Image Forming Apparatus Provided With Cartridge For Accommodating Waste Toner Therein

• US 20150147089A1
• Filed: 11/25/2014
• Published: 05/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Sato, Shougo, Fukui, Atsushi, Fukuchi, Isao
• Granted Patent: US 9,244,427 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/110
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0178 using more than one reusable electrographic recording member, e.g. one for every monocolour image
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/0005 for removing solid developer or debris from the electrographic recording medium
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/105 Arrangements for conveying toner waste
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/12 Toner waste containers
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1623 Means to access the interior of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/169 for the cleaning unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1814 Details of parts of process cartridge, e.g. for charging, transfer, cleaning, developing G03G21/1835 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1853 the process cartridge being mounted perpendicular to the axis of the photosensitive member
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/1661 of transfer belt
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/163 for the developer unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1684 using extractable subframes, e.g. on rails or hinges
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/183 Process cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1869 Cartridge holders, e.g. intermediate frames for placing cartridge parts therein

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge-supporting body, a belt, a belt cleaning unit, a waste toner cartridge, and a collective conveying unit. The cartridge-supporting unit supports a plurality of process cartridges. Each process cartridge includes a photosensitive drum and a drum-cleaning unit for collecting waste toner on the photosensitive drum. The belt confronts the plurality of process cartridges when the cartridge-supporting body is in an internal position. The belt cleaning unit collects waste toner on the belt. The waste toner cartridge accommodates both waste toner collected from the plurality of photosensitive drums by the plurality of drum-cleaning units and waste toner collected from the belt by the belt cleaning unit. The collective conveying unit aggregates waste toner collected from the plurality of photosensitive drums by the plurality of drum-cleaning units and conveys collectively the aggregated waste toner to the waste toner cartridge.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a main frame;

a plurality of process cartridges including a plurality of photosensitive drums and a plurality of drum-cleaning units, the plurality of process cartridges being provided in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of photosensitive drums, the plurality of photosensitive drums being provided in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of drum-cleaning units, each of the plurality of drum-cleaning units being configured to collect waste toner on a corresponding photosensitive drum;

a cartridge-supporting body configured to support the plurality of process cartridges and movable between an internal position inside the main frame and an external position outside of the main frame;

a belt configured to confront the plurality of process cartridges when the cartridge-supporting body supporting the plurality of process cartridges is in the internal position;

a belt cleaning unit configured to collect waste toner on the belt;

a waste toner cartridge configured to accommodate both waste toner collected from the plurality of photosensitive drums by the plurality of drum-cleaning units and waste toner collected from the belt by the belt cleaning unit; and

a collective conveying unit provided in the cartridge-supporting body and configured to aggregate waste toner collected from the plurality of photosensitive drums by the plurality of drum-cleaning units and to convey collectively the aggregated waste toner to the waste toner cartridge.

2. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a coupling unit providing communication of the waste toner cartridge with the belt cleaning unit and the collective conveying unit such that the waste toner collected from the plurality of photosensitive drums by the plurality of drum-cleaning units and the waste toner collected from the belt by the belt cleaning unit are conveyed to the waste toner cartridge.

3. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the coupling unit comprises a coupling conveyance tube formed with a first opening through which the waste toner collected by the belt cleaning unit passes, a second opening through which the waste toner conveyed through the collective conveying unit passes, and a third opening through which the waste toner that have been passing through the first opening and the second opening is delivered to the waste toner cartridge.

4. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of photosensitive drums has an axis defining an axial direction;

and

wherein each of the plurality of drum-cleaning units is configured to convey the waste toner collected from the plurality of photosensitive drums in the axial direction, respectively.

5. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of photosensitive drums has an axis defining an axial direction;

and

wherein the belt cleaning unit is configured to convey the waste toner collected from the belt in the axial direction.

6. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the plurality of photosensitive drums are arrayed in an array direction;

and

wherein the collective conveying unit is configured to convey the waste toner collected from the plurality of photosensitive drums by the plurality of drum-cleaning units in the array direction.

7. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of photosensitive drums has an axis defining an axial direction;

and

wherein each of the plurality of drum cleaning units comprises;

a drum cleaning member configured to collect the waste toner on the corresponding photosensitive drum; and

a conveying member configured to convey the waste toner collected from the corresponding photosensitive drum by the drum cleaning member in the axial direction.

8. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the drum cleaning member comprises a drum cleaning blade.

9. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the conveying member comprises a screw feeder.

10. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of photosensitive drums has an axis defining an axial direction;

and

wherein the belt cleaning unit comprises;

a belt cleaning member configured to collect the waste toner on the belt; and

a conveying member configured to convey the waste toner collected by the belt cleaning member in the axial direction.

11. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the belt cleaning member comprises a belt cleaning blade.

12. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the conveying member comprises a screw feeder.

13. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of photosensitive drums are arrayed in an array direction;

and

wherein the collective conveying unit comprises;

a collective conveying tube extending in the array direction and configured to allow the waste toner to pass therethrough, the collective conveying tube having an outer peripheral surface; and

a collective conveying member positioned in the collective conveying tube and configured to convey the waste toner collected by the plurality of drum cleaning units in the array direction.

14. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the collective conveying tube includes a plurality of cylindrical parts protruding from the outer peripheral surface, the plurality of cylindrical parts and the plurality of drum-cleaning units being in one-to-one correspondence such that each of the plurality of cylindrical parts allows the waste toner collected by a corresponding drum-cleaning unit to pass therethrough.

15. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the collective conveying member comprises a screw feeder.

16. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of photosensitive drums are arrayed in an array direction, and each of the plurality of photosensitive drums has an axis defining an axial direction;

and

wherein the main frame further comprises a positioning member extending in the array direction and configured to perform positioning of the plurality of photosensitive drums, the positioning member being positioned inward of the collective conveying unit in the axial direction.

17. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the cartridge-supporting body further comprises a first side wall and a second side wall that are arranged in the axial direction;

wherein the positioning member is positioned between the first side wall and the second side wall in the axial direction;

wherein the collective conveying unit overlaps the first side wall when projected in a direction perpendicular to both the array direction and the axial direction.

18. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a direction from the external position to the internal position of the cartridge-supporting body is a moving direction;

and

wherein the plurality of photosensitive drums includes a most downstream photosensitive drum in the moving direction, the belt cleaning unit being positioned downstream of the most downstream photosensitive drum in the moving direction.

19. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a direction from the external position to the internal position of the cartridge-supporting body is a moving direction;

and

wherein the plurality of photosensitive drums includes a most downstream photosensitive drum in the moving direction, the waste toner cartridge being positioned downstream of the most downstream photosensitive drum in the moving direction.

20. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the waste toner cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the main frame.

21. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a main frame;

a plurality of developing cartridges each configured to accommodate toner therein;

a drawer unit configured to support the plurality of developing cartridges and movable between an internal position inside the main frame and an external position outside of the main frame, the drawer unit comprising;

a plurality of photosensitive drums; and

a plurality of drum-cleaning units provided in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of photosensitive drums, each of the plurality of drum-cleaning units being configured to collect waste toner on a corresponding photosensitive drum;

a belt configured to confront the plurality of photosensitive drums when the drawer unit supporting the plurality of developing cartridges is in the internal position;

a belt cleaning unit configured to collect waste toner on the belt;

a waste toner cartridge configured to accommodate both waste toner collected from the plurality of photosensitive drums by the plurality of drum-cleaning units and waste toner collected from the belt by the belt cleaning unit; and

a collective conveying unit provided in the drawer unit and configured to aggregate waste toner collected from the plurality of photosensitive drums by the plurality of drum-cleaning units and to convey collectively the aggregated waste toner to the waste toner cartridge.

22. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 21, further comprising:

a coupling unit providing communication of the waste toner cartridge with the belt cleaning unit and the collective conveying unit such that the waste toner collected from the plurality of photosensitive drums by the plurality of drum-cleaning units and the waste toner collected from the belt by the belt cleaning unit are conveyed to the waste toner cartridge.

23. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the coupling unit comprises a coupling conveyance tube formed with a first opening through which the waste toner collected by the belt cleaning unit passes, a second opening through which the waste toner conveyed through the collective conveying unit passes, and a third opening through which the waste toner that have been passing through the first opening and the second opening is delivered to the waste toner cartridge.

24. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of photosensitive drums has an axis defining an axial direction;

and

wherein each of the plurality of drum-cleaning units is configured to convey the waste toner collected from the plurality of photosensitive drums in the axial direction, respectively.

25. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of photosensitive drums has an axis defining an axial direction;

and

wherein the belt cleaning unit is configured to convey the waste toner collected from the belt in the axial direction.

26. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein, the plurality of photosensitive drums are arrayed in an array direction;

and

wherein the collective conveying unit is configured to convey the waste toner collected from the plurality of photosensitive drums by the plurality of drum-cleaning units in the array direction.

27. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of photosensitive drums has an axis defining an axial direction;

and

wherein each of the plurality of drum cleaning units comprises;

a drum cleaning member configured to collect the waste toner on the corresponding photosensitive drum; and

a conveying member configured to convey the waste toner collected from the corresponding photosensitive drum by the drum cleaning member in the axial direction.

28. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the drum cleaning member comprises a drum cleaning blade.

29. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the conveying member comprises a screw feeder.

30. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of photosensitive drums has an axis defining an axial direction;

and

wherein the belt cleaning unit comprises;

a belt cleaning member configured to collect the waste toner on the belt; and

a conveying member configured to convey the waste toner collected by the belt cleaning member in the axial direction.

31. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 30, wherein the belt cleaning member comprises a belt cleaning blade.

32. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 30, wherein the conveying member comprises a screw feeder.

33. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the plurality of photosensitive drums are arrayed in an array direction;

and

wherein the collective conveying unit comprises;

a collective conveying tube extending in the array direction and configured to allow the waste toner to pass therethrough, the collective conveying tube having an outer peripheral surface; and

a collective conveying member positioned in the collective conveying tube and configured to convey the waste toner collected by the plurality of drum cleaning units in the array direction.

34. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 33, wherein the collective conveying tube includes a plurality of cylindrical parts protruding from the outer peripheral surface, the plurality of cylindrical parts and the plurality of drum-cleaning units being in one-to-one correspondence such that each of the plurality of cylindrical parts allows the waste toner collected by a corresponding drum-cleaning unit to pass therethrough.

35. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 34, wherein the collective conveying member comprises a screw feeder.

36. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the plurality of photosensitive drums are arrayed in an array direction, and each of the plurality of photosensitive drums has an axis defining an axial direction;

and

wherein the main frame further comprises a positioning member extending in the array direction and configured to perform positioning of the plurality of photosensitive drums, the positioning member being positioned inward of the collective conveying unit in the axial direction.

37. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 36, wherein the drawer unit further comprises a first side wall and a second side wall that are arranged in the axial direction;

wherein the positioning member is positioned between the first side wall and the second side wall in the axial direction;

wherein the collective conveying unit overlaps the first side wall when projected in a direction perpendicular to both the array direction and the axial direction.

38. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein a direction from the external position to the internal position of the drawer unit is a moving direction;

and

wherein the plurality of photosensitive drums includes a most downstream photosensitive drum in the moving direction, the belt cleaning unit being positioned downstream of the most downstream photosensitive drum in the moving direction.

39. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein a direction from the external position to the internal position of the drawer unit is a moving direction;

and

wherein the plurality of photosensitive drums includes a most downstream photosensitive drum in the moving direction, the waste toner cartridge being positioned downstream of the most downstream photosensitive drum in the moving direction.

40. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the waste toner cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the main frame.