Patent Application
20150268620
None.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an image forming device and more particularly to a waste toner bottle for the image forming device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming devices such as printers, copiers, facsimile machines, and the like, produce unusable “waste” or residual toner as a byproduct of an electrophotographic (EP) process. Ideally, all toner that is picked up by a photoconductive (PC) drum, such as from a developer roll in a single component development system or from a magnetic roll in a dual component development system, would be transferred onto a media sheet in a one-step toner transfer process or, prior to the media sheet, onto an intermediate transfer member (ITM) in a two-step toner transfer process. However, due to inefficiencies, some of the toner picked up by the PC drum does not get transferred to the media sheet or ITM. This residual toner left on the PC drum after it has contacted the media sheet or ITM must be removed before the next image is formed otherwise print defects may occur. A cleaner blade or a cleaner brush is typically placed in contact with the PC drum to wipe and remove residual toner from its surface. Residual toner is then delivered to and stored in a sealed waste toner bottle to prevent the residual toner from being distributed inside the image forming device. A similar cleaning operation may be performed on the developer (or magnetic) roll and the ITM.
It is customary for toner to flow into a waste toner bottle from one or more inlets in an uppermost portion of the waste toner bottle and then for a mechanism, such as an auger or rake, to crest the top of the resulting pile(s) of toner in the bottle to make it uniform. For example,
However, sometimes the architecture of the image forming device prevents toner from entering at the uppermost portion of the waste toner bottle. Further, in color EP image forming devices, multiple inlets may be required for each of the different color toners. Different customers will print different content. For example, some customers print all black text, others print multi-colored photos, and other may print just one color. As a result, the amount of toner entering each inlet of the waste toner bottle may be unpredictable, making it difficult to evenly distribute toner in the waste toner bottle. Accordingly, a waste toner bottle that provides uniform distribution of waste toner is desired.
A waste toner bottle for an imaging device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. The housing has an upper region and a plurality of inlets to receive toner from the imaging device. A tube defines an auger path disposed about the housing. The tube is in fluid communication with the plurality of inlets and has a transfer auger disposed along the auger path to move the toner received from the imaging device into the reservoir. The tube extends upward into the upper region of the housing above the plurality of inlets to move the toner received from the imaging device into the upper region of the housing. The tube extends from a first end of the reservoir to a second end of the reservoir in the upper region of the housing. The tube includes perforations in a bottom of the tube between the first end of the reservoir and the second end of the reservoir in the upper region of the housing to drop toner from the auger path into the reservoir.
A waste toner bottle for an imaging device according to another example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. The housing has an upper region and a plurality of inlets to receive toner from the imaging device. A first tube defines a first auger path disposed about the housing. The first tube is in fluid communication with the plurality of inlets and has a first transfer auger disposed along the first auger path to move toner received from the plurality of inlets to an outlet of the first tube. A second tube has an inlet disposed below the outlet of the first tube and in fluid communication therewith for receiving toner from the first tube via gravity. The second tube has a second auger path about the housing and a second transfer auger disposed along the second auger path to move the toner received from the first tube into the reservoir. The second tube extends upward into the upper region of the housing above the plurality of inlets to move the toner received from the first tube into the upper region of the housing. The second tube extends from a first end of the reservoir to a second end of the reservoir in the upper region of the housing. The second tube includes perforations in a bottom of the second tube between the first end of the reservoir and the second end of the reservoir in the upper region of the housing to drop toner from the second auger path into the reservoir.
A method for evenly distributing toner in a waste toner bottle of an imaging device according to one example embodiment includes receiving toner from a plurality of inlets. The received toner is directed to an auger. The directed toner moves upward to an upper region of a housing of the waste toner bottle above the plurality of inlets. The toner drops by gravity from the auger in the upper region of the housing into a reservoir of the waste toner bottle beginning at a first end of the reservoir and extending to a second end of the reservoir to fill the reservoir with toner from the first end to the second end.
A method for evenly distributing toner in a waste toner bottle of an imaging device according to another example embodiment includes receiving toner from a plurality of inlets. The received toner is directed to a first auger tube. The directed toner transfers by gravity from an outlet of the first auger tube to an inlet of a second auger tube. The transferred toner moves in the second auger tube upward to an upper region of a housing of the waste toner bottle above the plurality of inlets. The toner drops by gravity from the second auger tube in the upper region of the housing into a reservoir of the waste toner bottle beginning at a first end of the reservoir and extending to a second end of the reservoir to fill the reservoir with toner from the first end to the second end.
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the present disclosure, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.
In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings where like numerals represent like elements. The embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the present disclosure. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that process, electrical, and mechanical changes, etc., may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Examples merely typify possible variations. Portions and features of some embodiments may be included in or substituted for those of others. The following description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense and the scope of the present disclosure is defined only by the appended claims and their equivalents.
The example image forming device shown utilizes what is commonly referred to as a dual component development system. In this embodiment, each developer unit 220 includes a housing 222 having a toner chamber 223 in which toner is mixed with magnetic carrier beads. The magnetic carrier beads may be coated with a polymeric film to provide triboelectric properties to attract toner to the carrier beads. Each developer unit 220 further includes a magnetic roll 224 that attracts the magnetic carrier beads through the use of magnetic fields and transports the toner on it to the corresponding photoconductive drum 201. In this embodiment, augers 222A and 222B are disposed in the housing 222 and are used to mix toner and carrier beads by moving them in opposite directions along the length of each developer unit 220 (into and out of the page as viewed in
In other embodiments, the image forming device utilizes a single component development system. In these embodiments, a developer roll in each developer unit 220 supplies the toner particles from the toner chamber onto the corresponding photoconductive drum 201. A doctor blade disposed along the developer roll provides a substantially uniform layer of toner on the developer roll for the subsequent transfer to photoconductive drum 201. A toner adder roll may supply toner from the toner chamber to the developer roll. Further, one or more agitators can be provided in the toner chamber to distribute toner therein and to break up any clumped toner.
The toned image is transferred from photoconductive drums 201A, 201B, 201C, 201D to print media (e.g., paper) either directly by photoconductive drums 201A, 201B, 201C, 201D or indirectly by an intermediate transfer member (ITM) 250 as shown. The ITM 250 is mounted on ITM rolls 251A, 251B, 251C and 251D as well as backup rolls 252A, 252B, 252C and 252D opposed to photoconductive drums 201A, 201B, 201C and 201D, respectively. The backup rolls 252 are mounted on arms 254 to freely rotate ITM 250 (in the direction of arrows 255) along each photoconductive drum 201, which rotate in a counterclockwise direction as shown. A multi-color toned image on ITM 250 is transferred to the print media as it passes through a nip region N formed between the ITM roll 251A and a roll 256 adjacent ITM 250. Thereafter, a fusing unit (not shown) fuses the toner to the print media. A cleaning blade 262 (or roll) of each cleaner unit 230 removes any residual toner adhering to corresponding photoconductive drum 201 after the toner is transferred to ITM 250. Residual toner from cleaning blade 262 is directed to an auger 264 of cleaner unit 230 for transporting residual toner to a waste toner bottle 266 (shown in the succeeding Figures). The cleaned surface of photoconductive drum 201 is then ready to be charged again and exposed to corresponding laser light 215 to continue the printing cycle. A cleaner blade 270 (or cleaning roll) of a cleaner unit 230E removes any residual toner adhering to ITM 250 and an auger 274 of the cleaner unit 230E transports the residual toner to the waste toner bottle 266.
Components of imaging system 200 are replaceable as desired. For example, in one embodiment, developer units 220 may be housed in a replaceable unit with photoconductive drums 201, one or more cleaner units 230 and a main toner supply of the image forming device. In another embodiment, developer units 220 are provided with photoconductive drums 201 and the one or more cleaner units 230 in a first replaceable unit while the main toner supply of the image forming device is housed in a second replaceable unit. Further, any other combination of replaceable units can be used as desired.
Waste toner bottle 266 includes auger tubes 304 and 310 that run next to each other about housing 300, extending along the length thereof and at least part of the height thereof.
Returning to
Auger tubes 304 and 310 are hollow tubes that define auger paths 305 and 311, respectively, to provide a path for residual toner and waste carrier beads to move about housing 300. Auger tube 304 includes an outlet 304D for the residual toner and waste carrier beads to exit auger tube 304 into auger tube 310 in bottom region 300B. As shown in
With reference to
As shown in
Connectors 450, 452 for the wire augers 306A, 306B, 306C and 306D are disposed in lower region 300B along the auger path 305B and in upper region 300A along the auger path 305A, respectively. In this embodiment, connector 452 is disposed above toner inlet 302A and connector 450 is between carrier bead inlet 303B and carrier bead inlet 303C at a portion of the lower right region 304A of auger tube 304. Along auger path 305A, one end of wire auger 306A is rotatably coupled to ribs 326B of drive member 326 opposed to wire auger 306B. The opposite end of wire auger 306A is coupled to ribs 452B of connector 452, while wire auger 306D is coupled to the opposed ribs 452B and extends opposite wire auger 306A. Along auger path 305B, one end of wire auger 306B is rotatably coupled to the ribs 326B of drive member 326 opposite wire auger 306A. The opposite end of wire auger 306B is coupled to the ribs 450B of connector 450, while wire auger 306C is coupled to the opposed ribs 450B and extends opposite wire auger 306B. As such, residual toner and waste carrier beads along auger path 305B are moved from right end 301A by auger segment 306C and from the center of housing 300 by auger segment 306B toward the outlet 304D disposed therebetween.
Waste toner bottle 266 also includes chambers 330A, 330B, 330C, 330D, 330E that enclose corresponding inlets 302A, 302B, 302C, 302D, 303A, 303B, 303C, 303D and drop the toner and carrier beads via gravity into auger tube 304. Toner inlets 302A, 302B, 302C and 302D are in fluid communication with auger tube 304 through the chambers 330A, 330B, 330C and 330D, respectively, and carrier bead inlets 303A, 303B, 303C and 303D are in fluid communication with auger tube 304 through chambers 330B, 330C, 330D and 330E, respectively. Each chamber 330 is designed so that entering residual toner and carrier beads are immediately carried out of chamber 330, thereby remaining substantially empty. This prevents toner and carrier beads from accumulating near the corresponding inlets 302A, 302B, 302C, 302D, 303A, 303B, 303C, 303D and thereby prevents leakage out of housing 300 through inlets 302A, 302B, 302C, 302D, 303A, 303B, 303C, 303D. Leakage can also be prevented using a shutter and/or seal (e.g., foam) at each inlet 302A, 302B, 302C, 302D, 303A, 303B, 303C, 303D. In one embodiment, chambers 330 are isolation chambers that each has a larger opening at its outlet 336 than its enclosure of corresponding toner inlet 302 or its enclosure of carrier bead inlet 303D. Specifically, in this embodiment, an upstream opening 337 of outlet 336 is smaller than a downstream opening 338 of outlet 336. In another embodiment, an angle formed from the top portion of toner inlet 302 (or carrier bead inlet 303D) onto opposite ends of the outlet 336 is at least about 30 degrees, which prevents residual toner and/or carrier beads from clogging without use of any additional moving parts.
As shown in
Auger tube 310 includes a plurality of perforations 314 along a bottom surface 310B of auger tube 310 in upper region 300A. The perforations 314 start from right end 301A, extend through the horizontal run of auger tube 310 at upper region 300A, and terminate at left end 301B. Perforations 314 are sized to allow moving toner and carrier beads to exit from auger tube 310 into reservoir 301. Auger tube 304 also includes a plurality of perforations 402 along its bottom surface 304B in upper region 300A. In particular, the perforations 402 start at a position above and substantially adjacent to toner inlet 302D and extend toward left end 301A along the substantially horizontal run of auger tube 310. Perforations 402 are also sized to allow moving toner to exit from auger tube 304 via gravity into reservoir 301, starting from the position above toner inlet 302D towards left end 301A.
In operating waste toner bottle 266, toner and carrier bead inlets 302, 303 receive residual toner and waste carrier beads, respectively, from the image forming device. In particular, residual toner transported from photoconductive drums 201A, 201B, 201C and 201D enters housing 300 through toner inlets 302A, 302B, 302C and 302D, respectively, using the augers 264 of corresponding cleaner units 230 while waste carrier beads from developer units 220A, 220B, 220C and 220D enter housing 300 through carrier bead inlets 303A, 303B, 303C and 303D, respectively, using waste delivery means. As shown in
In
Meanwhile, residual toner transported via auger 274 from ITM 250 enters housing 300 through toner inlet 302E. Toner inlet 302E is in fluid communication with auger tube 304 at upper region 300A in right end 301A and so drops the residual toner to auger tube 304. Driven wire auger 306D of auger tube 304 then moves the toner falling from toner inlet 302E along auger path 305A toward left end 301B, as indicated by arrows 88 in
In
Thereafter, driven wire augers 312 and 306D continue to move toner and carrier beads so as to fall through perforations 314 and 402, respectively, from the center of housing 300 to left end 301B, thereby completely filling up the entire reservoir 301, as shown in
Waste toner bottle 466 includes an auger tube 510 that is disposed within reservoir 501 and positioned about housing 500 to extend along the entire length thereof. As shown in
Auger tube 510 is a hollow tube that defines an auger path 511 to provide a path for residual toner to move about housing 500. Auger tube 510 also includes a wire auger 512 disposed along the auger path 511 to transport residual toner about housing 500. The wire auger 512 is flexible for looping around the substantially O-shape of auger tube 510. In this embodiment, the entire wire auger 512 may be a single wire auger segment driven in one direction along the continuous auger path 511 by the drive assembly 520. In particular, drive assembly 520 includes a drive member 526 coupled to one end of wire auger 512 to provide rotational power for transporting toner. The drive member 526 can be driven by any suitable drive mechanism, such as a rotating member 524. Rotating member 524 is coupled to a gear 526A mounted on drive member 526 and receives the rotational power directly or indirectly from a motor (not shown) to rotate the gear 526A. As drive member 526 rotates, wire auger 512 receives rotational power therefrom and thereby transports toner. Drive member 526 also has a plurality of ribs 526B that mount one end of wire auger 512 on drive member 526.
Auger tube 510 includes a plurality of perforations 514 along a bottom surface of horizontal run 510C in upper region 500A. The perforations 514 start from right end 501A and extend toward left end 501B adjacent to the outlet 510D. Perforations 514 are also sized to allow moving toner to exit from auger tube 510 into reservoir 501 via gravity. In particular, the exiting toner starts falling into reservoir 501 at a position substantially adjacent to chamber 530D at a position shown in
In operating waste toner bottle 466, toner inlets 502 receive residual toner from the image forming device. In particular, residual toner transported from photoconductive drums 201A, 201B, 201C and 201D enters housing 500 through toner inlets 502A, 502B, 502C and 502D, respectively, using augers 264 of corresponding cleaner units 230. As toner falls from the corresponding chambers 530A, 530B, 530C, 530D via outlets 536A, 536B, 536C, 536D to portions of auger tube 510, driven wire auger 512 moves the toner toward perforations 514 and outlet 510D. As indicated by arrows 90, wire auger 512 moves toner falling along its length (from corresponding outlets 536A, 536B, 536C, 536D of chambers 530A, 530B, 530C, 530D) upwardly in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in
The foregoing description illustrates various aspects of the present disclosure. It is not intended to be exhaustive. Rather, it is chosen to illustrate the principles of the present disclosure and its practical application to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the present disclosure, including its various modifications that naturally follow. All modifications and variations are contemplated within the scope of the present disclosure as determined by the appended claims. Relatively apparent modifications include combining one or more features of various embodiments with features of other embodiments.
