JP3268902B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention has at least two developing units, each of which forms a toner image of a different color on an image carrier, and transfers each toner image to a transfer material. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for cleaning toner remaining on an image carrier with a cleaning device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a color image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a facsimile, each electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier is converted into a toner image for each color by using toners of different colors. The image forming apparatus includes a developing device having a plurality of developing devices for visualizing the image. That is, a first electrostatic latent image is developed with a first color toner by a first developing device of the developing device, and then the toner image is transferred to a predetermined transfer material. Thus, the toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier after the transfer of the toner image is cleaned and removed. Next, a second electrostatic latent image is formed again on the image carrier, and this is developed with a second color toner by a second developing device, and the toner image is transferred onto the same transfer material. The subsequent image carrier is cleaned by a cleaning device. This operation is performed at least twice to form a predetermined color image on the transfer material.

[0003] At that time, conventionally, one cleaning device is used as the above-described cleaning device, and all the color toners are cleaned and collected by the cleaning device. However, according to this configuration, the toners of different colors are mixed in one cleaning device. Therefore, unless the toners are separated, the toners of the respective colors cannot be recycled at the respective developing devices.

Since it is practically impossible to separate the mixed toner, in order to make each color toner recyclable, a plurality of toners of the same number as the number of developing devices are arranged around the image carrier so as to be adjacent to each other. It is necessary to arrange the cleaning devices and remove and collect the toner of each color individually by each cleaning device.

However, if a plurality of cleaning devices are arranged around the image carrier as described above, a large space is required for the installation, and the disadvantage that the image forming apparatus becomes large is inevitable. Further, the degree of freedom in layout of various image forming process devices arranged around the image carrier is also lost.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art, to further reduce the size, and to prevent a problem that the degree of freedom in the layout of process equipment around the image carrier is reduced. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for visualizing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier as a toner image for each color using toners of different colors. An image forming apparatus comprising: a developing device having a developing device; a means for transferring the toner image to a transfer material; and a cleaning device for cleaning toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier after the transfer. Is constituted by a plurality of cleaning unit sections arranged so as to be adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction, each cleaning unit section is a cleaning unit section for cleaning a toner of a different color, and each of these cleaning unit sections is The cleaning device is rotatable so that the cleaning device can be selectively placed at the cleaning position during cleaning. An image forming apparatus is provided, wherein a cover for preventing toner scattering is provided outside the cleaning device, and a brush for scraping toner adhered to an inner wall surface of the cover is provided in each cleaning unit. I do.

At this time, it is advantageous to provide a toner transfer means for separately transporting the toner collected in each cleaning unit to a developing device using a toner of a corresponding color for each cleaning unit.

Further, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a plurality of developing devices for visualizing electrostatic latent images formed on an image carrier as toner images by color using toners of different colors. An image forming apparatus comprising: a developing device provided with: a means for transferring the toner image onto a transfer material; and a cleaning device for cleaning toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier after the transfer. The cleaning unit includes a plurality of cleaning units arranged adjacent to each other in the direction, and each cleaning unit is a cleaning unit for cleaning a toner of a different color. The cleaning device is configured to be rotatable so as to be placed at the cleaning position, and The toner collected in the cleaning unit portion, separately for the cleaning unit portion,
Providing toner transfer means for transporting to a developing device using a toner of the corresponding color, the toner transfer means having a toner discharge pipe provided in the cleaning unit,
An image forming apparatus is proposed in which the positions of the toner discharge ports of these toner discharge pipes are different in the axial direction of the image carrier.

In this case, it is effective to provide a cover for preventing toner scattering outside the cleaning device, and to provide a brush for scraping off toner adhered to the inner wall surface of the cover in each cleaning unit.

[0011]

[0012]

Further, it is effective if the cover is provided with a flange on its inner wall surface for preventing toners of different colors from mixing with each other.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing only a main part of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A drum-shaped photoconductor 1, which is an example of the configuration of an image carrier, is configured to be driven to rotate in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure. Around the photoconductor 1, a charger 3, an eraser 4, A developing device 5 having a plurality of developing units is provided. In this example, a developing device 5 in which three developing devices, that is, a yellow developing device 5Y, a magenta developing device 5M, and a cyan developing device 5C are arranged adjacent to each other is used. A transfer drum 2 is provided so as to be in contact with the photoreceptor 1, and a transfer material 6 made of, for example, plain paper is clamped by a leading end clamper 7 on the transfer drum 2 and wound around the peripheral surface.

At the time of image formation, the photosensitive member 1 is driven to rotate in the direction of the arrow. At this time, the surface of the photosensitive member is uniformly charged to a predetermined polarity by the charger 3, and the non-image area on the photosensitive member is neutralized by the eraser 4. You. The charged surface is image-exposed at the exposure section X, whereby a first electrostatic latent image is formed on the photoconductor 1. This latent image is visualized as a yellow toner image by a first developing device, for example, a yellow developing device 5Y, and the toner image is transferred onto the transfer material 6 clamped on the transfer drum 2 rotating in the direction of the arrow. The transfer is performed by the action of the charger 8.

The toner remaining on the photoconductor 1 after the transfer is removed from the photoconductor 1 by the cleaning device 10 in a manner described later. The photoreceptor 1 cleaned by the cleaning device 10 is subjected to a charge removing operation by a charge remover (not shown).

Subsequently, a second electrostatic latent image is formed on the photoreceptor 1 in exactly the same manner as described above, and can be formed as a magenta toner image by a second developing device, for example, a magenta developing device 5M. Is visualized and the toner image is
On the transfer material 6 wound around the rotating transfer drum 2,
The toner image is superimposed and transferred from above the yellow toner image. The photoreceptor 1 after the transfer is cleaned by the cleaning device 10 in the same manner as described above, and is discharged.

Next, the above operation is performed by the cyan developing device 5C.
Is performed using the same transfer material 6 as the cyan toner image.
Transcribed above. In this way, the three color toner images are transferred onto the transfer material 6 at the same position in a superimposed manner, and a color image is formed.

After the transfer of the toner images of all colors is completed, the transfer material 6 on the transfer drum 2 is peeled off by the separation claw 9 and sent to a fixing device (not shown) by the conveyor belt 11. Thus, the color image is fixed on the transfer material 6.

As described above, the plurality of developing units 5Y, 5M, and 5C of the developing device 5 use the toners of different colors to visualize the electrostatic latent images formed on the photoreceptor 1 as toner images for each color. It is used for imaging. In each developing device, a two-component developer having a toner and a carrier or a one-component developer having no carrier is used. The transfer charger 8 constitutes an example of a unit for transferring the toner image on the photoconductor to a transfer material.

The cleaning device 10 provided so as to face the photoreceptor 1 cleans toner remaining on the surface of the photoreceptor 1 after transfer. The cleaning device 10 is enlarged in FIG. Shown.

The cleaning device 10 includes a plurality of cleaning units arranged so as to be adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the cleaning device 10 includes a yellow cleaning unit 10Y, a magenta cleaning unit 10M, and a cyan cleaning unit 10M. The cleaning unit 10C includes three cleaning units. The yellow cleaning unit 10Y is for cleaning the yellow toner remaining on the photoreceptor, and includes a magenta toner
The cleaning unit 10M cleans magenta residual toner on the photoconductor 1. Similarly, the cyan cleaning unit 10C cleans and removes cyan residual toner on the photoconductor.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, the three cleaning units 10Y, 10M, and 10C have substantially the same structure in which the respective elements are arranged point-symmetrically. Among them, for convenience, the yellow cleaning unit 10Y is extracted and this configuration will be described. Other cleaning unit 1
Regarding the same parts of the yellow cleaning unit 10Y in 0M and 10C, the symbols “M” and “C” are assigned instead of the symbol “Y” assigned to each element of the yellow cleaning unit 10Y. deep.

The yellow cleaning unit 10Y
Are fur brush 13Y, bias roller 14Y, toner scraping blade 15Y, toner discharge pipe 16Y,
It is composed of a toner recovery coil member 17Y, a case portion 18Y, and the like.

In the state shown in FIG. 2, the yellow cleaning unit 10Y is located at the cleaning position C facing the photosensitive member 1. In this state, the fur brush 1
3Y is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow shown in the drawing so as to rub against the surface of the photoreceptor 1, and the yellow color that has not contributed to the transfer and adheres to the surface of the photoreceptor 1 during this rotation. The remaining toner is scraped off. The bias roller 14Y is driven to rotate in the direction of the arrow shown in the drawing so as to rub against the fur brush 13Y. At this rotation, the toner adhered to the fur brush 13Y is electrostatically attracted to the peripheral surface thereof. Adhere to

The toner adhering to the bias roller 14Y is scraped off by the toner scraping blade 15Y, passes through the opening 19Y of the toner discharge pipe 16Y, and
After entering the pipe, it is conveyed through the pipe 16Y by the toner collecting coil member 17Y. The transported yellow toner may be discharged to a predetermined collection container (not shown). In this example, however, as described later, in the present example, the toner transporting means transfers the yellow toner to the yellow developing device 5Y of FIG. It is configured to be sent.

Here, when the yellow developing unit 5Y (FIG. 1) is operating, the yellow developing unit 5Y occupying the cleaning position is set.
The cleaning unit 10Y operates synchronously to clean the residual toner of the yellow image on the photoconductor 1 as described above. Yellow cleaning unit 10Y
When the cleaning operation is completed, the cleaning device 10 is rotated clockwise by 120 ° by a cleaning device rotation driving unit described later. As a result, the magenta cleaning unit 10M is placed at the cleaning position C. That is, the fur brush 13M comes to the cleaning position C.

In this state, as described above, the magenta toner remaining on the photoreceptor 1 is cleaned and collected by the magenta cleaning unit 10M as in the case of the yellow toner. 5M (FIG. 1). Also in this case, the toner may be discharged to a collection container.

When the cleaning by the magenta cleaning unit 10M is completed, the cleaning device 10 further rotates clockwise by 120 °, and the cyan cleaning unit 10C is placed at the cleaning position C. In this state, the cyan toner remaining on the photoconductor 1 is removed by the cyan cleaning unit 1.
The toner is collected in the direction 0C and sent to the cyan developing unit 5C (FIG. 1). Such a toner may be collected in a collection container.

As described above, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, each cleaning unit is a cleaning unit for cleaning a toner of a different color, and these cleaning units are selectively used for cleaning. The cleaning device is configured to be rotatable so as to be placed at the cleaning position.

In the case where the toner collected by each cleaning unit is discharged and stored in a collecting container, it is possible to discharge all the toner to one collecting container. In a separate collection container,
If the toner of each color is put in, it can be collected separately, and the toner can be put in, for example, each developing device by hand and supplied.

Even if a plurality of cleaning devices are arranged around the photoreceptor 1 and the toner collected by each cleaning device is discharged to an individual collecting container or sent to each developing device, the toner is collected by each developing device. However, if a plurality of cleaning devices are arranged around the photoreceptor, a large space is required for installing them, and the size of the image forming apparatus main body becomes large. Further, the degree of freedom in layout of various image forming process devices arranged around the photoconductor is also lost.

According to the present invention, the cleaning device can be integrated into one unit for the purpose of separating and collecting the color toner and recycling the color toner in each developing unit. The size of the main body can be further reduced, and the degree of freedom in the layout of the process equipment can be increased.

Further, in this embodiment, as mentioned above, the toner collected in each cleaning unit is transported separately to the developing device using the toner of the corresponding color for each cleaning unit. Toner transfer means is provided.

As shown in FIG. 3, the toner discharge pipes 16Y, 16M, and 16C provided in the respective cleaning units have different lengths in the axial direction of the photoconductor 1, respectively. That is, the toner discharge pipe 16M is longer than the toner discharge pipe 16Y.
The toner discharge pipe 16C is longer than M. The lengths of the toner recovery coil members 17Y, 17M, and 17C have the same magnitude relationship.

FIG. 3A is a view of the toner discharge pipe 16Y and the like shown in FIG.
Now, suppose that the front side in the drawing is assumed to be the front side in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and these sides are denoted by reference numeral F in FIG. On the other hand, the part with R is the back side.

Each toner discharge pipe 16Y, 16M, 16
C has a hook-shaped portion on the far side, and toner outlets 21Y, 21M, 21C are provided at the ends of the hook-shaped portion. Since the length of each toner discharge pipe is different, the position of the toner discharge port of the toner discharge pipe is different in the axial direction of the photoconductor 1.

The yellow cleaning unit 10Y
When (FIG. 2) is operating, the toner recovery coil member 17Y shown in FIG. 3A is rotating, and the yellow toner scraped off from the bias roller 14Y and entering through the opening 19Y is Conveyed from the near side (F side) to the far side (R side) by the toner collecting coil member 17Y,
It exits from the toner outlet 21Y. At this time, the lid 22Y for closing the toner outlet 21Y has moved to the right position in the drawing, and the toner outlet 21Y is in the open state.

At the back side of the cleaning device, for example, the upper ends of the flexible toner conveying pipes 24Y, 24M, 24C are drawn in such a manner that they are arranged side by side, and the other end of the toner conveying pipe 24Y. Is the yellow developing unit 5Y
In FIG. 1, the other end of the toner conveying pipe 24M is connected to the magenta developing device 5M, and the other end of the toner conveying pipe 24C is connected to the cyan developing device 5C.

In FIG. 3A, the toner outlet 21Y
Enters the toner transport pipe 24Y on the forefront side, passes through this pipe, and enters the yellow developing unit 5Y. Thus, the collected yellow toner can be reused at the yellow developing unit 5Y.

When the magenta cleaning unit 10M shown in FIG. 2 is located at the cleaning position C, as shown in FIG.
Toner discharge pipe 21M is located at the center of the toner transport pipe 24.
M, the magenta toner conveyed by the toner collecting coil member 17M exits from the toner outlet 21M, enters the toner conveying pipe 24M, and is sent to the magenta developing device 5M (FIG. 1).

Further, when the cyan cleaning unit 10C shown in FIG. 2 is located at the cleaning position C, as shown in FIG.
The 6C toner discharge port 21C faces the innermost toner transport pipe 24C, and the cyan toner transported by the toner recovery coil member 17C is supplied to the toner discharge port 21C.
Exits, enters the toner transport pipe 24C, and is sent to the cyan developing device 5C (FIG. 1).

As described above, the toner collected by the magenta cleaning unit and the cyan cleaning unit can be reused by the developing device of the corresponding color. In other words, any color toner can be recycled and used, and it is not necessary to manually put the collected toner into each developing device. Further, a waste toner tank for storing the collected toner (a tank for discarding and removing the toner) is not required, so that further space saving can be achieved.

The lid 22Y, 22M or 22C of the cleaning unit that is not placed at the cleaning position C is closed to prevent toner from being discharged from the toner outlet 21Y, 21M or 21C of the cleaning unit that is not operating. .

Each of the developing units 5Y, 5M, 5C shown in FIG. 1 is provided with a stirring paddle 30Y, 30M, 30C, respectively, and when one of the developing units is operated to develop an electrostatic latent image. In this case, the stirring paddle of this one developing device is rotating. When one of the developing devices is operating, the collected toner is sent from the cleaning unit corresponding to the developing device to the developing device, so that the collected color toner and the same color toner in the developing device are combined. Can be surely mixed and stirred by rotation of the stirring paddle.

The toner discharge pipe, the toner recovery coil member, and the toner transport pipe described above transport the toner recovered by each cleaning unit toward the developing device using the toner of the corresponding color. This constitutes a toner transfer unit that performs the operation. At this time, a toner conveying member such as a coil member or a screw (not shown) is provided in each of the toner conveying pipes 24Y, 24M, and 24C, and is driven to rotate so that the toner can be surely conveyed to each developing device. Is desirable.

The lid 2 shown in FIGS. 3 (a), 3 (b) and 3 (c)
2Y, 22M, and 22C are the respective toner discharge pipes 16Y,
16M, 16C, 16C, 16C, 16C, 16C, 16C, 16C, 16C, 16C, 16C, 16C, 16C, 16C, 16C, 16C, 16C, 16C, 16C, 16C, 16C, 16C, 16C, and 16C, when the other cleaning unit is operating.
Is held in the closed position. For such a lid, the toner transport pipes 24Y, 24M, 24C,
You may make it provide in the connection part side between each developing device.
Also in this case, the lid corresponding to the operating developing unit is opened, and the toner is carried to this operating developing unit and supplied.

In the cleaning device provided in the image forming apparatus of this embodiment, as described above, the lengths of the toner discharge pipes 16Y, 16M and 16C (FIG. 3) are different, and Because the positions are different,
Toner receiving portion, that is, toner transport pipe 24
There is no need to change the positions of Y, 24M and 24C.

Now, suppose that each toner discharge pipe 16Y, 1
If the lengths of 6M and 16C are the same, each toner conveying pipe 24 is connected to the toner discharge ports 21Y, 21M and 21C.
To make Y, 24M, and 24C correspond to each other, the toner transport pipe must be moved in the axial direction of the toner discharge pipe (the left-right direction in FIG. 3). In the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment, the toner conveying pipes 24Y, 24M, 24
There is no need to change the position of C. Further, in the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment, each of the toner discharge pipes 16Y,
16M, 16C, and the respective toner transport pipes 24Y, 24
Since there is no need to directly connect the M and 24C, the configuration of the toner recycling conveyance system and the like can be simplified.

The cleaning device 10 (FIG. 2)
If the rotation is intermittently performed by 120 ° at a time based on the color detection by the developing color detecting means, the toner for each color can be recycled and collected to the developing device without error.

Each developing unit 5 of the developing device 5 shown in FIG.
Y, 5M and 5C have developing sleeves 25Y, 25M and 2
5C is provided, and when any of the developing devices is operating, the developing sleeve provided in the developing device rotates, and is transported to a developing area between the sleeve and the photoconductor 1. I have. Therefore, by detecting the rotation of the developing sleeve, color detection is performed, and the cleaning device 10 is rotated by the detection signal to bring a predetermined cleaning unit to the cleaning position C (FIG. 2).

For example, when the yellow developing unit 5Y is operated to perform a developing operation, the rotation of the developing sleeve 25Y is detected, and the yellow cleaning unit is rotated at a timing at which the yellow residual toner on the photoreceptor 1 can be cleaned. 10Y is brought to the cleaning position C. The same applies to the other cleaning units 10M and 10C. In this way, the residual toner of a predetermined color can be reliably collected in each cleaning unit.

As described above, the cleaning device is configured to rotate based on the color detection by the developing color detecting means. As the detecting means, for example, the above-mentioned rotation of the developing sleeve is used. Can be used.

The toner discharge pipes 26Y, 26 shown in FIG.
6M and 26C are the toner discharge pipes 16 shown in FIG.
Y, 16M, and 16C. FIG. 4 (a)
As shown in (2), the toner discharge pipe 26Y has circular flanges at both ends, and the upper half is open.
In this example, the toner outlet 2
8Y are provided. Further, a toner collecting coil member 27Y for transporting the collected toner to the front third area is provided in the toner discharge pipe 26Y.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the toner discharge pipe 26M is provided with a toner discharge port 28
M is provided, and a toner collecting coil member 27M for collecting the collected toner in the central 1/3 area is provided in the toner discharge pipe 26M.

As shown in FIG. 3C, the toner discharge pipe 26C is provided with a
8C, and a toner collecting coil member 27C for transporting the collected toner to an area on the back side 1/3 is provided in the toner discharge pipe 26C.

As shown in FIG. 5, the toner discharge pipe 26
Y is provided with a lid 29Y for selectively closing the toner discharge port 28Y. Similarly, the toner discharge pipe 26M and the toner discharge pipe 26C are provided with similar lids (not shown). Has become.

As shown in FIG. 2, a cover 31 for preventing toner scattering is provided outside the cleaning device 10. By providing such a cover 31, it is possible to prevent the toner from scattering outward from the cleaning device 10.

Here, when the yellow cleaning unit 10Y comes to the cleaning position C (FIG. 2), FIG.
Is located at a position corresponding to the toner transport pipe 24Y shown in FIG.
Is moved to a position shown in FIG. 6 by a control drive mechanism (not shown), and the toner discharge port 28Y is opened.

In this state, the toner collecting coil member 27Y shown in FIG. 4A is rotated, and the yellow collected toner is conveyed to the front third area. Along with this, the collected toner falls from the toner discharge port 28Y and further enters the toner transport pipe 24Y through the opening 32Y provided in the cover 31, as shown in FIG.

Similarly, when the magenta cleaning unit 10M is placed at the cleaning position C (FIG. 2), the magenta collected toner enters the toner transport pipe 24M of FIG. Also, when the cyan cleaning unit section 10C is placed at the cleaning position C, the cyan collected toner remains in the toner transport pipe 2 in FIG.
Enter 4C. In each case, the toner of each color is sent to the corresponding developing device 5Y, 5M, 5C (FIG. 1).

In FIG. 7, reference numerals 33Y, 33M,
33C, the toner transport pipes 24Y, 24
It is a funnel part provided integrally with M, 24C. Even with such a configuration, the collected toner of each cleaning unit can be automatically guided to each developing device.

Also in this example, the toner transfer means has the toner discharge pipes 26Y, 26M, 26C provided in the respective cleaning units, and the toner discharge ports 28Y, 28M, 28C of these toner discharge pipes. The positions are differently arranged in the axial direction of the photoconductor 1. With such a configuration, it is not necessary to change the position of the receiving portion of the toner discharged from the toner discharge pipe, and the configuration around the cleaning device can be simplified.

Here, the toner discharge pipe 2 shown in FIG.
6Y, 26M, and 26C, the cover 3 corresponding to each of the toner outlets 28Y, 28M, and 28C.
The toner of each color adheres to the inner surface area of No. 1 and tends to remain.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8A, a brush 34Y is provided on the outer wall surface of the case portion 18Y (see FIG. 2) in the region on the front side 1/3. In addition, as shown in FIG.
M is provided. Further, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), a brush 34C is provided in a region on the back side of the case portion 18C.

The cleaning device 10 (FIG. 2) is set at 120 °
When rotating intermittently, the brushes 34Y and 34Y
M and 34C rub the inner wall surface of the cover 31 in each area to scrape off the toner adhering thereto, and for each color, the toner transport pipes 24Y, 24M and 24 shown in FIG.
Put in C. With this configuration, the toner can be effectively collected for each color.

As shown in FIG. 9, by providing flanges 35 on the inner wall surface of the cover 31 in the 1/3 region and the 2/3 region on the near side, different colors on the inner wall surface can be obtained. Mutual mixing of toners can be effectively prevented.

Here, as shown in FIG. 10, each cleaning unit is integrally formed around a middle cylinder 36, and the center of the cylinder 36 and the rotation center of the cleaning device 10 are aligned with each other. Has become. Such a cylindrical portion 36
An internal gear 38 is provided on one end side of
When the pinion 37 meshing with the pinion 37 receives and rotates from a main body drive system (not shown), the internal gear 38 rotates, and the cleaning device 10 is intermittently driven by 120 °.

Next, how the fur brush 13Y and the bias roller 14Y shown in FIG. 2 are driven to rotate will be described.

FIG. 11 shows the rotation mechanism 39 shown in FIG.

In FIGS. 10 and 11, a shaft 41 is rotatably mounted on an apparatus main body side plate 40 different from the cleaning apparatus, and a gear 42 fixed to the shaft 41 is driven by a main body driving system. When rotated, the gear 44 rotates via the one-way clutch 43.

The unit side plate 10 of the cleaning device 10
a, a brush shaft 53 provided with the fur brush 13Y (FIG. 2) is rotatably supported. When the gear 44 rotates, the brush driving gear 46 fixed to the shaft 53 rotates,
The fur brush 13Y (FIG. 2) rotates clockwise.

The brush driving gear 46 meshes with the idle gear 47 together with the gear 44. The rotation of the brush driving gear 46 is transmitted to the bias roller driving gear 54 (FIG. 10) via the idle gear 47. When the gear 54 rotates, the bias roller 14 coaxially integrated therewith is rotated.
Y (FIG. 2) rotates clockwise.

Further, the rotation of the bias roller driving gear 54 is transmitted to the toner collecting coil member driving gear 57, and the toner collecting coil member 17Y (FIG. 2) coaxially integrated therewith is rotated.

When the cleaning device 10 intermittently rotates clockwise by 120 ° by the driving force of the pinion 37, the brush driving gear 46 meshes with the gear 44 on the main body side. , A force to rotate the gear 44 clockwise. At that time, the one-way clutch 43 idles the gear 44 clockwise,
The torque is not transmitted to the shaft 41.

Since the other cleaning units are driven in exactly the same manner, the description of the driving method of the cleaning units will be omitted.

The present invention can be applied not only to a drum-shaped photosensitive member as an image bearing member, but also to a belt-shaped or other type of bearing member. Also, the present invention can be applied to an image forming apparatus using a rotary developing device that performs a developing operation by each developing device by arranging the developing devices in a direction.

Further, the present invention can be applied to an image forming apparatus using a developing device having at least two developing devices, and the cleaning units of the cleaning device are provided by the number corresponding to the number of the developing devices. Can be For example, a developing device having a black developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image on the image carrier with black toner can be used as the developing device shown in FIG. 1. In this case, a cleaning unit of the cleaning device is used. Are provided.

In the illustrated embodiment, the number of cleaning units is three. When the number of cleaning units changes, it is natural that the configuration of each of the above-described embodiments should be changed in accordance with the number. Since the details are self-evident, the description thereof is omitted.

[0082]

According to the image forming apparatus of the first aspect, the toner of each color can be separated and collected, or these can be recycled by the developing device, and the structure of the entire image forming apparatus can be further improved. The size can be reduced and the degree of freedom in the layout of the process equipment can be increased. Further, it is possible to prevent the cleaned toner from scattering in the image forming apparatus, and it is possible to efficiently collect the toner remaining on the inner wall surface of the cover.

According to the image forming apparatus of the second aspect,
The toner of each color collected in each cleaning unit is
For each color, it can be recycled to the corresponding developing device, and the toner collected in the cleaning unit can be efficiently reused in each developing device without waste.

Further, it is not necessary to manually input the toner collected by the cleaning device to the cleaning device. Further, the waste toner tank becomes unnecessary, and the space can be further reduced.

According to the image forming apparatus of the third aspect,
There is no need to change the position of the receiving portion for the toner discharged from the toner discharge pipe, and the configuration around the cleaning device can be simplified.

According to the image forming apparatus of the fourth aspect,
The cleaned toner can be prevented from scattering in the image forming apparatus, and the toner remaining on the inner wall surface of the cover can be efficiently collected.

According to the image forming apparatus of the fifth aspect,
It is possible to prevent the toner remaining on the inner wall surface of the cover from being mixed with each other, and to prevent toners of different colors from being mixed in each developing device.

[0088]

[0089]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing only a main part of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating details of a cleaning device provided in the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a toner discharge pipe component provided in the cleaning device.

FIG. 4 is a side view of another example of the toner discharge pipe constituting unit.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a toner discharge pipe.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a state in which a lid attached to the toner discharge pipe has been displaced to an opening opening position.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a component for receiving collected toner from the cleaning device.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example in which a brush is attached to a case of the cleaning unit.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view illustrating an example in which a flange is provided on a cover that covers the cleaning device.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a rotation drive system of the cleaning device.

FIG. 11 is a side sectional view of a part of the rotary drive system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 5 developing device 5Y developing device 5M developing device 5C developing device 6 transfer material 10 cleaning device 10Y cleaning unit section 10M cleaning unit section 10C cleaning unit section 16Y toner discharge pipe 16M toner discharge pipe 16C toner discharge pipe 21Y toner discharge port 21M toner discharge port 21C Toner outlet 26Y Toner outlet pipe 26M Toner outlet pipe 26C Toner outlet pipe 28Y Toner outlet 28M Toner outlet 28C Toner outlet 31 Cover 34Y Brush 34M Brush 34C Brush 35 Flange

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-63-163386 (JP, A) JP-A-62-115481 (JP, A) JP-A-4-245264 (JP, A) Jpn. , U) Actually open 63-51347 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03G 21/10-21/12 G03G 15/01-15/01 117

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A developing device having a plurality of developing devices for visualizing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier as a toner image for each color with toners of different colors, and transferring the toner image. An image forming apparatus comprising: means for transferring to a material; and a cleaning device for cleaning toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier after the transfer, wherein the plurality of cleaning devices are arranged so as to be circumferentially adjacent to each other. Each of the cleaning unit sections is a cleaning unit section for cleaning a toner of a different color, and each of the cleaning unit sections is selectively placed at a cleaning position during cleaning. The cleaning device is configured to be rotatable, and toner is prevented from scattering outside the cleaning device. An image forming apparatus comprising: a cover; and a cleaning unit provided with a brush for scraping toner adhered to an inner wall surface of the cover. 2. The toner transfer device according to claim 1, further comprising a toner transfer unit that separately transports the toner collected in each cleaning unit to a developing device that uses a toner of a corresponding color. Image forming device. 3. A developing device having a plurality of developing units for visualizing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier as a toner image for each color with toners of different colors, and transferring the toner image. An image forming apparatus comprising: means for transferring to a material; and a cleaning device for cleaning toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier after the transfer, wherein the plurality of cleaning devices are arranged so as to be circumferentially adjacent to each other. Each of the cleaning unit sections is a cleaning unit section for cleaning a toner of a different color, and each of the cleaning unit sections is selectively placed at a cleaning position during cleaning. The cleaning device is configured to be rotatable, and the toner collected in each cleaning unit is Is provided separately for each cleaning unit, and a toner transferring means for transferring the toner to a developing device using a toner of a corresponding color is provided.
An image forming apparatus comprising: a toner discharge pipe provided in a cleaning unit; and a position of a toner discharge port of each of the toner discharge pipes is different in an axial direction of the image carrier. 4. A cover for preventing toner scattering is provided outside the cleaning device.
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a brush for scraping off toner attached to an inner wall surface of the cover. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cover has a flange on an inner wall surface thereof for preventing toners of different colors from being mixed with each other.