Patent ID: 7403738
Filing Date: 2008-07-22
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A developer collecting apparatus for an image forming apparatus comprising an image forming unit composed of an image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by being exposed to light in accordance with image information, and a developing portion for forming a developer image by developing the electrostatic latent image on the image bearing member; an intermediate transfer body onto which the developer image formed on the image bearing member is transferred; a transfer portion for totally transferring onto a recording medium the developer image transferred on the intermediate transfer body; and a cleaning section for removing from the image bearing member and the intermediate transfer body, residual developer remaining on the image bearing member which is not transferred from the image bearing member onto the intermediate transfer body, and residual developer remaining on the intermediate transfer body which is not transferred from the intermediate transfer body onto the recording medium, the developer collecting apparatus which collects developer removed from the image bearing member and the intermediate transfer body by the cleaning section, the developer collecting apparatus comprising: a positioning frame for positioning the image bearing member to be mounted onto an image forming apparatus main body; a waste developer container detachably mounted on the positioning frame, for accommodating waste developer removed by the cleaning section; a stirring member rotatably provided in the waste developer container, for stirring waste developer accommodated in the waste developer container; and a driving section for giving a rotary driving force to the stirring member, the driving section having: a driving source; and a first driving force transmitting path and a second driving force transmitting path which are coupled to the driving source, for transmitting the rotary driving force to the stirring member, and when a rotational load on the first driving force transmitting path reaches a predetermined level or more, switch-over of transmitting path for transmitting the rotary driving force to the stirring member is performed from the first driving force transmitting path to the second driving force transmitting path.