Toner-collecting device and image forming apparatus

• US 8,208,832 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2008
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Yoshida, Tomofumi, Ooyoshi, Hirobumi, Tatsumi, Kenzo, Kawakami, Yoshihiro, Shimizu, Yoshiyuki, Kubota, Tomohiro, Kato, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): DO, ANDREW V
• Application Number:
  US12/062,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20080267661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 399/120
• US Class Current: 399/120
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/105 Arrangements for conveying toner waste

Abstract

A toner-collecting device includes a toner-collecting unit, a shaft member, and a guide member. The toner-collecting unit is configured to be detachably attachable. The shaft member is rotatably arranged in the toner-collecting unit. The guide member includes a sliding portion that allows the shaft member to slide while the shaft member is being inserted from one end to an opposite end of the toner-collecting unit.

Claims

1. A toner-collecting device comprising:

a toner-collecting unit that is configured to be detachably attachable;

a shaft member that is rotatably arranged in the toner-collecting unit; and

a guide member that includes a sliding portion that allows the shaft member to slide across while the shaft member is being inserted in an insertion direction from one end to an opposite end of the toner-collecting unit through an insertion path, the guide member projecting from an inner surface of the toner-collecting unit and enclosed within the toner-collecting unit, the guide member including a plurality of guide members that are arranged in parallel, each guide member projecting from the inner surface of the toner collecting unit in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction.

2. The toner-collecting device according to claim 1, wherein the sliding portion extends in a direction parallel to the insertion direction.

3. The toner-collecting device according to claim 1, wherein the sliding portion is in a concave shape corresponding to an outer circumference of the shaft member.

4. The toner-collecting device according to claim 3, wherein both ends of the sliding portion are convexly curved.

5. The toner-collecting device according to claim 1, wherein the sliding portion includes an inclined surface that inclines in the insertion direction such that the sliding portion is tapered toward the insertion path.

6. The toner-collecting device according to claim 1, wherein the sliding portion includes a curved portion in a cross section in the insertion direction.

7. The toner-collecting device according to claim 1, wherein a spacing between the shaft member and the guide member is defined based on an amount of deformation of the shaft member in a direction perpendicular to a rotation center axis of the shaft member.

8. The toner-collecting device according to claim 1, wherein the guide member is arranged in an allowable range of deformation of the shaft member that partially deforms from a straight posture in a direction perpendicular to a rotation center axis of the shaft member.

9. The toner-collecting device according to claim 1, wherein the guide member is arranged below the insertion path.

10. The toner-collecting device according to claim 1, wherein the toner-collecting unit includes a toner port, and the guide member is in a plate shape that is perpendicular to the insertion direction.

11. The toner-collecting device according to claim 10, wherein the guide member is located near the toner port.

12. The toner-collecting device according to claim 1, wherein the toner-collecting unit includes a partition member that is flexible and located on a first side of the insertion path, and the guide member is located on a second side of the insertion path opposite to the first side.

13. The toner-collecting device according to claim 1, wherein the shaft member is a screw having a spiral thread, and the sliding portion is longer in the insertion direction than a pitch of the spiral thread.

14. The toner-collecting device according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of guide members each have a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and are arranged close to each other in the insertion direction, the guide members including a first endmost guide member and a second endmost guide member at both ends of the guide members, a distance between the first surface of the first endmost guide member and the second surface of the second endmost guide member is greater than a width of the pitch of the spiral thread.

15. The toner-collecting device according to claim 14, wherein a spacing between adjacent two of the guide members is smaller than a thickness of the spiral thread.

16. The toner-collecting device according to claim 1, wherein the toner-collecting unit is integrated with an image carrier.

17. The toner-collecting device according to claim 1, wherein the toner-collecting unit integrated with an image carrier is integrated with any one of a charging unit, a developing unit, and a cleaning unit.

18. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a toner-collecting device including

a toner-collecting unit that is configured to be detachably attached to the image forming apparatus;

a shaft member that is rotatably arranged in the toner-collecting unit; and

a guide member that includes a sliding portion that allows the shaft member to slide across while the shaft member is being inserted from one end to an opposite end of the toner-collecting unit, the guide member projecting from an inner surface of the toner-collecting unit and enclosed within the toner-collecting unit, the guide member including a plurality of guide members that are arranged in parallel, each guide member projecting from the inner surface of the toner collecting unit in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction.