JPH0654058U - Electrophotographic device cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To reduce the cost and to smoothly discharge the waste toner for wide paper printing. [Structure] Toner conveying screw 15 is divided into a plurality of screw bodies (16A, 16B, 16) in the axial direction.
C) and each divided screw body (16A, 16B, 16
C) is provided at opposite ends of the divided screw main body (16A, 16B, 16C) and integrally formed with a connecting portion (25, 25).

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a cleaning device for an electrophotographic apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a cleaning device for an electrophotographic apparatus that cleans toner remaining on an image carrier after toner transfer onto paper and discharges waste toner to the outside.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 FIG. 3 shows a schematic configuration of the electrophotographic apparatus. In the electrophotographic apparatus, the surface of a cylindrical photosensitive drum 1 as an image carrier is uniformly charged by a charger 2, and subsequently, a laser beam from an optical unit 3 forms an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the drum 1. After the toner 5 stored in the developing device 4 is adhered to the electrostatic latent image by the developing roller 4A, the toner is transferred to the sheet 7 by the transfer device 6, and the toner remaining on the drum 1 after the transfer is performed. In general, the cleaning blade 8 removes the accumulated toner in the waste toner storage portion 9, and the charge removal lamp 10 finally removes the charge.

In the case of a structure in which the volume of the waste toner containing section 9 is reduced by discharging the waste toner 5A accumulated in the waste toner containing section 9 to the outside, the waste toner 5A in the waste toner containing section 9 is removed. A structure in which the screw-type transfer device 11A discharges to the outside is general. The length of the waste toner container 9 in the direction orthogonal to the paper surface of FIG. 3 is equivalent to the length of the photosensitive drum 1 in the axial direction.

As shown in FIG. 4, the conventional conveying device 11 A is integrally and horizontally formed on the frame 12 of the waste toner container 9 and is bent downward at a right angle toward the waste toner box 13 at the tip. The guide cylinder 14A has a discharge port 14b, and the toner conveying screw 15 rotatably accommodated in the guide cylinder 14A. The toner conveying screw 15 is made of plastic and has a shaft 19 whose base end is rotatably supported by the frame 12 and a spiral fin integrally formed in a spiral shape along the longitudinal direction of the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 19. 20 and 20. The shaft 19 is rotated by transmitting power from a drive source via a gear 21.

Therefore, when the toner carrying screw 15 is rotated via the gear 21, the waste toner 5 A in the waste toner containing portion 9 is sent to the right in FIG. 4 by the spiral fin 20 of the toner carrying screw 15. The toner is discharged from the discharge port 14b into the waste toner box 13.

[0006]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 By the way, when the electrophotographic apparatus described above is capable of printing on A3 and A2 paper, the photosensitive drum 1 becomes large, and accordingly, the waste toner accommodating portion 9 (and thus the toner conveying screw 15) also becomes large. Becomes Therefore, the toner transport screw 15 tends to be warped or the like at the time of molding, and the dimensional accuracy tends to be deteriorated. As a result, the waste toner may not be smoothly discharged. Further, since the die for molding the toner conveying screw 15 also becomes large, there is a disadvantage that the manufacturing cost increases.

In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device for an electrophotographic apparatus capable of smoothly discharging waste toner corresponding to wide paper printing while reducing costs.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The cleaning device of the electrophotographic apparatus according to the present invention is formed by cleaning the toner remaining on the image carrier after the toner is transferred onto the paper and including the cleaned waste toner, which is rotatable around the shaft center. In a cleaning device for an electrophotographic apparatus that discharges the toner to the outside by means of a transport device, the toner transport screen is provided with screw bodies divided into a plurality of parts in the axial direction and opposing ends of the divided screw bodies. It is characterized in that it is formed from a connecting portion that integrally connects the split screw bodies.

[0009]

[Action]

 For example, in an electrophotographic apparatus capable of printing wide sheets such as A3 and A2 sheets, the toner conveying screw has a long size, but since it has a divided structure, each screw main body is not warped. Instead, it can be molded with high dimensional accuracy and can be connected in one piece at the connecting part to obtain linear accuracy. Moreover, since the individual screw bodies are short and short, the die cost can be reduced.

Therefore, it is possible to smoothly discharge the waste toner in correspondence with wide paper printing while reducing the cost.

[0011]

【Example】

 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. This cleaning device is applied to an electrophotographic device having the same configuration as that shown in FIG. The cleaning device cleans the toner remaining on the photoconductor drum (1) after the toner is transferred onto the paper, and includes the toner conveying screw 15 rotatably provided around the cleaned waste toner about its axis. The toner delivery screw 15 is discharged to the outside by means of the above-mentioned delivery device, and the toner delivery screw 15 is divided into a plurality of screw bodies (16A, 16B, 16C) in the axial direction and the respective divided screw bodies (16A, 16B, It is characterized in that it is formed of a connecting portion (25, 25) provided at opposite ends of 16C) and integrally connecting the respective main bodies (16A, 16B, 16C). The same components as those in the conventional example (FIGS. 3 and 4) are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted or simplified.

Here, the toner conveying screw 15 has a divided structure and has a plurality of (three in this embodiment) screw bodies (16A, 16B, 16C) that are divided. Each screw body (16A, 16B, 16C) is made of plastic and has a short hollow shaft 17, and a spiral fin integrally formed in a spiral shape along the longitudinal direction of the outer peripheral surface of the hollow shaft 17. It is composed of 18 and.

The connecting portion 25 is composed of engaging convex portions 26, 26 and engaging concave portions 27, 27 provided at both ends of each divided screw body (16A, 16B, 16C). In the present embodiment, each divided screw body (16A, 16B, 16C) has the same shape and can be molded by the same mold, so that not only the opposite end portions of each body (16A, 16B, 16C) but also the other Engagement recesses 27, 27 or engagement protrusions 26, 26 are also formed at the ends (the left end of the main body 16A in FIG. 2 and the right end of the main body 16C in the figure).

Therefore, the engaging projections 26, 26 of the split screw body 16A are fitted into the engaging recesses 27, 27 of the split screw body 16B, and the engaging projections 26, 26 of the body 16B are fitted in the split screw body 16C. The main bodies (16A, 16B, 16C) are integrally connected by being fitted into the engaging recesses 27, 27.

In addition, in this embodiment, in order to further improve the dimensional accuracy and the structural strength of the toner conveying screw 15, the divided screw bodies integrally connected via the connecting portions (25, 25). A core rod 29 having substantially the same diameter is passed through the hollow portion of (16A, 16B, 16C). In addition, in FIG. 2, 28 is a screw main body (16A, 16B, 16C) rotation prevention pin, which is planted in the core rod 29 and fitted into the engaging recess 27 of the divided screw main body 16A.

Next, the operation will be described. For example, in an electrophotographic apparatus capable of printing wide sheets such as A3 and A2 sheets, the toner conveying screw 15 has a long size, but since it has a divided structure, each screw main body (16A, 16B, 16C) It is possible to form linearity and the like by molding with high precision in dimension without causing warpage and by connecting them integrally with the connecting portions (25, 25). Moreover, since the individual screw bodies (16A, 16B, 16C) are short and short, the die cost can be reduced.

Therefore, the waste toner can be smoothly discharged to the waste toner box 13 in correspondence with wide paper printing while reducing the cost.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, the toner conveying screw 15 is divided into a plurality of screw main bodies (16A, 16B, 16C) in the axial direction and respective divided screw main bodies (16A, 16B, 16C) is formed from the divided screw main body (16A, 16B, 16C) and the connecting portion (25, 25) that integrally connects the divided screw main bodies (16A, 16B, 16C), so that it is possible to print on wide paper while reducing costs. The waste toner can be discharged smoothly.

Further, since the shapes of the divided screw main bodies (16A, 16B, 16C) are the same, they can be molded by the same mold, and the cost can be further reduced.

Further, since the connecting portion 25 is formed of the engaging convex portion 26 and the engaging concave portion 27 provided at the opposite ends of the divided screw bodies (16A, 16B, 16C), the structure does not become complicated, From this point as well, cost reduction and the like can be achieved.

Further, since the core rod 29 is passed through the hollow shaft 17 of each main body (16A, 16B, 16C) connected through the connecting portion 25, the dimensional accuracy is further improved and the structure is improved. The strength can be increased.

In the above embodiment, the screw main body of the toner conveying screw 15 is divided into three, but the number of divisions can be appropriately selected.

[0023]

[Effect of device]

 According to the present invention, the toner conveying screw includes a screw main body divided into a plurality of parts in the axial direction, and a connecting portion provided at opposite ends of each divided screw main body to integrally connect the respective divided screw main bodies. Since it is formed from the above, the waste toner can be smoothly discharged corresponding to the printing on wide paper while reducing the cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating an essential part of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view for explaining a toner transport screw having a divided structure.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an electrophotographic apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a conventional transport device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Conveying Device 15 Toner Conveying Screw 16A, 16B, 16C Dividing Screw Main Body 25 Connection Part

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A toner remaining on an image carrier after toner is transferred onto a sheet is cleaned, and the cleaned waste toner is discharged to the outside by a conveying device including a toner conveying screw rotatable about an axis. In a cleaning device of an electrophotographic apparatus, a toner carrying screw is provided with a screw main body divided into a plurality of parts in the axial direction and a connecting portion provided at opposite ends of each divided screw main body to integrally connect the respective divided screw main bodies. A cleaning device for an electrophotographic apparatus, which is formed from