Disposed toner collecting device of image forming apparatus

• US 8,050,615 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2011
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Gunbe, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen; Sophia S
• Application Number:
  US13/007,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20110110695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: 399/358, 399/360, 399/258, 399/261, 399/99
• US Class Current: 399/358
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/105 Arrangements for conveying toner waste

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the invention, a sliding plate that slides in contact with an inner wall of a disposed toner duct is oscillated by using rotation of a disposed toner collection auger. As the sliding plate is oscillated, disposed toner falling and fed through the disposed toner duct is oscillated. The disposed toner adhering to the inner wall of the disposed toner duct is removed by sliding of both lateral parts of the sliding plate in contact with the inner wall.

Claims

1. A disposed toner collecting device comprising:

a curved guide that causes disposed toner discharged from a disposed toner discharge unit of an image forming unit to fall and to be fed;

a cam driven by a drive of the image forming unit;

a feeding assistance unit configured to provide oscillation to the curved guide;

a transmitting unit configured to transmit a drive of the cam to the feeding assistance unit; and

a collecting unit connected to a lower end of the curved guide and configured to collect the disposed toner.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the feeding assistance unit comprises a spring that forces the curved guide in a predetermined direction, a protrusion that formed outside of the curved guide and a fluctuating part that is attached to the transmitting unit in the curved guide.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the protrusion fits in a guide slit formed in the image forming unit and controls a direction of oscillation of the feeding assistance unit.

4. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a first seal member that seals a connection part between the curved guide and the collecting unit and a second seal member that seals a connection part between the disposed toner discharge unit and the curved guide,

wherein the curved guide fluctuates between the disposed toner discharge unit and the collecting unit.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the collecting unit comprises a feeding unit connected to the curved guide and configured to feed the disposed toner falling from the curved guide in a predetermined direction, and a collection container that houses the disposed toner fed by the feeding unit.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein plural units of the curved guide are provided, and the plural curved guides cause disposed toner discharged from plural disposed toner discharge units of the image forming unit, to fall and be fed, respectively and the collecting unit comprises a feeding unit connected to the plural curved guides and configured to feed the disposed toner falling from the plural curved guides, in a predetermined direction, and a collection container that houses the disposed toner fed by the feeding unit.

7. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image forming unit comprising an image carrier, and a cleaning unit configured to remove toner from the image carrier and to feed the removed disposed toner to a disposed toner discharge unit;

a curved guide that causes the disposed toner discharged from the disposed toner discharge unit to fall and to be fed;

a cam driven by a drive of the image forming unit;

a feeding assistance unit configured to provide oscillation to the curved guide;

a transmitting unit configured to transmit a drive of the cam to the feeding assistance unit; and

a collecting unit connected to a lower end of the curved guide and configured to collect the disposed toner.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the feeding assistance unit comprises a spring that forces the curved guide in a predetermined direction, a protrusion that formed outside of the curved guide and a fluctuating part that is attached to the transmitting unit in the curved guide.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the protrusion fits in a guide slit formed in the image forming unit and controls a direction of oscillation of the feeding assistance unit.

10. The device according to claim 7, further comprising a first seal member that seals a connection part between the curved guide and the collecting unit and a second seal member that seals a connection part between the disposed toner discharge unit and the curved guide,

wherein the curved guide fluctuates between the disposed toner discharge unit and the collecting unit.

11. The device according to claim 7, wherein the collecting unit has a feeding unit connected to the curved guide and configured to feed the disposed toner falling from the curved guide in a predetermined direction, and a collection container that houses the disposed toner fed by the feeding unit.

12. The device according to claim 7, wherein plural units of the curved guide are provided, and the plural curved guides cause disposed toner discharged from plural disposed toner discharge units of the image forming unit, to fall and be fed, respectively and the collecting unit has a feeding unit connected to the plural curved guides and configured to feed the disposed toner falling from the plural curved guides, in a predetermined direction, and a collection container that houses the disposed toner fed by the feeding unit.

13. A disposed toner collecting method comprising:

receiving disposed toner discharged from a disposed toner discharge unit of an image forming unit, with a curved guide;

oscillating the curved guide by sliding in a predetermined direction by a spring force and sliding in a direction opposite the predetermined direction by a pressing force; and

collecting the disposed toner falling in the curved guide, below the curved guide.