Toner draining mechanism, collected toner container, and image forming apparatus

• US 20050008416A1
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Oki Data Corporation (OKI Electric Industry Company Limited)
• Inventors: Oda, Yukiyoshi, Ito, Junichi, Muto, Eisaku, Serizawa, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,167,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/358
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/105 Arrangements for conveying toner waste

Abstract

A toner draining mechanism has a hollow member and a conveying member which is arranged in the hollow member and conveys toner. A toner draining port for draining the conveyed toner is formed in the hollow member. The toner draining port is formed above a bottom surface of the hollow member. Therefore, when a toner cartridge is exchanged, the toner near the toner draining port does not drop into an image forming apparatus. Thus, it is possible to prevent the toner from dirtying the inside of the image forming apparatus.

Claims

1. A toner draining mechanism comprising a hollow member and a conveying member which is arranged in said hollow member and conveys toner,

wherein a toner draining port for draining the toner conveyed by said conveying member is formed in said hollow member, and

said toner draining port is formed above a bottom surface of said hollow member.

2. The toner draining mechanism according to claim 1, wherein an inclined surface is formed between said toner draining port and said bottom surface.

3. A toner draining mechanism comprising a hollow member and a conveying member which is arranged in said hollow member and conveys toner,

wherein a toner draining port for draining the toner conveyed by said conveying member is formed in said hollow member, and

said toner draining port is formed so that the conveyed toner is drained after the toner reaches a predetermined amount.

4. A toner draining mechanism comprising:

a hollow member;

a conveying member which is arranged in said hollow member and conveys toner;

a cover member which is slidably attached to said hollow member and opens/blocks a toner draining port of said hollow member for draining the toner conveyed by said conveying member; and

an urging member which urges said cover member in such a direction as to block said toner draining port.

5. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image forming unit which forms a toner image;

a toner collecting unit which collects toner that is not used when said toner image is formed;

a collected toner container which contains the toner collected by said toner collecting unit; and

a toner draining mechanism,

wherein said toner draining mechanism comprises a hollow member and a conveying member which is arranged in said hollow member and conveys toner, wherein a toner draining port for draining the toner conveyed by said conveying member is formed in said hollow member, and said toner draining port is formed above a bottom surface of said hollow member,

wherein the toner collected by said toner collecting unit is sent to said collected toner container through said toner draining mechanism.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said collected toner container is detachably connected to said toner draining mechanism.

7. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image forming unit which forms a toner image;

a toner collecting unit which collects toner that is not used when said toner image is formed;

a collected toner container which contains the toner collected by said toner collecting unit; and

a toner draining mechanism,

wherein said toner draining mechanism comprises a hollow member and a conveying member which is arranged in said hollow member and conveys toner, wherein a toner draining port for draining the toner conveyed by said conveying member is formed in said hollow member, and said toner draining port is formed so that the conveyed toner is drained after the toner reaches a predetermined amount,

wherein the toner collected by said toner collecting unit is sent to said collected toner container through said toner draining mechanism.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said collected toner container is detachably connected to said toner draining mechanism.

9. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image forming unit which forms a toner image;

a toner collecting unit which collects toner that is not used when said toner image is formed; and

a collected toner container which contains the toner collected by said toner collecting unit; and

a toner draining mechanism,

wherein said toner draining mechanism comprises a hollow member;

a conveying member which is arranged in said hollow member and conveys toner;

a cover member which is slidably attached to said hollow member and opens/blocks a toner draining port of said hollow member for draining the toner conveyed by said conveying member; and

an urging member which urges said cover member in such a direction as to block said toner draining port,

wherein the toner collected by said toner collecting unit is sent to said collected toner container through said toner draining mechanism.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said collected toner container is detachably connected to said toner draining mechanism.

11. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a toner draining mechanism including a barrel member into which collected toner is guided, toner conveying means which is arranged in said barrel member and conveys said guided toner to a front edge side of said barrel member, and a toner draining port which is opened in the front edge portion of said barrel member and causes said conveyed toner to drop; and

a collected toner container which is exchangeably attached to the front edge portion including said toner draining port of said barrel member and contains the dropped toner,

wherein said toner draining mechanism further has a blocking barrel member which is attached onto said barrel member and blocks said toner draining port and an pressing member which presses said blocking barrel member to said front edge portion side so as to block said toner draining port, and

said collected toner container has an attaching mechanism including an introducing opening into which said front edge portion is introduced and a contact portion which consists of an edge portion that specifies said introducing opening and allows said blocking barrel member to be slid on said barrel member against an pressure force of said pressing member so as to open said toner draining port.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a cartridge for forming an image, and wherein said toner draining mechanism is provided for said cartridge.

13. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a toner draining mechanism including a barrel member into which collected toner is guided, toner conveying means which is arranged in said barrel member and conveys said guided toner to a front edge side of said barrel member, and a toner draining port which is opened in the front edge portion of said barrel member and causes said conveyed toner to drop; and

a collected toner container which is exchangeably attached to the front edge portion including said toner draining port of said barrel member and contains the dropped toner,

wherein said toner draining mechanism further has a blocking barrel member which is slidably attached onto said barrel member and blocks said toner draining port and an elastic member which elastically presses said blocking barrel member to said front edge portion side so as to block said toner draining port, and

said collected toner container has an attaching mechanism including an introducing opening into which said front edge portion is introduced and a contact portion which consists of an edge portion that specifies said introducing opening and allows said blocking barrel member to be slid on said barrel member against an elastic force of said elastic member so as to open said toner draining port.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a cartridge for forming an image, and wherein said toner draining mechanism is provided for said cartridge.

15. A collected toner container which is exchangeably attached to a toner draining mechanism and contains toner which drops, said toner draining mechanism comprising:

a barrel member into which the collected toner is guided;

toner conveying means which is arranged in said barrel member and conveys said guided toner to a front edge side of said barrel member;

a toner draining port which is opened in the front edge portion of said barrel member and causes said conveyed toner to drop;

a blocking barrel member which is slidably attached onto said barrel member and blocks said toner draining port; and

an elastic member which elastically presses said barrel member to said front edge portion side so as to block said toner draining port,

wherein said collected toner container comprises an attaching mechanism including;

an introducing opening into which said front edge portion is introduced; and

a contact portion which consists of an edge portion that specifies said introducing opening and allows said blocking barrel member to be slid on said barrel member against an elastic force of said elastic member so as to open said toner draining port.

16. The collected toner container according to claim 15, wherein said attaching mechanism includes a rotational cover member which is pivotally supported in an inner portion of said introducing opening so that an upper edge is rotatable, blocks said introducing opening through elastic member, and is rotated in an opening direction against the elastic force of said elastic member by a pressing force of the front edge of said barrel member introduced to said introducing opening.

17. The collected toner container according to claim 15, wherein said attaching mechanism further includes:

a cylindrical portion into which the front edge portion of said barrel member introduced to said introducing opening is inserted and which has a toner dropping port that is opened downward;

a rotary cap which is rotatably arranged in said cylindrical portion; and

cap rotating means which rotates said rotary cap by a predetermined amount by the insertion of said front edge portion into said cylindrical portion, and

said rotary cap has an opening which is matched with said toner dropping port by the rotation of said predetermined amount and allows the toner to drop.

18. The collected toner container according to claim 15, wherein said attaching mechanism further includes:

a cylindrical portion into which the front edge portion of said barrel member introduced to said introducing opening is inserted and which has a toner dropping port that is opened downward;

a mobile blocking cover which is arranged to said cylindrical portion so as to be movable in its axial direction and blocks said toner dropping port; and

cover moving means which is come into engagement with said mobile blocking cover by the insertion of said front edge portion into said cylindrical portion and moves said mobile blocking cover so as to open said toner dropping port.