Image forming apparatus and a waste toner recovery device thereof

An image forming apparatus capable of reducing a space required to install a transfer unit to achieve a compact body size. The image forming apparatus can include a body, a frame installed in the body, a transfer unit installed inside the frame, and a waste toner recovery device to recover waste toner collected from the transfer unit. The waste toner recovery device can include a first delivery unit to deliver the waste toner in a first direction, and a second delivery unit to deliver the waste toner, delivered from the first delivery unit, in a second direction. The second delivery unit can be movably installed to the frame and can be coupled to or detached from the first delivery unit via movement thereof.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2008-0082341, filed on Aug. 22, 2008 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present general inventive concept relates to an image forming apparatus, and, more particularly, to an image forming apparatus having a waste toner recovery device to collect waste toner.

2. Description of the Related Art

An image forming apparatus is an apparatus to form an image on a printing medium, such as paper, according to input image signals. Examples of the image forming apparatus include printers, copiers, facsimiles, and devices combining functions thereof.

The image forming apparatus to form an image on a printing medium includes, arranged in a body defining the external appearance of the apparatus, an exposure unit to irradiate light containing image information, a developing unit to develop a visible image via the light irradiated from the exposure unit, a transfer unit to transfer the visible image developed by the developing unit to the printing medium, a fixing unit to fix the visible image on the printing medium by applying heat and pressure to the printing medium, and a discharge unit to discharge the printing medium, on which an image is completely formed, out of the body.

Recently, an image forming apparatus having a waste toner recovery device to collect waste toner accumulated on an image carrier, on which a toner image is formed, such as the transfer unit, has been disclosed. The size of the image forming apparatus is affected by a configuration of the waste toner recovery device and therefore, it is possible to appropriately select a configuration and arrangement of the waste toner recovery device, for a more compact size of the image forming apparatus.

SUMMARY

Example embodiments of the present general inventive concept provide an image forming apparatus having an improved configuration of a waste toner recovery device to achieve a more compact body size.

Example embodiments of the present general inventive concept provide an image forming apparatus including a body, a frame installed in the body, an image carrier installed inside the frame, and a waste toner recovery device to recover waste toner collected from the image carrier, wherein the waste toner recovery device can include a first delivery unit to deliver the waste toner in a first direction, and a second delivery unit to deliver the waste toner delivered from the first delivery unit in a second direction, wherein the second delivery unit can be movably installed to the frame and can be coupled to or detached from the first delivery unit via movement thereof.

The second delivery unit may be installed at an outside of the frame.

The image forming apparatus may further include a guide rod extending in the first direction from the frame to guide movement of the second delivery unit, and a guide portion extending from the second delivery unit and formed with a guide hole to install the guide rod.

The image forming apparatus may further include a rotating cam disposed at one side of the second delivery unit to move the second delivery unit via rotation thereof.

The image forming apparatus may further include an elastic member to press the second delivery unit toward the first delivery unit.

The first delivery unit may include a delivery screw to deliver the waste toner via rotation thereof, and the second delivery unit can include a delivery belt to deliver the waste toner delivered via the delivery screw.

The second delivery unit may further include a driving pulley and a driven pulley installed at opposite inner sides of the delivery belt, and the driving pulley may be coupled with the delivery screw to receive a rotating force from the delivery screw.

The delivery screw and driving pulley may be formed with a coupling recess and a coupling protrusion, respectively, which can be coupled with each other to transmit the rotating force of the delivery screw to the driving pulley.

The image forming apparatus may further include a transfer unit including the image carrier and installed inside the frame, and the first delivery unit may deliver the waste toner collected from the transfer unit.

Example embodiments of the present general inventive concept also provide an image forming apparatus including a body, a frame installed in the body, a transfer unit installed inside the frame, and a waste toner recovery device to recover waste toner collected from the transfer unit, wherein the waste toner recovery device can include a waste toner cartridge in which the waste toner is stored, and a delivery unit movably installed between the body and the frame so as to be coupled to or separated from the transfer unit via movement thereof.

Example embodiments of the present general inventive concept can also provide a waste toner recovery device of an image forming device, including a first delivery unit disposed along a width direction of a transfer unit of the image forming device to recover waste toner therefrom, and a second delivery unit disposed at a first end of the first delivery unit perpendicular to the transfer unit to deliver the waste toner in the perpendicular direction to a storage unit via a rotational force transmitted from the first delivery unit.

The first delivery unit may include a delivery screw to transmit the rotational force to the second delivery unit.

The second delivery unit may include a delivery belt to receive the rotational force from the delivery screw and to deliver the waste toner to the storage unit.

The image forming device may include a fixing motor connected to another end of the first delivery unit to generate the rotational force of the first delivery unit.

The second delivery unit may be detachably coupled to the first delivery unit upon rotation of a cam connected to the second delivery unit.

The second delivery unit may include a driving pulley to drive the delivery belt, the driving pulley having a second delivery screw connected to the delivery screw to deliver the waste toner from the delivery screw to the delivery belt.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

As illustrated inFIG. 1, an image forming apparatus according to an example embodiment can include, arranged in a body10defining the external appearance of the apparatus, a feed unit20to supply a printing medium P such as paper, an exposure unit30to irradiate light containing image information, a developing unit40to develop a visible image via the light irradiated from the exposure unit30, a transfer unit50to transfer the visible image, developed by the developing unit40, to the printing medium P, a fixing unit60to fix the visible image on the printing medium P by applying heat and pressure to the printing medium P, and a discharge unit70to discharge the printing medium P, on which an image can be completely formed, out of the body10.

The feed unit20can include a tray21in which the printing media P can be loaded, and a pickup roller22to pick up the printing media P, loaded in the tray21, sheet by sheet. The printing medium P, picked-up by the pickup roller22, can be delivered to the transfer unit50by a delivery roller11installed in the body10.

The exposure unit30can irradiate light to photoconductors41of the developing unit40before the printing medium P enters the transfer unit50. In the example embodiments, photoconductors41Y,41M,41C and41K can serve as image carriers on which a toner image is present. The photoconductors41Y,41M,41C and41K can correspond, respectively, to developer containers42Y,42M,42C and42K which can be arranged vertically in parallel, each of the photoconductors41Y,41M,41C and41K being formed at a surface thereof with an electrostatic latent image by the light irradiated from the exposure unit30. However, the present general inventive concept is not limited to such arrangement, and other arrangements may be used without departing from the broader principles and spirit of the present general inventive concept.

The plurality of developer containers42Y,42M,42C and42K of the developing unit40can be used to receive yellow, magenta, cyan and black toners, respectively. The image forming apparatus according to an example embodiment can be of a tandem type and thus, the respective developer containers42Y,42M,42C and42K can be arranged vertically in parallel. However, the present general inventive concept is not limited to such arrangement, and other arrangements may be used without departing from the broader principles and spirit of the present general inventive concept. The respective developer containers42Y,42M,42C and42K can correspond to the respective photoconductors41Y,41M,41C and41K. Each of the developer containers42Y,42M,42C and42K can be provided with a feed roller43and a developing roller44to feed the toners to the photoconductors41Y,41M,41C and41K.

The fixing unit60can include a heating roller62in which a heater61is received, a press roller63to press the printing medium P to the heating roller62, and a fixing motor64to generate and transmit a rotating force to at least one of the heating roller62to press roller63so as to rotate the roller. The printing medium P, onto which a toner image is transferred while passing through the transfer unit50, can be delivered to the fixing unit60. As heat and pressure are applied to the printing medium P passing between the heating roller62and the press roller63of the fixing unit60, the toner image transferred onto the printing medium P can be fixed to the printing medium P.

The discharge unit70can include a discharge roller71to discharge the printing medium P out of the body10via rotation thereof. The printing medium P, having passed through the fixing unit60, can be discharged out of the body10by passing through the discharge roller71. In the present example embodiment, a rotating force from the fixing motor64can be transmitted to the discharge roller71via a plurality of discharge gears, to allow the discharge roller71to discharge the printing medium P via rotation thereof.

The transfer unit50can perform overlap transfer of the visible images on the photoconductors41Y,41M,41C and41K, to transfer a resulting overlapped image on the printing medium P. Specifically, electrostatic latent images can be formed on surfaces of the photoconductors41Y,41M,41C and41K by the exposure unit30, and the toners can be fed to the electrostatic latent images so as to develop visible images. The visible images developed on the photoconductors41Y,41M,41C and41K can be transferred to and overlapped on an intermediate transfer member51which can be rotated in contact with the photoconductors41Y,41M,41C and41K so as to form a color image. The intermediate transfer member51can be provided as an image carrier on which the toner images are present. In the present example embodiment, the intermediate transfer member51can be embodied as an intermediate transfer belt51a. The intermediate transfer belt51a, on which the color image is formed, can transfer the image to the printing medium P, so as to form the resulting toner image on the printing medium P. The intermediate transfer belt51acan be provided with a transfer motor55to generate a rotating force required to rotate the intermediate transfer belt51a. The intermediate transfer belt51acan maintain a tensile force by intermediate transfer belt rollers52and transfer rollers53and54during implementation of a transfer operation.

The intermediate transfer belt rollers52can provide the intermediate transfer belt51awith a tensile force in contact with the intermediate transfer belt51a. The intermediate transfer belt rollers52can include first, second and third intermediate transfer belt rollers52a,52band52c. The first, second and third intermediate transfer belt rollers52a,52band52ccan come into outward contact with an inner surface of the intermediate transfer belt51ato maintain the intermediate transfer belt51ain a tightly tensioned state. In the present example embodiment, the transfer motor55can be connected with the third intermediate transfer belt roller52cvia a plurality of transfer gears56a,56band56c. Accordingly, as a rotating force generated from the transfer motor55is transmitted to the third transfer belt roller52cvia the transfer gears56a,56band56c, the intermediate transfer belt51acan be rotated around the first, second and third intermediate transfer belt rollers52a,52band52c, so as to perform a transfer operation.

The transfer rollers53and54can include first transfer rollers53Y,53M,53C and53K to press the intermediate transfer belt51ato the photoconductors41Y,41M,41C and41K, and a second transfer roller54in contact with the third intermediate transfer belt roller52cwith the intermediate transfer belt51ainterposed therebetween. The first transfer rollers53Y,53M,53C and53K can press the intermediate transfer belt51ato the respective photoconductors41Y,41M,41C and41K, so as to transfer the visible images from the photoconductors41Y,41M,41C and41K to the intermediate transfer belt51a. The second transfer roller54can press the intermediate transfer belt51ato correspond to the third intermediate transfer belt roller52c, so as to transfer the overlapped image from the intermediate transfer belt51ato the printing medium P.

The transfer unit50further can include a cleaning blade57to separate waste toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt51a, and a waste toner collector58in which the waste toner separated by the cleaning blade57can be received. Accordingly, after completing the transfer of toners to the printing medium P, the waste toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt51acan be separated by the cleaning blade57, and can be collected in the waste toner collector58.

The image forming apparatus, as illustrated inFIG. 2, can be provided with a waste toner recovery device800. The waste toner recovery device800can serve to recover the waste toner, which can be separated from the intermediate transfer belt51a, as the image carrier, after completing the transfer of toners to the printing medium P in the transfer unit50and is collected in the waste toner collector58. The waste toner recovery device800can include a first delivery unit810, a second delivery unit820, and a waste toner cartridge830. The first delivery unit810can be installed in the waste toner collector58and can extend over a large distance in the same first direction as a width direction of the intermediate transfer belt51a, to deliver the waste toner, collected in the waste toner collector58, along the first direction. The second delivery unit820can be used to redeliver the waste toner, delivered by the first delivery unit810, along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The waste toner cartridge830can receive the waste toner delivered by the second delivery unit820.

As illustrated inFIG. 3, the first delivery unit810can include a delivery screw811, which can be disposed in the waste toner collector58and can extend over a large distance in the first direction, to deliver the waste toner collected in the waste toner collector58along the first direction. The second delivery unit820can include a delivery belt821to be rotated upon receiving a rotating force transmitted via the delivery screw811, and a driving pulley822and driven pulley823installed at opposite inner sides of the delivery belt821to enable rotation of the delivery belt821. The delivery screw811can be formed at an outer circumference thereof with a first spiral thread811a. The driving pulley822can be integrally formed with the delivery belt821to protrude laterally from the delivery belt821and can be formed at an outer circumference thereof with a second spiral thread822ato deliver the waste toner from the first spiral thread811a.

The first delivery unit810can be connected with the fixing motor64, which can have less effect on the quality of an image, via a plurality of gears, to receive a rotating force from the fixing motor64. The second delivery unit820can be adapted to be operated by the rotating force from the first delivery unit810. That is, the second delivery unit820can be operated upon receiving the rotating force from the first delivery unit810without a separate drive source, enabling a more simplified configuration of the waste toner recovery device800.

The driving pulley822of the second delivery unit820can be connected to the delivery screw811of the first delivery unit810. Accordingly, the driving pulley822can be rotated by the rotating force transmitted through the delivery screw811, thereby serving to rotate the delivery belt821. To transmit the rotating force of the delivery screw811to the driving pulley822, the delivery screw811and driving pulley822can be formed with a coupling recess811band a coupling protrusion822bto be engaged with each other. The coupling recess811band coupling protrusion822bcan have corresponding shapes and can be arranged opposite each other. In the present example embodiment, the delivery screw811can include the indented coupling recess811b, into which the coupling protrusion822bcan be inserted, and the driving pulley822can include the coupling protrusion822bto be inserted into the coupling recess811b.

Accordingly, as the delivery screw811bis rotated upon receiving the rotating force transmitted from the fixing motor64, the waste toner in the waste toner collector58can move toward the delivery belt821to thereby be transmitted to the delivery belt821. If the waste toner transmitted to the delivery belt821is again guided to the waste toner cartridge830by the delivery belt821, recovery of the waste toner from the transfer unit50can be completed.

The first delivery unit810of the image forming apparatus according to the example embodiments can be installed immediately above the transfer unit50, and the second delivery unit820can be installed at one end of the first delivery unit810so as to protrude laterally from the transfer unit50. As illustrated inFIG. 4, a frame12, to which the transfer unit50, developer containers42Y,42M,42C and42K and other various elements are installed can be installed in the body10such that the frame12is spaced apart from an inner side surface of the body10. For example, the transfer unit50, developer containers42Y,42M,42C and42K and the like may be installed inside the frame12, and a variety of elements may be installed in a space between the body10and the frame12.

Accordingly, in the case where the transfer unit50is installed in a space inside the frame12in a state wherein the second delivery unit820is coupled to the first delivery unit810that is in turn coupled to the transfer unit50to allow the second delivery unit820to be introduced into the space inside the frame12, it may be possible to provide an additional space to introduce the second delivery unit820at a lateral side of the transfer unit50. This can consequently be provided by an increase in a width of the body10.

In the image forming apparatus according to example embodiments of the present general inventive concept, the second delivery unit820can be detachably coupled to the first delivery unit810in a space between the body10and the frame12to achieve a compact size of the body10.

For example, the second delivery unit820can be installed in a space between the body10and the frame12, and the transfer unit50, to which the first delivery unit810is installed, can be installed in a space inside the frame12. With this configuration, no space for installation of the second delivery unit820inside the frame12is required, and consequently, the body10can achieve a more compact size.

In the present example embodiment, the second delivery unit820can be movable in the same first direction as a longitudinal direction of the first delivery unit810such that it can be coupled to or detached from the first delivery unit810via movements thereof in the first direction. For this, the frame12can be integrally formed with guide rods13extending in the first direction, and the second delivery unit820can be movably installed to the guide rods13. The second delivery unit820can have guide portions824having guide holes824ato enable movable installation of the guide rods13. For example, plural pairs of upper and lower guide rods13can be spaced apart from one another in the second direction, and a plurality of guide portions824can extend upward and downward from the second delivery unit820to correspond to the guide rods13.

To move the second delivery unit820in the first direction, a rotating cam825can be rotatably installed in the body10, for example, to the frame12, to move the second delivery unit820in the first direction. The rotating cam825can be formed at a surface thereof with cam faces825aand825band can include a mount portion825aand a valley portion825bwhich can be circumferentially spaced apart from each other and can be connected to each other via a slope. One side of the second delivery unit820can be supported at the cam faces825aand825b. Accordingly, the second delivery unit820can be reciprocally moved in the first direction as it is moved along the cam faces825aand825baccording to a rotation of the rotating cam825. The rotating cam825can be integrally formed with a lever (825c, SeeFIG. 5) for easy transmission of an external force.

Each guide rod13can be installed with an elastic member826to press the second delivery unit820toward the first delivery unit810. In the present example embodiment, the elastic member826can be a coil spring provided at the exterior of the guide rod13. Accordingly, as one end of the elastic member826is supported by a bolt827fastened to a tip end of the guide rod13and the other end of the elastic member826is supported by the guide portion824, the second delivery unit820can be elastically supported toward the first delivery unit810.

Accordingly, prior to installing the transfer unit50, as illustrated inFIG. 5, to allow the transfer unit50to be introduced into a space inside the frame12, the second delivery unit820can be supported by the mount portion825aof the cam faces825aand825bof the rotating cam825. Thereby, the second delivery unit820can be kept at a laterally moved position. Thereafter, if the second delivery unit820is supported by the valley portion825bof the cam faces825aand825bof the rotating cam825as illustrated inFIG. 6as the rotating cam825can be rotated after completing the installation of the transfer unit50, the second delivery unit820can be moved toward the first delivery unit810by an elastic force of the elastic member826. Thereby, the coupling protrusion822awhich is formed at the driving pulley822of the second delivery unit820can be coupled into the coupling recess811bformed in the delivery screw811of the first delivery unit810, allowing the second delivery unit820to receive a rotating force from the first delivery unit810.

Although the image forming apparatus of the present general inventive concept is designed to recover the waste toner collected from the intermediate transfer belt51aby use of the waste toner recovery device800, the present general inventive concept is not limited thereto, and can also be applicable to other image forming apparatuses, for example, wherein the toner is directly transferred from a photoconductor to a printing medium such that waste toner collected from the photoconductor can be recovered via a waste toner recovery device.

As is apparent from the above description, an image forming apparatus according to an example embodiment can have an enhanced space utility by virtue of a waste toner recovery device configured as described above, resulting in a compact body size.