Image formation apparatus and developer collection vessel used therewith

• US 20030219292A1
• Filed: 02/19/2003
• Published: 11/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Harumoto, Katsumi, Serizawa, Masato, Hamabe, Kouji
• Granted Patent: US 6,782,235 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/360
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/12 Toner waste containers

Abstract

A collection vessel 124 has a shutter 138 for opening and closing collection ports 136. A rotation shaft 140 of the shutter 138 is provided with an opening/closing piece 144. The opening/closing piece 144 abuts a protrusion on an image formation apparatus main unit and opens the shutter 138 largely so that a discharge section inserted into the collection port 136 does not abut. The collection port 136 is made a long hole so as to allow the discharge section to move. Further, the shutter 138 is formed integrally with a plurality of door parts 142 so as to open or close the collection ports 136 by one operation.

Claims

1. An image formation apparatus comprising:

a collected developer occurrence section;

a discharge section connected to said collected developer occurrence section;

a collection vessel having a collection port into which said discharge section is inserted and a shutter urged in a direction closing the collection port; and

a retreat use adapted to retreat the shutter to a position where said discharge section does not abut the shutter with said discharge section inserted in the collection port.

2. The image formation apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said collected developer occurrence section is placed in a developing machine.

3. The image formation apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said collected developer occurrence section is placed in an intermediate transfer body.

4. The image formation apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said discharge section is moved in any other direction than the insertion axial direction of said discharge section into the collection port and the collection port is formed as a shape for allowing said discharge section to move.

5. The image formation apparatus as claimed in claim 4wherein the shutter is retreated to a position where the shutter does not interfere with said discharge section in a movable range of said discharge section.

6. The image formation apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the shutter is opened/closed as it abuts said discharge section.

7. The image formation apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a gang unit adapted to open and close the shutter in conjunction with opening and closing a cover placed on an image formation apparatus main unit.

8. An image formation apparatus comprising:

a plurality of collected developer occurrence sections;

a plurality of discharge sections connected to said plurality of collected developer occurrence sections; and

a collection vessel having a plurality of collection ports into which said plurality of discharge sections are inserted and a shutter urged in a direction closing the plurality of collection ports,

wherein the shutter opens and closes the plurality of collection ports in one piece.

9. An image formation apparatus comprising:

a collected developer occurrence section;

a discharge section being connected to said collected developer occurrence section; and

a collection vessel formed with a collection port into which said discharge section is inserted,

wherein said discharge section is moved in any other direction than the insertion axial direction of said discharge section into the collection port and the collection port is formed as a shape for allowing said discharge section to move.

10. An image formation apparatus comprising:

a photoconductor;

a developing machine being placed so that said developing machine can be brought into and out of contact with said photoconductor; and

a collection vessel formed with a collection port into which a discharge section connected to a collected developer occurrence section placed in said developing machine is inserted,

wherein the collection port is formed as a shape for allowing the discharge section to move as said developing machine is brought into and out of contact with said photoconductor.

11. A developer collection vessel comprising:

a collection port into which a discharge section where a developer is discharged is inserted and a shutter urged in a direction closing said collection port,

wherein said shutter is retreated to a position where the discharge section does not abut said shutter with the discharge section inserted in said collection port.

12. The developer collection vessel as claimed in claim 11 wherein said collection port is formed as a shape for allowing the discharge section to move in any other direction than the insertion axial direction.

13. The developer collection vessel as claimed in claim 12 wherein said shutter is retreated to a position where said shutter does not interfere with the discharge section in a movable range of the discharge section.

14. The developer collection vessel as claimed in claim 11 wherein said shutter is also opened/closed as it abuts the discharge section.

15. A developer collection vessel comprising:

a plurality of collection ports each into which a discharge section where a developer is discharged is inserted and a shutter urged in a direction closing said plurality of collection ports,

wherein said shutter opens and closes said plurality of collection ports in one piece.

16. A developer collection vessel comprising:

a collection port into which a discharge section where a developer is discharged is inserted, said collection port being formed as a shape for allowing the discharge section to move in any other direction than the insertion axial direction.