Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6819885
-
Patent Number
6,819,885
-
Date Filed
Friday, February 14, 200321 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, November 16, 200419 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Grimley; Arthur T.
- Gleitz; Ryan
Agents
- Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 399 35
- 399 358
- 399 359
- 399 360
- 399 98
- 399 99
- 399 257
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A collection vessel 124 is formed with a plurality of collection spaces 148a to 148f separated by partition walls 146, and collection ports 134 and 136 are connected to the collection spaces 148a to 148f. The collection spaces 148a to 148f are made to communicate with each other through a communication part 152. A developer intake section 154 implementing a full condition detector is placed below the communication part 152. A detection vessel is placed in the developer intake section 154 for detecting a full condition based on the developer overflowing the collection spaces 148a to 148f.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a developer collection vessel for collecting a developer and an image formation apparatus comprising the developer collection vessel and in particular to an image formation apparatus comprising a full condition detector for detecting the collection vessel being full of developer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an electrophotographic image formation apparatus applied to a printer, a copier, etc., developers to be discharged occur in a photoconductor, a transfer roll, a developing machine, etc., and need to be collected, and a collection vessel is placed. When the collection vessel becomes full of the collected developers, it should be replaced and a full condition detector is provided for detecting the collection vessel being full of developer.
Hitherto, as an image formation apparatus comprising this kind of collection vessel, an apparatus has been disclosed in JP-A-62-94883. In the related art example, a transparent or semi-transparent housing is expanded upward on the top of the collection vessel and optical sensors comprising a light emission element and a light reception element are placed on both sides of the housing. A float member is placed in the collection vessel so that it can move up and down. When a collected developer enters the collection vessel, the collected developer presses the float member and causes the float member to rise. A light shield member fixed to the float member is inserted into the housing and blocks light from the optical sensor, whereby a full condition is detected.
However, in the related art example, the full condition detector moves the float member up in response to the amount of the collected developer. Thus, if moving up of the float member is inhibited for some reason, it is made impossible to detect a full condition; developer clogging occurs and there is a fear of incurring a serious accident. Since the float member is used, there is a problem of complicating the structure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a developer collection vessel and an image formation apparatus comprising a full condition detector capable of reliably detecting a full condition according to a simple configuration.
To the end, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a developer collection vessel comprising a collection port to which a discharge section where a developer is discharged is connected, a collection space connected to the collection port, and at least one component of a full condition detector for detecting a full condition of developer based on the developer overflowing the collection space. Therefore, a full condition is detected based on the developer overflowing the collection space, so that a full condition can be detected reliably and the structure can also be simplified.
Preferably, one component of the full condition detector provided in the collection vessel is placed on the bottom of a collection vessel main unit. Accordingly, the effective use of space can be made and it is made possible to reduce the whole image formation apparatus. The component is formed of, for example, a translucent detection vessel, and the developer entered in the detection vessel can be detected by an optical sensor. Preferably, the detection vessel is joined with joint means that can be easily attached to and detached from the collection vessel main unit, such as adhesive tape.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a developer collection vessel comprising a plurality of collection ports to which a plurality of discharge sections where a developer is discharged are connected, a plurality of collection spaces connected to the plurality of collection ports, a communication part for communicating with the plurality of collection spaces, and at least one component of a full condition detector, placed below the communication part, for detecting a full condition of developer based on the developer overflowing any of the collection spaces. Therefore, the developers entered from the plurality of discharge sections through the collection ports in the collection spaces are piled up in the corresponding collection spaces. When the developer overflows one of the collection spaces, the developer is sent through the communication part to the full condition detector, so that only one full condition detector is required and the configuration can be simplified.
The collection capacities of the collection spaces can be defined according to the heights and shapes of the partition walls. Preferably, the collection spaces have collection capacities set so as to become almost equal to the ratio of the collected developers to be discharged for making the effective use of the space in the collection vessel. However, to reliably detect a full condition, preferably one collection space has a collection capacity set so that the developer overflows the collection space earlier than any other collection space, and the full condition detector is placed adjacent to the collection space that the developer overflows earliest.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided an image formation apparatus comprising a collected developer occurrence section where developer to be collected occurs, a discharge section being connected to the collected developer occurrence section, a collection vessel having a collection port to which the discharge section is connected and a collection space connected to the collection port, and a full condition detector for detecting a full condition of developer based on the developer overflowing the collection space of the collection vessel.
The full condition detector can be made up of the detection vessel placed in the collection vessel and the sensor section placed in the image formation apparatus main unit. Preferably, the collection vessel is placed on the front of the image formation apparatus main unit. Further, preferably the detection vessel is provided with an opening/closing mechanism for opening/closing the open portion of the detection vessel in conjunction with attaching, detaching the collection vessel, so that only the collected developer when a full condition is detected is introduced into the detection vessel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1
is a side view to show an image formation apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2
is a perspective view to show a developing machine unit used with the image formation apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 3
is a side view to show a part of the developing machine unit used with the image formation apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 4
is a sectional view to show apart of the developing machine unit used with the image formation apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 5
is a sectional view to show a developing machine used with the image formation apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 6
is a perspective view to show the back side of a collection vessel used with the image formation apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 7
is a perspective view to show a first housing of the collection vessel used with the image formation apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 8
is a perspective view to show a second housing of the collection vessel used with the image formation apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 9
is a sectional view to show a part of the collection vessel used with the image formation apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 10
is a perspective view to show a state of placing the collection vessel on an image formation apparatus main unit with a front panel removed in the image formation apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 11
is a perspective view to show the image formation apparatus main unit excluding a front panel, the collection vessel, and a second frame in the image formation apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 12
is a perspective view to show the relationship between the collection vessel and a second frame in the image formation apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 13
is a transverse sectional view to show the relationship between a developing machine and the collection vessel in the image formation apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 14
is a longitudinal sectional view to show the relationship between the developing machine and the collection vessel in the image formation apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 15
is a sectional view to show the detection vessel vicinity where opening/closing means is placed in a developer collection vessel according to another embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the invention will be description below.
FIG. 1
shows an outline of an image formation apparatus
10
according to an embodiment of the invention. The image formation apparatus
10
has an image formation apparatus main unit
12
, a paper feed unit
14
placed at the bottom of the image formation apparatus main unit
12
, and an ejection tray
16
formed on the top of the image formation apparatus main unit
12
. A second ejection tray
18
is placed on the left side of the image formation apparatus main unit
12
opposed to the first ejection tray
16
, and a manual feed tray
20
is placed at a lower part of the left side of the image formation apparatus main unit
12
.
The paper feed unit
14
has a paper tray
22
on which paper is stacked, and a paper feed roll
24
for delivering paper from the paper tray
22
. Paper delivered by the paper feed roll
24
is transported on a paper feed passage
30
through transport rolls
26
and
28
and is sent to a transfer roll
74
described later. A toner image is transferred by the transfer roll
74
and is fixed on a fixing roll
32
. The first ejection tray
16
or the second ejection tray
18
is selected in accordance with position selection of a switch claw
34
and the paper is ejected by ejection rolls
36
and
38
. The paper is ejected to the first ejection tray
16
with the side on which the toner image is fixed as the back, and the paper is ejected to the second ejection tray
18
with the side on which the toner image is fixed as the face.
However, to perform double-sided print, for the paper being about to be ejected from the first ejection tray
16
, the ejection roll
36
is reversely rotated for supplying the paper to a reversal passage
40
and the paper is returned to the paper feed passage
30
by transport rolls
42
,
44
,
46
, and
48
for printing the back side. Paper on the manual feed tray
20
is supplied by a manual feed roll
49
and is sent to the paper feed passage
30
through the transport roll
48
.
A photoconductor unit
50
has four photoconductors
52
arranged in a longitudinal direction for yellow, magenta, black, and cyan, for example, from the top to the bottom. A refresh roll
54
and a charging roll
56
are provided for each of the photoconductors
52
so as to come in contact with the corresponding photoconductor
52
for rotation.
A developing machine unit
58
is placed on the right of the photoconductor unit
50
and has four developing machines
60
arranged in the longitudinal direction in a one-to-one correspondence with the photoconductors
52
. Each developing machine
60
adopts a trickle developing system, and an extra developer is collected into a collection vessel described later. Alight exposure unit
62
is placed on the right of the developing machine unit
58
for emitting four laser beams responsive to an image signal to the photoconductors
52
for forming a latent image thereon. Four developer cartridges
64
are placed on the right of the light exposure unit
62
. The developer cartridges
64
and the developing machines
60
are connected by developer supply passages (not shown) for supplying developers from the developer cartridges
64
to the developing machines
60
.
An intermediate transfer unit
66
is placed on the left of the photoconductor unit
50
and has three intermediate transfer bodies
68
,
70
, and
72
shaped like drums. The two first intermediate transfer bodies
68
and
70
are arranged in the longitudinal direction. The upper first intermediate transfer body
68
comes in contact with the two upper photoconductors
52
and
52
for rotation and the lower first intermediate transfer body
70
comes in contact with the two lower photoconductors
52
and
52
for rotation. The second intermediate transfer body
72
comes in contact with both the first intermediate transfer bodies
68
and
70
for rotation, and the transfer roll
74
comes in contact with the second intermediate transfer body
72
for rotation. Therefore, two color toner images are transferred from the two photoconductors
52
and
52
to the first intermediate transfer bodies
68
and
70
, and the two color toner images transferred to the first intermediate transfer body
68
and the two color toner images transferred to the first intermediate transfer body
70
are transferred to the second intermediate transfer body
72
to form a four-color toner image, which is then transferred to paper by the transfer roll
74
. A cleaning roll
76
and a cleaning brush
78
are placed on each of the intermediate transfer bodies
68
,
70
, and
72
. Toner caught by the cleaning roll
76
is scraped off, for example, with a blade, and the scraped-off toner is collected into the collection vessel described later. That is, the image formation apparatus main unit
12
has the four developing machines
60
and the three intermediate transfer bodies
68
,
70
, and
72
, namely, comprises seven collected developer occurrence sections in total.
FIGS. 2
to
4
show the developing machine unit
58
in detail. The developing machine unit
58
can be moved between a position where a magnet roll
80
of the developing machine
60
abuts the photoconductor
52
and a position where the magnet roll
80
is retreated from the photoconductor
52
. When an image is formed, the magnet roll
80
is abutted against the photoconductor
52
and toner is deposited on the photoconductor
52
in response to the latent image formed on the photoconductor
52
. When image formation is not conducted, the magnet roll
80
of the developing machine
60
is retreated from the photoconductor
52
to prevent toner from being deposited on the photoconductor
52
to produce color mixture, for example, in a cleaning cycle or to prevent the photoconductor
52
and the magnet roll
80
from coming in contact with each other to make a scratch, etc., when the developing machine unit
58
is replaced.
The developing machine unit
58
comprises a rail member
84
in a developing machine unit main body
82
, and a moving piece
86
is supported on the rail member
84
so that the moving piece
86
can be moved up and down. A cam
88
abuts the lower end of the moving piece
86
and is connected to a developing machine moving motor
90
. A drive member
92
is placed between the moving piece
86
and the developing machine
60
. The drive member
92
is supported on the rail member
84
through a fulcrum pin
94
for rotation and abuts the developing machine
60
through a press pin
96
placed at one end of the drive member
92
, and the press pin
96
is pressed by a first press spring
98
for elastically pressing the developing machine
60
. A rotation pin
100
placed at an opposite end of the drive member
92
is fitted into a reception groove formed on the moving piece
86
, so that as the moving piece
86
is moved down, the drive member
92
is rotated clockwise and moves away from the developing machine
60
. Slide pins
104
are placed on both sides of the developing machine
60
and are inserted slidably into slide grooves
106
made in the developing machine unit main body
82
. Further, the developing machine unit main body
82
is provided with second press springs
108
for pressing the slide pins
104
in a direction in which the developing machine
60
is away from the photoconductor
52
.
Therefore, if the developing machine moving motor
90
is driven from the state in
FIG. 3
for moving down the moving piece
86
, the drive member
92
is rotated clockwise with the fulcrum pin
94
as a supporting point for weakening the press force of the first press spring
98
against the developing machine
60
, and the press force of the second press spring
108
overcomes the press force of the first press spring
98
, moving the developing machine
60
away from the photoconductor
52
.
FIG. 5
shows an example of the developing machine
6
. The developing machine
60
adopts a trickle developing system as described above, and the magnet roll
80
and two spiral augers
112
are supported in a developing machine main body
110
for rotation. The two spiral augers
112
rotate in opposite directions and are partitioned by a partition wall
114
and are connected through circulation ports
116
and
116
formed in the vicinity of both end parts for circulating a developer entering the developing machine main body
110
in the developing machine main body
110
and supplying the developer to the magnet roll
80
. The developing machine main body
110
is formed at one end with a step part
120
forming a collected developer occurrence section. Some of the circulated developer is taken into the step part
120
and further the taken-in developer is sent to a discharge section
122
, which is connected to a collection port of the collection vessel described later.
FIGS. 6
to
9
show an example of collection vessel
124
. The collection vessel
124
has a collection vessel main unit
126
. The collection vessel main unit
126
is made up of a first housing
128
shown in
FIG. 7 and a
second housing
130
shown in
FIG. 8
, which are fitted into each other in peripheral portions thereof and are joined so that the collection vessel
124
can be easily disassembled and assembled with adhesive tape, etc., for example. The first housing
128
has a grip
132
in an inclined surface portion formed in the upper right part of the first housing
128
. The first housing
128
is formed with three intermediate transfer body collection ports
134
corresponding to the collected developer occurrence sections of the intermediate transfer bodies and four developing machine collection ports
136
corresponding to the collected developer occurrence sections of the developing machines. One of the three intermediate transfer body collection ports
134
is formed in an upper end part of the collection vessel main unit
126
; the remaining two are arranged in the longitudinal direction and one of the two intermediate transfer body collection ports
134
is formed below the longitudinal half position of the collection vessel main unit
126
. The four developing machine collection ports
136
are arranged in the longitudinal direction, two of which are formed below the longitudinal half position of the collection vessel main unit
126
.
Each developing machine collection port
136
is a long hole made long from side to side. The first housing
128
is provided with a shutter
138
for closing the developing machine collection ports
136
. The shutter
138
has a rotation shaft
140
supported on the first housing
128
for rotation, four door parts
142
fixed to the rotation shaft
140
, and a return spring
143
for urging the shutter
138
in a closing direction, and can open and close the four developing machine collection ports
136
by one operation as the rotation shaft
140
is rotated. An opening/closing piece
144
is provided in a projection portion of the rotation shaft
140
from the first housing
128
. The opening/closing piece
144
is pressed by a protrusion of the image formation apparatus main unit, opening the shutter
138
as described later.
On the outer peripheral surface of each developing machine collection port
136
, an elastic body
141
of a sponge, etc., for preventing a developer from spilling is attached to the first housing
128
.
The inside of the collection vessel main unit
126
is divided into six collection spaces
148
a
to
148
f
, for example, by partition walls placed upright in the first housing
128
. A side end part of the partition wall
146
abuts a seal part
150
placed in the second housing
130
. The seal part
150
is made of an elastic body and as the side end part of the partition wall
146
abuts the seal part
150
, the side part
150
hermetically seals a side part of each collection space
148
a
to
148
f
for preventing the developer in the collection space from moving to any other collection space. The intermediate transfer body collection ports
134
and
134
placed in the upper parts are connected to the first collection space
148
a
for collecting collected developers occurring from the upper first intermediate transfer body
68
and the second intermediate transfer body
72
(two color toners and four color toners). The developing machine collection ports
136
are connected to the second to fifth collection spaces
148
b
to
148
e
for collecting yellow developer (yellow toner and carrier) into the second collection space
148
b
, magenta developer (magenta toner and carrier) into the third collection space
148
c
, black developer (black toner and carrier) into the fourth collection space
148
d
, and cyan developer (cyan toner and carrier) into the fifth collection space
148
e
. Further, the intermediate transfer body collection port
134
placed in the lower part is connected to the sixth collection space
148
f
for collecting collected developer occurring from the lower first intermediate transfer body
70
(two color toners). Therefore, to collect the collection vessel
124
, the collected developers are separated according to the type of developer and it is convenient to reuse the developers.
The partition walls
146
may be those for completely hermetically sealing the collection spaces
148
a
to
148
f
. In the embodiment, however, the tip of each partition wall
146
stops in the vicinity of the rotation shaft
140
of the shutter
138
and thee collection spaces communicate through a communication part
152
formed in the collection vessel main unit
126
in the vicinity of the rotation shaft
140
. The tip of the partition wall
146
is positioned below the lower end of the collection port
134
,
136
. Therefore, the developer collected through the collection port
134
,
136
piles up from the lower end of the collection space
148
a
to
148
f
, and is stored therein until a part of the developer spills from the tip of the partition wall
146
. The developer capacity until the developer spills from the collection space
148
a
to
148
f
is called collection capacity. The collection capacities of the collection spaces
148
a
to
148
f
are defined based on the shapes and heights of the partition walls
146
; they are set so as to become a collection capacity ratio almost equal to the ratio of the collected developers occurring in the seven collected developer occurrence sections. In the embodiment, the collection capacity ratio of the first collection space
148
a
, the total of the second to fifth collection spaces
148
b
to
148
e
, and the sixth collection space
148
f
is set to about 5:4:1 provided that the sixth collection space
148
f
first becomes full.
In the embodiment, the collection spaces
148
a
to
148
f
are made to communicate through the communication part
152
at the tips of the partition walls
146
. However, as another embodiment, the partition wall
146
may be formed with a hole, a groove, etc., for allowing the collection space to communicate with any other collection space and it is not necessary to make all collection spaces communicate with each other; it may be sufficient to make at least two collection spaces communicate with each other.
A developer intake section
154
implementing a full condition detector is placed in a bottom portion of the collection vessel main unit
126
so as to be adjacent to the sixth collection space
148
f
in a lower part of the communication part
152
. The developer intake section
154
has a translucent detection vessel
156
as shown in FIG.
9
. When a given amount or more of developer is entered in the detection vessel
156
, light emitted from a light emission section
158
placed in the image formation apparatus main unit is blocked and is not received at a light reception section
160
, whereby the full condition detector detects the collection space becoming full. The detection vessel
156
is joined by joint means
162
that can be easily attached and detached, such as adhesive tape. When the collection vessel
124
is taken out from the image formation apparatus main unit
12
, for example, in a maintenance work, if the developer flows into the detection vessel
156
by mistake, the detection vessel
156
can be easily removed by the joint means
162
and can be cleaned for reuse.
As shown in
FIG. 9
, the partition wall
146
defining the collection capacity of the sixth collection space
148
f
has a slope part
164
with a tip directed to the collection port
134
, and is formed so that the tip of the partition wall
146
is positioned in the range below the 45-degree line from the horizontal line with the top of the developer as the start point when the top of the developer piled up in the sixth collection space
148
f
reaches the lower end of the collection port
134
. The slope part
164
is formed so as to go to the collection port
134
at an angle of less than 90 degrees from the horizontal line. Therefore, the collected developer which is about to fill the collection space is guided from the tip of the partition wall
146
through the slope part
164
to the developer intake section
154
before the collected developer reaches the lower end of the collection port
134
; the full condition detector can reliably detect the collection space being full of the developer and an accident clogging the developer, etc., can be prevented.
As described above, the collection capacity ratio of the collection spaces
148
a
to
148
f
is set so that the sixth collection space
148
f
first becomes full. However, if variation in the collection amounts or an unexpected event occurs in the image formation apparatus main unit, any other collection space
148
a
to
148
e
may become full earlier than the sixth collection space
148
f
. Even in this case, the developer overflowing any other collection space
148
a
to
148
e
can be introduced into the developer intake section
154
through the communication part
152
, and a full condition can be detected reliably.
Next, attaching the collection vessel
124
to the image formation apparatus main unit
12
will be discussed with reference to
FIGS. 10
to
14
.
The collection vessel
124
is attached to the front of the image formation apparatus main unit
12
. Here, the front of the image formation apparatus main unit
12
refers to the face on which a control panel
166
is placed, as shown in FIG.
10
. As a front cover (not shown) is opened, the collection vessel
124
can be found and can be attached and detached. The image formation apparatus main unit
12
is provided with a first frame and developer supply hoses
170
are placed along the first frame
168
. Each developer supply hose
170
forms a developer supply passage for connecting the corresponding developing machine
60
and the corresponding developer cartridge
64
. From the first frame
168
, the discharge sections
122
of the developing machines
60
and discharge sections
174
connected to cleaning roll parts of the intermediate transfer unit are projected toward the front of the image formation apparatus main unit
12
almost in parallel, and are connected to the collection ports
134
and
136
of the collection vessel
124
.
A second frame
174
is fixed to the front of the first frame
168
and is formed with a protrusion
176
. The protrusion
176
is placed facing the opening/closing piece
144
of the shutter
138
in the collection vessel
124
. To place the collection vessel
124
on the image formation apparatus main unit
12
, the protrusion
176
abuts the opening/closing piece
144
and presses the opening/closing piece
144
in a direction opening the shutter
138
, opening the shutter against the return spring
143
. A sensor section
180
forming the full condition detector is placed in a lower part of the first frame
168
.
The protrusion
174
is formed on the image formation apparatus main unit
12
, but may be formed on the shutter
138
as another embodiment. The protrusion
176
can be provided on the front cover and the shutter
134
can also be opened and closed in conjunction with opening and closing the front cover.
The discharge section
122
of each developing machine
60
has a discharge pipe
182
, an open/close sleeve
184
slidably externally fitted into the discharge pipe
182
, and an opening/closing spring
186
for pressing the open/close sleeve
184
in the tip direction. To place the collection vessel
124
on the image formation apparatus main unit
12
, a flange
188
formed on the open/close sleeve
184
abuts the elastic body
141
of the collection vessel
124
, the open/close sleeve
184
backs against the opening/closing spring
186
, the tip of the discharge pipe
182
is inserted into the collection vessel
124
from the developing machine collection port
136
, and a discharge port
190
formed in the vicinity of the tip of the discharge pipe
182
is opened, allowing the collected developer from the developing machine
60
to be collected into the collection vessel
124
through the discharge port
190
.
The discharge sections
122
of the developing machines
60
are thus connected to the collection vessel
124
. At this time, the shutter
138
is already opened by the protrusion
176
and the discharge sections
122
do not abut the door parts
142
of the shutter
138
.
However, the collection vessel
124
is not necessarily placed straightly on the image formation apparatus main unit
12
. Thus, to place the collection vessel
124
slantingly on the image formation apparatus main unit
12
, the tips of the discharge pipes
182
of the discharge sections
122
first abut the door parts
142
and the shutter
138
is opened so as not to hinder opening the shutter
138
.
Further, then the developing machines
60
are moved in the photoconductor direction as described above. Also at this time, the shutter
138
is opened to the angle at which the discharge sections
122
do not abut the door parts
142
of the shutter
138
. Therefore, a force of hindering motion of the developing machines
60
does not act from the shutter
138
and the developing machines
60
can be moved smoothly.
The operation of the image formation apparatus
10
according to the embodiment is as follows:
Upon reception of an external image formation signal, for example, the paper feed roll
24
of the paper feed unit
14
works and paper is sent from the paper feed tray
22
via the paper feed passage
30
to the transfer roll
74
. On the other hand, the four rotating photoconductors
52
are uniformly charged by the charging rolls
56
, laser light from the light exposure unit
62
is received in response to an image signal, and a latent image is formed. Next, color toner images are formed by the developing machines
60
and two colors are transferred to the first transfer body
68
and two colors are transferred to the first transfer body
70
. Further, the four colors are transferred to the second intermediate transfer body
72
to form a four-color toner image, which is then transferred to paper by the transfer roll
74
. The toner image transferred to the paper is fixed on the paper as the paper passes through the fixing roll
32
, and the paper is discharged to the first ejection tray
16
or the second ejection tray
18
.
In the developing machine
60
, a little excessive developer is supplied from the developer cartridge
64
to a developer entrance
118
in response to the developer consumption amount. The supplied developer is circulated in the developing machine main unit
110
by the spiral augers
112
and is supplied to the magnet roll
80
. The extra developer is caught by the step part
120
and is collected through the discharge section
122
into the collection vessel
124
. The toners deposited on the intermediate transfer bodies
68
,
70
, and
72
are caught by the cleaning rolls
76
and are collected through the discharge sections
172
into the collection vessel
124
.
The developers thus collected into the collection vessel
124
are stored separately in the collection spaces
148
a
to
148
f
in the collection vessel
124
. When the developer collection amount of the collection spaces
148
a
to
148
f
becomes a predetermined amount or more (usually, the developer collection amount of the collection space
148
f
becomes a predetermined amount or more), the developer overflows the partition wall
146
and moves to the developer intake section
154
. The developer entering the developer intake section
154
moves to the detection vessel
156
. The sensor section
180
detects the collection space becoming full, and sends a detection signal to a control section of the image formation apparatus main unit
12
for displaying a full condition on the control panel
166
, for example. Accordingly, the user can replace the collection vessel
124
with a new one for making it possible to again conduct image formation.
If the collection vessel
124
is detached from the image formation apparatus main unit
12
in a state in which the collection vessel
124
(collection space) is not full and the collection vessel
124
is inclined, the developer spills from the partition wall
146
of the collection space
148
a
to
148
f
and enters the detection vessel
156
. If the collection vessel
124
is later placed on the image formation apparatus main unit
12
, a full condition may be detected. However, if the collection vessel
124
is once detached and again is attached to the image formation apparatus, the developer in the collection vessel gathers in one collection space and there is a fear of leading to an accident of developer clogging, etc., in the image formation apparatus main unit
12
; preferably a full condition. is displayed for prompting the user to replace the collection vessel
124
.
FIG. 15
shows another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, opening/closing means is provided in an upper open portion of the detection vessel
156
described above. The opening/closing means is, for example, of slide type, and a slide member
192
is placed slidably relative to collection vessel main unit
126
. The slide member
192
is urged by a spring member
194
in the placement direction of collection vessel, and is formed with a window
196
and press parts
198
. The press parts
198
project from the collection vessel main unit
126
to image formation apparatus main unit. To place the collection vessel on the image formation apparatus main unit, the press parts
198
abut a frame of the image formation apparatus main unit, the slide member
192
moves against the spring member
194
, and the top of the detection vessel
156
is opened through the window
196
, enabling developer to enter the detection vessel
156
. On the other hand, to detach the collection vessel from the image formation apparatus main unit, the top of the detection vessel
156
is closed by the slide member
192
, preventing the developer from flowing into the detection vessel
156
. Therefore, to attach and detach the collection vessel in maintenance, etc., the developer can be prevented from flowing into the detection vessel
156
, so that it is made possible to facilitate maintenance work and the reliability of detecting a full condition can also be provided.
In the embodiment, the image formation apparatus of the type wherein the collected developer occurrence sections are placed in the developing machines and the intermediate transfer bodies has been described. However, the collected developer occurrence sections are not limited to them; for example, collected developers occurring in the photoconductors, the transfer roll, etc., may be collected. The full condition detector adopts the technique of optically detecting the collection vessel being full of developer, but any detection technique, such as a magnetic, electric, or mechanical technique, may be used.
As described above, according to the invention, in the developer collection vessel, the developer overflowing the collection space is detected, whereby a full condition is detected, so that a full condition can be detected reliably and the full condition detector can be simplified.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto, and their equivalents.
Claims
- 1. A developer collection vessel comprising:a plurality of collection ports to which a plurality of discharge sections where developers are discharged are connected, each of the plurality of discharge sections for discharging respective types of developer; a plurality of collection spaces connected to said collection ports; and at least one component of a full condition detector for detecting a full condition of developer based on the developer overflowing any of said collection spaces.
- 2. The developer collection vessel as claimed in claim 1 wherein said component is placed on a bottom of a collection vessel main unit.
- 3. The developer collection vessel as claimed in claim 1 wherein said component is formed of a translucent detection vessel for optically detecting the developer entered in the detection vessel.
- 4. The developer collection vessel as claimed in claim 3 further comprising a unit adapted to open and close an open portion of the detection vessel.
- 5. The developer collection vessel as claimed in claim 4 wherein the unit opens and closes the open portion of the detection vessel in conjunction with attaching and detaching said collection vessel.
- 6. The developer collection vessel as claimed in claim 3 further comprising a joint unit adapted to join the detection vessel, the joint unit being attached to and detached from the collection vessel main unit.
- 7. A developer collection vessel comprising:a plurality of collection ports to which a plurality of discharge sections where developers are discharged are connected, each of the plurality of discharge sections for discharging respective types of developer; a plurality of collection spaces connected to said plurality of collection ports; a communication part for communicating with said plurality of collection spaces; and at least one component of a full condition detector, placed below said communication part, for detecting a full condition of developer based on the developer overflowing any of said collection spaces.
- 8. The developer collection vessel as claimed in claim 7 wherein at least one of said plurality of collection spaces has a collection capacity defined based on the height of a partition wall for separating said collection space.
- 9. The developer collection vessel as claimed in claim 8 wherein the partition wall is positioned below said collection ports connected to said collection spaces separated by the partition wall.
- 10. The developer collection vessel as claimed in claim 9 wherein the partition wall has a tip defining the height of the partition wall, placed in a range below a 45-degree line from the horizontal line with the top of developer as the start point when the top of the developer piled up in the collection space reaches said collection port.
- 11. The developer collection vessel as claimed in claim 7 wherein at least one of said plurality of collection spaces has a collection capacity defined based on the shape of a partition wall for separating said collection space.
- 12. The developer collection vessel as claimed in claim 11 wherein the partition wall has a slope part going to said collection port at an angle of less than 90 degrees from the horizontal line.
- 13. The developer collection vessel as claimed in claim 7 wherein said plurality of collection spaces have collection capacities set so that a ratio of the collection capacities becomes almost equal to a ratio of amounts of the developers to be discharged.
- 14. The developer collection vessel as claimed in claim 7 wherein one of said plurality of collection spaces has a collection capacity set so that the developer overflows said collection space earlier than any other collection space.
- 15. The developer collection vessel as claimed in claim 14 wherein the component of the full condition detector is placed adjacent to said collection space that the developer overflows earliest.
- 16. An image formation apparatus comprising:a plurality of collected developer occurrence sections where developer to be collected occurs, each of the plurality of collected developer occurrence sections for collecting respective types of developer; a plurality of discharge sections being connected to said collected developer occurrence sections; a collection vessel having a plurality of collection ports to which said discharge sections are connected and a plurality of collection spaces connected to the collection ports; and a full condition detector for detecting a full condition of developer based on the developer overflowing any of the collection spaces of said collection vessel.
- 17. The image formation apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein said collection vessel is placed on the front of an image formation apparatus main unit.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
P2002-148739 |
May 2002 |
JP |
|
US Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
6055406 |
Kawai et al. |
Apr 2000 |
A |
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number |
Date |
Country |
62-94883 |
May 1987 |
JP |
02273777 |
Nov 1990 |
JP |
09325662 |
Dec 1997 |
JP |
11119622 |
Apr 1999 |
JP |
2000056648 |
Feb 2000 |
JP |