Development device and image forming apparatus

• US 8,116,662 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2009
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oki Data Corporation (OKI Electric Industry Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Oki Data Corporation (OKI Electric Industry Company Limited)
• Inventors: Ohta, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): WALSH, RYAN D
• Application Number:
  US12/471,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20090324284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 399/120, 399358-360
• US Class Current: 399/120
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/105 Arrangements for conveying toner waste
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/12 Toner waste containers
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1624 transporting cleaned toner into separate vessels, e.g. photoreceptors, external containers

Abstract

A development device includes a plurality of development units and a waste substance container or containers storing the waste substance removed by the cleaning member. Each of the plural development units includes an image carrier carrying a developer image formed by developer and a cleaning member cleaning the image carrier by removing a waste substance. A number of the waste substance containers disposed is smaller than a number of development units disposed, and the number of the waste substance containers is greater than or equal to one.

Claims

1. A development device comprising:

a plurality of development units, each of the plurality of development units including;

an image carrier carrying a developer image formed by developer;

a cleaning member cleaning the image carrier by removing a waste substance; and

a first conveyance member for conveying waste substance removed by the cleaning member,

wherein the plurality of development units are integrally, unitarily and monolithically formed as a single unit detachably disposed with respect to an image forming apparatus,

a second conveyance member collectively conveying waste substance conveyed from the first conveyance member of each of the plurality of development units; and

at least one waste substance container storing the waste substance conveyed from the second conveyance member,

wherein, a number of the waste substance containers disposed is smaller than a number of development units disposed, the number of the waste substance containers being greater than or equal to one.

2. The development device according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of developer containers, detachably disposed with respect to the plurality of development units, storing the developer therein,

wherein the waste substance container is annexed to a prescribed developer container of the plurality of developer containers.

3. The development device according to claim 2, wherein the prescribed development container having the waste substance container is disposed to one of the plurality of development units having the highest consumption of the developer.

4. The development device according to claim 2, wherein the prescribed developer container having the waste substance container is disposed to at least one of the plurality of development units which develops a black image.

5. The development device according to claim 2, wherein the prescribed developer container having the waste substance container is disposed to one of the plurality of development units which is disposed on the most upstream side of a conveyance direction of a transfer medium.

6. The development device according to claim 5, wherein the prescribed developer container having the waste substance container includes a rotation drive member coupling with a rotation drive transmission member.

7. The development device according to claim 1, further comprising a conveyance member conveying the waste substance removed by each of the cleaning members, wherein the waste substance conveyed by the conveyance member is stored in the waste substance container.

8. The development device according to claim 7, wherein each of the first conveyance members includes a coil spiral.

9. The development device according to claim 8, wherein each coil spiral includes, in an end portion thereof on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the waste substance, a rotation drive transmission member transmitting rotation driving force from a rotation drive member.

10. The development device according to claim 1, wherein the waste substance includes the developer.

11. The development device according to claim 1, wherein the waste substance container includes an opening that is opened upon attachment of a toner container.

12. The development device according to claim 11, wherein the waste substance container is arranged at a side of the toner container.

13. The development device according to claim 1, wherein the waste substance extends downwardly from the plurality of development units and includes spaced-apart ribs on an underside thereof.

14. A development device comprising:

a plurality of development units, each of the plurality of development units including;

an image carrier carrying a developer image formed by developer;

a cleaning member cleaning the image carrier by removing a waste substance; and

a first conveyance member for conveying waste substance removed by the cleaning member,

wherein the plurality of development units are integrally, unitarily and monolithically formed as a single unit detachably disposed with respect to an image forming apparatus,

a second conveyance member collectively conveying waste substance conveyed from the first conveyance member of each of the plurality of development units;

a waste substance container storing the waste substance conveyed by the second conveyance member; and

a rotation drive member allowing an end portion of the first conveyance member to rotate.

15. The development device according to claim 14, wherein the rotation drive member is disposed in an end portion on an upstream side in a conveyance direction of the waste substance.

16. The development device according to claim 14, wherein the rotation drive member is disposed in an end portion on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the waste substance.

17. The development device according to claim 14, wherein each of the first conveyance members includes a coil spiral.

18. The development device according to claim 14, wherein the waste substance is a waste toner.

19. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a plurality of development units, each of the plurality of development units including;

an image carrier carrying a developer image formed by developer;

a transfer medium transferring the developer image thereon;

a cleaning member, disposed on a downstream side relative to a contact point between the image carrier and the transfer medium in a rotation direction of the image carrier, cleaning the image carrier by removing a waste substance; and

a first conveyance member for conveying waste substance removed by the cleaning member,

wherein the plurality of development units are integrally, unitarily and monolithically formed as a single unit detachably disposed with respect to the image forming apparatus,

a second conveyance member collectively conveying waste substance conveyed from the first conveyance member of each of the plurality of development units; and

a waste substance container, disposed to one of the developer units disposed on a most upstream side in a conveyance direction of the transfer medium, storing the waste substance conveyed by the second conveyance member.

20. The image forming apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the waste substance is a waste toner.