JPH0623878B2 - Image playback device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial field of application) The present invention is detachable from an image reproducing apparatus, more specifically, an image reproducing apparatus main body, and collects toner removed from a photoconductor by a cleaning device. The present invention relates to an image reproducing apparatus including a photoconductor unit in which a toner recovery tank is detachably unitized.

(Prior Art) In an image reproducing device using a photoconductor, in order to facilitate the maintenance, repair, replacement of consumable parts, and the like of the image reproducing device, the photoconductor drum, the developing device, and the cleaner are unitized. A unit in which the unit is detachably attached to the main body of the image reproducing apparatus is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-54392. A toner bottle for collecting the toner removed from the photoconductor by the cleaner is connected to the developing device.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In a conventional image reproducing device in which a photoconductor, a developing device, and a cleaning device are unitized, it is convenient to handle the photoconductor, the developing device, and the cleaning device. Since no particular consideration is given to the collection and disposal of the toner removed from above, the problem regarding the collection and disposal of the toner still remains.

(Means for Solving the Problem) A toner recovery tank that collects the toner removed from the photoconductor by the cleaning device is detachably attached to the photoconductor unit that is detachable from the image reproducing device, and is unitized with the photoconductor unit. To do.

(Operation) By detaching the photoconductor unit from the main body of the image reproducing apparatus, the toner recovery tank can be separated from the photoconductor unit.

(Example) A photoconductor 1 which is an endless belt-shaped recording medium is an electrophotographic photoconductor in which an inorganic or organic photoconductive layer is provided on a base film, and is spread between two rollers 2 and 3. Has been done. Roller 2 is drive roller, roller 3
Is a driven roller, which is supported by roller supporting members described later, respectively, and constitutes an independent photoconductor unit as a whole. This photoconductor unit is removably assembled to the developing device unit 5 by inserting the shafts of the rollers 2 and 3 into the two grooves 6 and 7 of the developing unit 5 having the developing device 4 at one end. This developing device unit 5
Is also removable from the main body of the image reproducing device. When the developing device unit 5 to which the photoconductor unit is attached is guided to an appropriate positioning means and attached to the main body of the device, the photoconductor 1 and the static eliminator 8, cleaning device 9 and charging device arranged above the upper belt thereof. 10. The mutual positioning between the exposure device 11 and the transfer device 12 arranged on the lower belt side is accurately performed.

The surface of the photoconductor 1 rotating in the clockwise direction is first uniformly charged with a predetermined polarity by the charging device 10, and the exposure device 11 irradiates the surface with an optical image or an optical signal of an image to be reproduced. An electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image to be reproduced is formed. The electrostatic latent image is developed by the toner 14 which is housed in the developing device 4 and conveyed by the developing roller 13. A transfer paper 15 is superposed on the developed toner image under the transfer device 12, and the toner image is transferred onto the transfer paper 15 by charging or electric field by the transfer device 12. After the transfer, the transfer paper 15 is separated from the photoconductor 1 and the transfer toner image is fixed, and the photoconductor 1 is subjected to static elimination by the static eliminator 8 so that the untransferred toner adhering to the surface thereof is removed by the cleaning device 9 Removed by.

Although the image is reproduced by such a process, the toner removed from the photoconductor by the cleaning device 9 is returned to the toner recovery tank described later and is discarded.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the photoconductor unit 16 which is detachably provided with a toner recovery tank. The rollers 2 and 3 which support the belt-shaped photosensitive member 1 are rotatably supported at both side portions by both side plates 17a and 17b of the roller supporting member 17, and the upper portions of the both side plates 17a and 17b are top plates 17c. And a lower part thereof is continuous with the bottom plate 17b, and side plates 17e (only one is shown) bent upward from both sides of the bottom plate form a hole having a rectangular cross section as a whole. Toner recovery tank 1 having an upper opening 18a for receiving toner in this hole
Eight can be pulled out freely.

On the other hand, in the cleaning device 9, as shown in FIG.
A conveying device 19 having a rotating screw conveyor for conveying the toner removed from the photoconductor 1 in the width direction of the belt is provided, and the lower discharge port 19a thereof is provided with the toner receiving opening 18a of the toner collecting tank 18. To face. This facing is when the photoconductor unit 16 is assembled into the main body of the device,
It is provided by suitable positioning means of the image reproduction device body. The collected toner sent by the toner carrying device 19 naturally drops from the end portion thereof, enters the receiving opening 18a from the discharge opening 19a, and is collected in the toner collecting tank 18. The tank portion 18g below the receiving opening 18a is inclined so that the toner that has fallen into the receiving opening 18a does not partially accumulate therebelow. The toner collected in the tank 18 is appropriately taken out and discarded, or returned to the developing device for reuse. Alternatively, when the entire photoconductor unit 16 is replaced due to deterioration of the photoconductor belt 1 or other reasons,
The photoconductor unit is discarded.

(Effect of the Invention) According to the present invention, since the toner recovery tank is detachably provided in the photoconductor unit that can be attached to and detached from the image reproducing device, the toner recovery can be performed by removing the photoconductor unit from the image reproducing device. Tank handling becomes easier,
Even if the photoconductor unit, the toner recovery tank, and the developing device have different lifespans, it is sufficient to discard only the units that have reached the end of life, resulting in cost reduction. Further, there is no problem that each unit is mounted in a different place, and the operability of mounting the unit is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing an example of an image reproducing apparatus to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a photoconductor unit, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an example of a toner conveying device. is there. 1 ... photosensitive member, 4 ... developing device, 9 ... cleaning device, 16 ... photosensitive member unit, 18 ... toner recovery tank.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A photoconductor unit having a photoconductor and a side plate for rotatably supporting the photoconductor, the photoconductor unit being attachable to and detachable from the main body of the image reproducing apparatus, and an electrostatic latent unit on the photoconductor of the photoconductor unit. An electrostatic latent image forming means for forming an image; a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image; a developing unit unitized with a photoconductor unit; and after developing the electrostatic latent image by the developing device. A transfer device for transferring the visible image onto a transfer paper, a cleaning device for removing the toner on the photoconductor after the transfer, and a tank for collecting the toner removed from the photoconductor by the cleaning device, A toner recovery tank that is detachable from the photoconductor unit and unitized with the photoconductor unit; the photoconductor unit integrated with the developing unit;
And guiding the toner recovery tank into the main body of the image reproducing apparatus, and the photoconductor unit, the developing unit,
And a means for positioning the photoconductor unit with respect to the electrostatic latent image forming means when the toner recovery tank is attached to the main body of the image reproducing apparatus.