Waste developer collection device, image forming apparatus

Abstract

To prevent leakage of waste developer from waste developer containers using a simple design. [Solution] The waste developer storage unit 5 has a container portion 51, a lid portion 52, and a lid restricting portion 54. When the waste developer storage unit 5 moves from the detachment position to the collection position along the mounting path, the lid contact member 67 receives force from the lid portion 52 restricted by the lid restricting portion 54 and swings in a first direction, moving from inside the lid movement path to outside the lid movement path, and after passing the lid portion 52, moves back into the lid movement path by its own weight. When the waste developer storage unit 5 moves from the collection position to the detachment position along the mounting path, the lid portion 52 receives force from the lid contact member 67 restricted by the swinging restricting portion 68 and rotates to a closed position that closes the receiving opening 51a.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a waste developer recovery device for recovering waste developer into a container and an image forming apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] An image forming apparatus includes a sheet conveyance device and a printing device. The printing device forms an image on a sheet conveyed by the sheet conveyance device with a developer.

[0003] Waste developer is generated in the printing device. For example, in the electrophotographic printing device, waste toner remains on the surface of the image carrier. In the inkjet printing device, waste ink is generated when the nozzles of the inkjet head are cleaned.

[0004] The image forming apparatus may include a waste developer recovery device for recovering the waste developer. The waste developer recovery device conveys the waste developer to a recovery position and recovers it into a waste developer container removably attached to the recovery position (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] By the way, the waste developer container has a lid for opening and closing an inlet for receiving the waste developer. The waste developer container is attached to the recovery position with the lid open.

[0007] When the waste developer container is removed from the collection position, there is a risk that the waste developer may leak out of the receiving port of the waste developer container. It is desirable that the leakage of the waste developer can be prevented by a simple configuration.

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide a waste developer recovery device and an image forming apparatus that can prevent the leakage of waste developer from a waste developer container with a simple configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A waste developer recovery device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a waste developer transport device, a waste developer storage unit, a lid contact member, and a swing restricting member. The waste developer transport device is arranged inside an image forming apparatus and transports waste developer from a generation position to a recovery position. The waste developer storage unit has a container portion and a lid portion and is detachably mounted at the recovery position. The container portion receives and stores the waste developer at the recovery position. The lid portion is rotatably connected to the container portion and rotates to open and close a waste developer receiving port formed in the container portion. The unit guide portion is arranged inside the image forming apparatus and guides the waste developer storage unit along a mounting path spanning the recovery position and a detachment position away from the recovery position. The lid contact member hangs down from above the lid movement path, which is the movement path of the lid portion inside the image forming apparatus, into the lid movement path, and is swingable in a first direction along the direction from the detachment position toward the recovery position and in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The oscillation restricting unit is located within the image forming apparatus and restricts the oscillation range of the lid contact member in the second direction. The waste developer storage unit has a lid restricting unit that restricts the rotation range of the lid in the opening direction at a position where the lid stands upright from the container. When the waste developer storage unit moves from the detachment position to the collection position along the mounting path, the lid contact member receives force from the lid restricted by the lid restricting unit and swings in the first direction, moving from within the lid movement path to outside the lid movement path, and after the lid has passed, moves back into the lid movement path by its own weight. When the waste developer storage unit moves from the collection position to the detachment position along the mounting path, the lid receives force from the lid contact member restricted by the oscillation restricting unit and rotates to a closed position that closes the receiving opening.

[0010] An image forming apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention comprises a printing apparatus for forming an image on a sheet with a developer, and a waste developer recovery apparatus for recovering waste developer generated in the printing apparatus. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a waste developer recovery device and an image forming apparatus that can prevent leakage of waste developer from a waste developer container with a simple configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows the waste toner collection device in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment before the waste developer storage unit is installed. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows a waste toner collection device in an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment, in the process of having a waste developer storage unit installed. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows a waste toner collection device in an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment, with a waste developer storage unit installed. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a plan view of a waste developer storage unit mounted at the collection position in an image forming apparatus according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows the waste toner collection device in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment, before the lid of the waste developer storage unit is closed. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows the waste toner collection device in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment when the lid of the waste developer storage unit is closed. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments are merely examples of the present invention and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0014] [Configuration of the image forming apparatus 10] The image forming apparatus 10 according to this embodiment includes a printing apparatus 40 that forms an image on a sheet 90 using a developer. In the example shown in Figure 1, the image forming apparatus 10 forms an image on the sheet 90 using an electrophotographic method.

[0015] The image forming apparatus 10 includes a sheet storage unit 2, a sheet conveyance device 3, a printing device 40, and a developer supply device 400. Further, the image forming apparatus 10 includes a main housing 1 that houses the sheet conveyance device 3, the printing device 40, and the developer supply device 400. The main housing 1 is the main body of the image forming apparatus 10.

[0016] The developer supply device 400 supplies the developer to the printing device 40. In the present embodiment, the developer is toner. The toner is an example of the powdery developer.

[0017] The printing device 40 includes an optical scanning unit 40U, one or more image forming units 4, a transfer device 44, and a fixing device 46. The image forming unit 4 includes one or more photoreceptors 41.

[0018] The image forming unit 4 forms a toner image on the surface of the photoreceptor 41. The transfer device 44 transfers the toner image from the surface of the photoreceptor 41 to a sheet 90 conveyed by the sheet conveyance device 3. The fixing device 46 fixes the toner image on the sheet 90 by heating and pressing the toner image on the sheet 90.

[0019] The image forming apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 is a tandem type color image forming apparatus. Therefore, the printing device 40 includes a plurality of image forming units 4 corresponding to different developing colors. Specifically, the printing device 40 includes four image forming units 4 corresponding to yellow, magenta, cyan, and black.

[0020] Each of the image forming units 4 includes a photoreceptor 41, a charging device 42, a developing device 43, a drum cleaning device 45, and the like.

[0021] In each of the image forming units 4, the drum-shaped photoreceptor 41 rotates, and the charging device 42 uniformly charges the surface of the photoreceptor 41. The optical scanning unit 40U writes an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoreceptor 41 by scanning a beam of light.

[0022] The developing device 43 develops the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoreceptor 41 as a toner image. The drum cleaning device 45 removes the waste developer 9 remaining on the surface of the photoreceptor 41 after the transfer of the toner image by the transfer device 44. In this embodiment, the waste developer 9 is waste toner.

[0023] The transfer device 44 comprises an intermediate transfer belt 440, a plurality of primary transfer devices 441, a secondary transfer device 442, and a belt cleaning device 443. The intermediate transfer belt 440 is an endless strip-shaped member that rotates while being stretched across a plurality of support rollers.

[0024] Each primary transfer device 441 transfers the toner image on the surface of each photoreceptor 41 to the intermediate transfer belt 440. The secondary transfer device 442 transfers the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 440 to the sheet 90. The belt cleaning device 443 removes any waste developer 9 remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 440.

[0025] The image forming apparatus 10 further includes a waste developer recovery apparatus 6 for recovering the waste developer generated in the printing apparatus 40. In this embodiment, the waste developer recovery apparatus 6 recovers the waste developer 9 generated in the drum cleaning apparatus 45 and belt cleaning apparatus 443 of the multiple image forming units 4 into a waste developer storage unit 5.

[0026] The waste developer recovery device 6 comprises a waste developer transport device 6a, a unit mounting section 6b, and a waste developer storage unit 5. The waste developer transport device 6a and the unit mounting section 6b are located within the main housing 1. The waste developer storage unit 5 is removably mounted at the recovery position of the unit mounting section 6b. The waste developer storage unit 5 is an example of a waste developer container.

[0027] The main housing 1 has a maintenance opening 1a formed on the side of the main housing 1 and a cover 1b that can open and close the maintenance opening 1a (see Figure 1). The waste developer storage unit 5 can be removed from or inserted into the collection position through the maintenance opening 1a when the cover 1b is open.

[0028] The waste developer transport device 6a transports the waste developer 9 from the generation location to the collection location. In this embodiment, the generation location is the drum cleaning device 45 and belt cleaning device 443 of the multiple image forming units 4 in the printing device 40.

[0029] The waste developer transport device 6a includes a plurality of introduction paths 61 extending downward from the generation position, a relay path 62 communicating with the plurality of introduction paths 61, a transport screw 63, and a discharge path 64 communicating with the relay path 62.

[0030] The waste developer 9 falls from the generation point into the intermediate path 62 through multiple introduction paths 61. The transport screw 63 rotates within the intermediate path 62, transporting the waste developer 9 within the intermediate path 62 to the discharge path 64. The waste developer 9 falls through the discharge path 64, which extends downward from the intermediate path 62, and is discharged from the discharge port 64a of the discharge path 64. The waste developer storage unit 5 receives and stores the waste developer 9 discharged from the discharge port 64a.

[0031] The waste developer storage unit 5 has a container section 51 and a lid section 52 (see Figure 2). The container section 51 receives and stores the waste developer 9 at the collection location. The container section 51 has a receiving port 51a for receiving the waste developer 9 discharged from the discharge port 64a (see Figure 2). The lid section 52 is connected to the container section 51 and can open and close the receiving port 51a.

[0032] By the way, the waste developer storage unit 5 is installed in the collection position with the lid 52 open.

[0033] When the waste developer storage unit 5 is removed from the collection position, there is a risk that the waste developer 9 may leak out of the receiving port 51a of the container section 51. It is desirable that the leakage of the waste developer 9 can be prevented by a simple configuration.

[0034] The following describes the configuration for preventing leakage of waste developer 9 from the waste developer storage unit 5.

[0035] In the waste developer storage unit 5, the lid 52 is rotatably connected to the container 51 by a hinge 52a (see Figure 2). By rotating, the lid 52 opens and closes the receiving opening 51a formed in the container 51.

[0036] The waste developer storage unit 5 further includes a lid restricting section 54 (see Figure 2). The lid restricting section 54 restricts the rotational range of the lid 52 in the opening direction to a position where the lid 52 is raised away from the container 51.

[0037] The unit mounting section 6b includes a unit guide section 60, a spring 65, a lid contact member 67, and a swing restricting section 68 (see Figure 2).

[0038] The unit guide section 60 guides the waste developer storage unit 5 along the mounting path that spans the collection position and the detachment position away from the collection position. The unit guide section 60 restricts the range of movement of the waste developer storage unit 5 at least downward and to both sides of the waste developer storage unit 5.

[0039] Figure 4 shows the situation where the waste developer storage unit 5 is in the collection position, and Figure 2 shows the situation where the waste developer storage unit 5 is in the detachment position.

[0040] In the following description, the direction from the detachment position to the retrieval position along the mounting path will be referred to as the mounting direction D1, and the direction opposite to the mounting direction D1 will be referred to as the detachment direction D2. The mounting direction D1 is the direction from the outside to the inside of the maintenance opening 1a.

[0041] Furthermore, the movement path of the lid 52 when the waste developer storage unit 5 moves along the mounting path is referred to as the lid movement path R1 (see Figure 2). The mounting path and the lid movement path R1 are paths within the main housing 1.

[0042] The lid contact member 67 is suspended within the main housing 1 from above the lid movement path R1 into the lid movement path R1. Specifically, the lid contact member 67 is pivotably supported by a support shaft 67a that is positioned above the lid movement path R1 in a direction intersecting the mounting direction D1.

[0043] The lid contact member 67 is pivotable around the support shaft 67a in a first direction along the mounting direction D1 and in a second direction opposite to the first direction. In this embodiment, the first direction is a direction that is diagonally upward from the detachment position toward the retrieval position.

[0044] The oscillation restricting unit 68 is located inside the main housing 1 and restricts the oscillation range of the lid contact member 67 in the second direction.

[0045] As the waste developer storage unit 5 moves along the mounting path from the detachment position to the collection position, the lid contact member 67 receives a force in the mounting direction D1 from the lid portion 52, which is restricted by the lid restricting portion 54, and swings in the first direction (see Figure 3). As a result, the lid contact member 67 moves from inside the lid movement path R1 to outside the lid movement path R1 (see Figure 3).

[0046] Furthermore, after the lid 52 passes the lid contact member 67 due to the movement of the waste developer storage unit 5 to the aforementioned collection position, the lid contact member 67 moves into the lid movement path R1 by its own weight (see Figure 4).

[0047] The waste developer storage unit 5 reaches the collection position along the mounting path with the lid portion 52 held upright from the container portion 51 by the lid regulating portion 54 (see Figure 4). The position of the lid portion 52 when it is upright from the container portion 51 is the open position that opens the receiving port 51a.

[0048] When the waste developer storage unit 5 is in the collection position, the receiving port 51a of the container section 51 and the discharge port 64a of the discharge passage 64 are in communication (see Figure 4). That is, the position of the waste developer storage unit 5 when the receiving port 51a faces the discharge port 64a is the collection position.

[0049] In this embodiment, the waste developer storage unit 5 further comprises a unit engagement portion 53 (see Figures 2 and 5). The unit engagement portion 53 has an engagement portion 53a and an operating portion 53b and is elastically deformable.

[0050] The engaging portion 53a engages with the engaged portion 66 formed on the unit mounting portion 6b when the waste developer storage unit 5 is in the collection position (see Figure 5). The operating portion 53b is the part that is operated by a person.

[0051] The unit engagement portion 53 engages with the engaged portion 66 to hold the waste developer storage unit 5 in the recovery position.

[0052] The spring 65 elastically biases the waste developer storage unit 5, which is located at the collection position, toward the detachment position. The spring 65 shown in Figure 2 is a coil spring. The spring 65 is an example of a biasing member. Note that other elastic members such as leaf springs or rubber may be used instead of the spring 65.

[0053] The unit engagement portion 53 engages with the engaged portion 66 to hold the waste developer storage unit 5 in the recovery position against the biasing force of the spring 65.

[0054] The unit engaging portion 53 releases its engagement with the engaged portion 66 by the engaging portion 53a through elastic deformation upon receiving force from the operating portion 53b. The unit engaging portion 53 and the engaged portion 66 constitute a so-called snap fit.

[0055] On the other hand, when the waste developer storage unit 5 moves along the mounting path from the collection position to the detachment position, the lid portion 52 receives a force in the mounting direction D1 from the lid contact member 67, which is restricted by the swing restricting portion 68, and rotates to a closed position that closes the receiving opening (see Figures 6 and 7).

[0056] In this embodiment, when the engagement between the unit engagement portion 53 and the engaged portion 66 is released, the biasing force of the spring 65 acts as a force that moves the waste developer storage unit 5 in the detachment direction.

[0057] For example, the spring 65 elastically biases the waste developer storage unit 5 toward the detached position until at least the lid portion 52 receives force from the lid contact member 67, which is restricted by the swing restricting portion 68, and rotates to the closed position (see Figure 7). In this way, the spring 65 also acts as a force to close the lid portion 52.

[0058] With the adoption of the waste developer recovery device 6, the lid 52 rotates from the open position to the closed position as the waste developer storage unit 5 is pulled out from the recovery position. This prevents the waste developer 9 from leaking out of the container 51 when the waste developer storage unit 5 is removed from the recovery position.

[0059] The lid contact member 67, the oscillation restricting unit 68, and the waste developer storage unit 5, which prevent the leakage of waste developer 9, are realized with a very simple configuration.

[0060] [Differentiation] The waste developer recovery device 6 described above may be applied to an inkjet recording device, which is an inkjet-type image forming apparatus. In the inkjet recording device, the waste developer 9 is waste ink.

[0061] In the aforementioned inkjet recording apparatus, the inkjet head that ejects ink onto the sheet 90 functions as a printing device 40.

[0062] For example, the waste developer transport device 6a in the inkjet recording apparatus includes a head cover, a head cover moving device for moving the head cover, and an ink suction device.

[0063] The head cover covers the ink ejection section of the inkjet head. The head cover moving device moves the head cover between a cover position that covers the ink ejection section and a retracted position away from the inkjet head.

[0064] When the ink ejection head ejects ink while the ink ejection unit is covered by the head cover, the waste developer 9 accumulates inside the head cover.

[0065] The ink suction device transports the waste developer 9 from the head cover to the collection position through the collection tube by sucking air from the collection tube connected to the head cover.

[0066] When the waste developer recovery device 6 is used in the inkjet recording device, the same effects as when the waste developer recovery device 6 is used in the image forming apparatus 10 can be obtained.

[0067] [Notes on the invention] The following is an overview of the invention extracted from the above-described embodiments. Note that each configuration and processing function described below can be selected and combined as desired.

[0068] <Note 1> A waste developer transport device is placed inside the image forming apparatus and transports the waste developer from the generation location to the collection location. A waste developer storage unit is detachably mounted at the collection position, having a container portion for receiving and storing the waste developer at the collection position, and a lid portion rotatably connected to the container portion and rotating to open and close the waste developer receiving port formed in the container portion. A unit guide unit is provided within the image forming apparatus and guides the waste developer storage unit along a mounting path that spans the collection position and a detachment position away from the collection position. A lid contact member is suspended from above the lid movement path, which is the movement path of the lid within the image forming apparatus, into the lid movement path, and is pivotable in a first direction along the direction from the detachment position to the retrieval position and in a second direction opposite to the first direction, The image forming apparatus includes a swing restricting unit that is positioned within the image forming apparatus and restricts the swing range of the lid contact member in the second direction, The waste developer storage unit has a lid restricting portion that restricts the rotational range of the lid in the opening direction to a position where the lid is raised away from the container portion. As the waste developer storage unit moves along the mounting path from the detachment position to the collection position, the lid contact member receives force from the lid portion restricted by the lid restricting portion and swings in the first direction, moving from within the lid movement path to outside the lid movement path, and after passing the lid portion, moves back into the lid movement path by its own weight. A waste developer recovery device wherein, when the waste developer storage unit moves along the mounting path from the recovery position to the detachment position, the lid receives force from the lid contact member restricted by the swing restricting part and rotates to a closed position that closes the receiving opening.

[0069] <Note 2> The waste developer storage unit includes an engaging portion that engages with an engaged portion in the image forming apparatus when the waste developer storage unit is in the collection position, and an operating portion that is operated by a person, and the unit engaging portion releases engagement with the engaged portion by elastically deforming when force is applied to the operating portion, as described in Appendix 1 of the waste developer recovery apparatus.

[0070] <Note 3> The image forming apparatus is equipped with a biasing member that is arranged within the image forming apparatus and elastically biases the waste developer storage unit located at the collection position toward the detachment position, The waste developer recovery device according to Appendix 2, wherein the unit engaging portion engages with the engaged portion to hold the waste developer storage unit in the recovery position against the biasing force of the biasing member.

[0071] <Note 4> The waste developer collection device according to Appendix 3, wherein the biasing member elastically biases the waste developer storage unit toward the detached position until at least the lid receives a force from the lid contact member restricted by the swing restricting member and rotates to the closed position.

[0072] <Note 5> A printing device that forms an image on a sheet using a developer, An image forming apparatus comprising a waste developer recovery device according to any one of the appendices 1 to 4 for recovering waste developer generated in the printing apparatus. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 5: Waste Developer Storage Unit 6: Waste Developer Recovery Device 6a: Waste developer transport device 6b: Unit mounting section 10: Image forming apparatus 40: Printing device 51: Container part 51a: Inlet 52: Lid 52a: Hinge 53: Unit engagement part 53a: Engagement part 53b: Operation section 54: Lid control section 60: Unit Information Section 61:Introduction path 62: Relay path 63: Conveyor Screw 64:Exhaust channel 64a: Discharge port 65: Spring 66: Engaged part 67: Lid contact member 67a: Support shaft 68: Oscillation regulating unit

Claims

1. A waste developer transport device is placed inside the image forming apparatus and transports the waste developer from the generation location to the collection location. A waste developer storage unit is detachably mounted at the collection position, having a container portion for receiving and storing the waste developer at the collection position, and a lid portion rotatably connected to the container portion and rotating to open and close the waste developer receiving port formed in the container portion. A unit guide unit is provided within the image forming apparatus and guides the waste developer storage unit along a mounting path that spans the collection position and a detachment position away from the collection position. A lid contact member is suspended from above the lid movement path, which is the movement path of the lid within the image forming apparatus, into the lid movement path, and is pivotable in a first direction along the direction from the detachment position to the retrieval position and in a second direction opposite to the first direction, The image forming apparatus includes a swing restricting unit that is positioned within the image forming apparatus and restricts the swing range of the lid contact member in the second direction, The waste developer storage unit has a lid restricting portion that restricts the rotational range of the lid in the opening direction to a position where the lid is raised away from the container portion. As the waste developer storage unit moves along the mounting path from the detachment position to the collection position, the lid contact member receives force from the lid portion restricted by the lid restricting portion and swings in the first direction, moving from within the lid movement path to outside the lid movement path, and after passing the lid portion, moves back into the lid movement path by its own weight. A waste developer recovery device wherein, when the waste developer storage unit moves along the mounting path from the recovery position to the detachment position, the lid receives force from the lid contact member restricted by the swing restricting part and rotates to a closed position that closes the receiving opening.

2. The waste developer storage unit includes an engaging portion that engages with an engaged portion in the image forming apparatus when the waste developer storage unit is in the collection position, and an operating portion that receives human operation, and the unit engaging portion releases engagement with the engaged portion by elastically deforming when force is received by the operating portion, according to claim 1.

3. The image forming apparatus is equipped with a biasing member that is arranged within the image forming apparatus and elastically biases the waste developer storage unit located at the collection position toward the detachment position, The waste developer recovery device according to claim 2, wherein the unit engaging portion engages with the engaged portion to hold the waste developer storage unit in the recovery position against the biasing force of the biasing member.

4. The waste developer collection device according to claim 3, wherein the biasing member elastically biases the waste developer storage unit toward the detached position until at least the lid receives a force from the lid contact member restricted by the swing restricting member and rotates to the closed position.

5. A printing device that forms an image on a sheet using a developer, An image forming apparatus comprising a waste developer recovery device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 for recovering waste developer generated in the printing apparatus.

Images