powder box according to claim 2, characterized in that: The sealing cap (400) also includes an inner cylinder (430) disposed in the middle of the cover plate (410) and used for inserting into the support column (500), and ball bearings (440) disposed on the cylinder wall of the inner cylinder (430) and rotatably connected to the outer wall of the support column (500).

4. The printer toner cartridge waste powder box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support column (500) is located inside the box (100) and a sealing ring plate (520) is provided on the outer wall of the side near the sealing cover (400).

5. The print cartridge waste toner cartridge of claim 4, wherein: The outer diameter of the sealing ring plate (520) is larger than the inner diameter of the discharge port (110); and the sealing ring plate (520) is a flexible ring plate.

6. The printer toner cartridge waste powder box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper end of the support column (500) is provided with two opposing plates to form the groove (510), and the plates are parallel to the rod of the spiral conveyor (200).

7. The printer toner cartridge waste powder box according to claim 6, characterized in that: The bottom surface of the groove (510) near the inner wall of the box body (100) is provided with baffles (530) at both ends that are respectively connected to the two plates.

8. The printer toner cartridge waste powder box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner wall of the box (100) is provided with a receiving part (540) for mounting the rod body of the spiral conveying rod (200).

9. The printer toner cartridge waste powder box according to claim 8, characterized in that: A blocking ring (450) is provided on the side of the spiral conveyor rod (200) near the receiving part (540).

10. The printer toner cartridge waste powder box according to claim 8, characterized in that: The receiving part (540) includes a mounting cylinder (540a), a notch (540b) provided on the wall of the mounting cylinder (540a) near the bottom surface of the box body (100), and an elastic block (540c) provided at the notch (540b); the rod of the spiral conveying rod (200) passes through the notch (540b) and enters the mounting cylinder (540a) by squeezing the elastic block (540c).

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