Electrophotography – Diagnostics – Cleaning
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-18
2001-10-23
Royer, William J. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Diagnostics
Cleaning
C399S358000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06308017
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to an information forming system having a toner recovering function of recovering a toner remaining on a surface of a photosensitive material drum after transferring an image to a paper, a waste toner container for accumulating a recovered waste toner, and a toner container used in connection with the recovery of the toner.
2. Description of the Related Background Art
In image forming systems, such as copying machines, facsimiles and printers, a photosensitive material drum is electrified to be exposed in accordance with an image, and a toner is absorbed onto the photosensitive material drum to carry out developing for forming a visible image. After this visible image is transferred to a transfer paper, fixing is carried out by heating, so that a desired copy is obtained.
After the transfer to the transfer paper, excessive toner remains on the photosensitive material drum. Since such a toner remaining on the photosensitive material drum has an adverse influence on the next copying, the remaining toner must be completely removed.
In order to remove such a remaining toner after fixing, a cleaner is conventionally provided. This cleaner has a de-electrifier for de-electrifying the photosensitive material drum before cleaning, and a blade for raking down the toner on the photosensitive material drum. The toner removed by the de-electrifier and the blade is housed in a container called a waste toner box. These are known generally as a toner recovery unit.
A conventional waste toner box must have a sufficient size since a waste toner introduced into the toner box via an inlet naturally drops to accumulate therein.
Describing this point in detail,
FIG. 5
shows the state that waste toner accumulates in a waste toner box. This waste toner box
20
has a laterally elongated flat box shape. Only a right end portion
20
a
of the waste toner box
20
rises so as to approach the above described cleaner portion. An opening
20
b
is formed in the top of the right end portion
20
a
. The toner raked down by the blade of the cleaner is introduced into the opening
20
b
by means of a suitable guiding portion (not shown) to be housed in the waste toner box
20
.
As described above, since the accumulation of the waste toner is carried out by the natural drop via the opening
20
b
, the waste toner is sequentially accumulating in the waste toner box, so that the accumulation has a substantially conical shape as shown by a curved solid line a.
Therefore, if the top end of the accumulation approaches the opening
20
b
as shown in
FIG. 5
, the waste toner can not further accumulate although a space for accumulation remains as a whole.
To solve this problem, conventionally, a sensor comprising a light emitting element
22
and a light receiving element
23
is provided for monitoring the filling state of the toner. If it is detected by the sensor that the height of the accumulation of the waste toner exceeds a predetermined height, an alarm is produced to allow the operator to shake the waste toner box
20
or the like to flatten the top of the waste toner as shown by a curved line b, or to continue a copying operation after the waste toner box is exchanged.
In addition, conventionally, it is supposed that the waste toner box is not frequently exchanged, and the waste toner box must have a large capacity since the above described accumulation of the toner is carried out. This deteriorates the degree of freedom of design, or prevents the miniaturization of the system.
On the other hand, toners supplied to image forming systems have been improved as important components for enhancing the quality of an image, and manufacturers have provided the optimum toners for the design specification of their systems as genuine products (which will be hereinafter referred to as “certified products”).
In recent years, toners meeting the minimum specifications common to image forming systems commercially available from a plurality of manufacturers are in circulation. There is a problem in that such toners meeting only a part of specifications (which will be hereinafter referred to as “uncertified toners”) generally have inferior image quality and have a bad influence on a photosensitive material drum serving as an image carrier and a developing part, to adversely effect the reliability of the systems.
A typical toner is generally housed in a container to be provided. Conventionally, although toners have been sometimes improved to be easily handled, toners have not often been improved to recommend the certified products.
In particular, although the above described waste toner box is closely related with a toner cartridge, the waste toner box and the toner cartridge are separately attached or exchanged, and there is a problem in that the waste toner box can be used whether the toner cartridge is a certified product or an uncertified product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an image forming system which uses a waste toner container capable of being miniaturized and which has a toner recovery function.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a waste toner container which urges a user to use a certified toner container.
According to the first aspect of the invention, there is provided an image forming system comprising:
a developing device for causing a toner to adhere to a latent image, which is formed on a photosensitive material drum, to form a visible image;
a toner supply device for supplying a toner, which is housed in a toner container, to said developing device;
a toner removing device for removing a remaining toner after said visible image on said photosensitive material drum is transferred to a transfer paper;
a waste toner container for accumulating therein a waste toner removed by said toner removing device; and
an oscillating mechanism for oscillating said waste toner container.
In this image forming system, the size of the waste toner container can be decreased, so that the whole system can be miniaturized.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a waste toner container for use in an image forming system comprising: a developing device for causing a toner to adhere to a latent image, which is formed on a photosensitive material drum, to form a visible image; a toner supply device for supplying a toner, which is housed in a toner container, to said developing device; and a toner removing device for removing a remaining toner after said visible image on said photosensitive material drum is transferred to a transfer paper, said waste toner container accumulating therein a waste toner removed by said toner removing device, and said waste toner container having an oscillating mechanism for oscillating said waste toner container to break the accumulation of a waste toner therein.
Such a waste toner container urges the user to use it integrally with a toner container, so that it is possible to enhance the ratio of the use of a certified product.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toner container for use in an image forming system comprising: a developing device for causing a toner to adhere to a latent image, which is formed on a photosensitive material drum, to form a visible image; a toner supply device for supplying the toner to said developing device; a toner removing device for removing a remaining toner after said visible image on said photosensitive material drum is transferred to a transfer paper; and a waste toner container for accumulating therein a waste toner removed by said toner removing device, said waste toner container being oscillatable and biased so as to return to an initial position, said toner container housing therein the toner supplied to said toner supply device, said toner container having a protruding portion which is engageable with a protruding portion provided on said waste toner container when said toner container is attached at a predetermin
Itoh Shin-ichi
Taniyama Yoshiharu
Umezawa Noriyuki
Foley & Lardner
Royer William J.
Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
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