JPH0256676B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to a toner recovery device for an electronic copying machine using a cyclone filter.

Prior Art In an electronic copying machine in which untransferred toner collected from the surface of a photoreceptor by a conventional cleaning device is conveyed to a developing device by a toner collecting device and reused in the developing device, a toner inlet of the developing device is used. , a cyclone filter a and a rotary valve b as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are provided to remove impurities from the toner and supply only reusable toner to the developing device. However, since the rotary valve b has a structure in which it is rotated while slidingly contacting the side plates c provided at both ends, it wears out during long-term use, resulting in a decrease in airtightness and air inflow. Put it away. As a result, the toner separation efficiency of the cyclone filter a was reduced, resulting in problems such as unreusable toner and impurities being carried into the developing device.

Purpose of the Invention The present invention has been made for the purpose of improving the above-mentioned problems, and provides a toner collection device for an electronic copying machine that employs a rotary valve that does not wear out the side plates, and is capable of separating toner over a long period of time. This allows the effect to be maintained.

Structure of the Invention In a device in which untransferred toner collected from the surface of a photoreceptor by a cleaning device is supplied to a developing device via a cyclone filter and a rotary valve and reused in the developing device, the rotary valve is Bearings with approximately the same diameter as the outer diameter of the valve body are provided on both side plates so that a part of the bearing rotates together with the valve body, thereby eliminating wear on the side plates and the valve body and improving the cyclone filter. A toner recovery device for an electronic copying machine that maintains the toner separation effect over a long period of time by keeping the interior airtight.

Embodiment Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings shown in FIG. , photoreceptor 1 inside housing 3
a pair of cleaning rolls 4 which remove untransferred toner remaining on the surface of the photoreceptor 1 in contact with the surface of the photoreceptor 1;
is rotatably housed. The toner removed from the surface of the photoreceptor 1 by the cleaning roll 4 is scraped off from the cleaning roll 4 by a frit cover 6 to which a bias power supply 5 is applied, and then sent to the developing device 8 side via a suction duct 7. The toner is carried into the upper part of the cyclone filter 9 provided in the toner carrying part of the developing device 8 . The cyclone filter 9 has a tapered shape and separates impurities and non-reusable toner from the recovered toner by using the airflow swirling inside, and supplies only the reusable toner to the developing device 8. A rotary valve 10 is provided below the cyclone filter 9 to prevent the airflow swirling within the cyclone filter 9 from flowing into the developing device 8.

The rotary valve 10 has a cylindrical casing 10a as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and a bearing 11 is provided in the center of the casing 10a.
A rotary shaft 10c is rotatably supported via the rotary shaft 10c.

The bearing 11 is composed of an outer race 11a having approximately the same diameter as the outer diameter of the valve body 10b, a ball-shaped rotating body 11b, and an inner race 11c.
It is fitted to both ends of a to prevent rotation.

Further, the inner race 11c is fitted to both ends of the rotating shaft 10c and rotates together with the rotating shaft 10c, and the valve body 10b is attached to the rotating shaft 10c so as to be located between the respective bearings 11.

The valve body 10b includes a cylindrical portion 10f fixed to a rotating shaft 10c, and a plurality of vanes 10g that protrude radially from the cylindrical portion 10f. The inner surface of the outer race 11a of the bearing 11 comes into sliding contact with the inner surface of the outer race 11a of the bearing 11.

Further, the outer peripheral side of the inner surface of the outer race 11a that comes into sliding contact with the blade plate 10g is connected to the connection port 9a of the cyclone filter 9 in the casing 1.
It is covered by a seal wall 10e provided at the inner end of the casing 10a, and the openings at both ends of the casing 10a are closed by side plates 10d.

On the other hand, one end side of the rotating shaft 10c is connected to one side plate 1.
A gear 14 is provided at the distal end of the auger 12, which protrudes outward through the auger 0d and meshes with a gear 13 provided on the rotating shaft 12a of the auger 12. Above auger 12
is located below the rotary valve 10, and the toner that has passed through the rotary valve 10 is transferred to the developing device 8.
It is designed to be sent inward.

Note that 15 in the figure indicates a sealing member that seals between the side plate 10d and the rotating shaft 10c.

As described in detail above, this invention has a valve body 1
When 0b rotates, the inner race 1 of the bearing 11
1c and the rotating shaft 10c rotate together, and the valve body 10 has a small portion of the tip of the vane plate 10g in sliding contact with the outer race 11a of the bearing 11, so even after long-term use, the side plate 10d and Both end faces of the valve body 10b will not wear out.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are explanatory diagrams showing a conventional toner recovery device, FIG. 3 is an overall configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the vicinity of the rotary valve, and FIG. The figure is a sectional view taken along the line of FIG. 4. 1 is a photoreceptor, 2 is a cleaner device, 8 is a developing device, 9 is a cyclone filter, 10 is a rotary valve, 10b is a valve body, 10c is a rotating shaft, 1
0d is the side plate, 11 is the bearing.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 Toner of an electronic copying machine in which untransferred toner collected from the surface of a photoreceptor 1 by a cleaner device 2 is supplied to a developing device 8 via a cyclone filter 9 and a rotary valve 10, and is reused in the developing device 8. In the recovery device, a rotary shaft 10c that rotates integrally with the valve body 10b is provided in a casing 10a housing the valve body 10b of the rotary valve 10, and a rotary shaft 10c that rotates integrally with the valve body 10b is provided.
0c has approximately the same outer diameter as the valve body 10b, and the outer race 11a side is the casing 10.
a side, and the inner race 11c is the rotating shaft 10
A toner recovery device for an electronic copying machine is rotatably supported via a bearing 11 fixed on the c side.