Powder collection device and processing apparatus using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10001743-B2
Application number	US-201615209926-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2016
Priority date	Mar 15, 2016
Publication date	Jun 19, 2018
Grant date	Jun 19, 2018

Abstract

A powder collection device includes a transport pipe, a powder collection container supported turnably on a pivot center provided in an attachment part of an apparatus body and removably attached to a position to cover an attachment part of the apparatus body, a pipe-side opening/closing mechanism that opens a discharging port by moving an opening/closing lid in cooperation with an operating member of the powder collection container when the powder collection container is turned to the position to cover the attachment part, and a container-side opening/closing mechanism that opens a collection port by moving a container opening/closing lid in cooperation with an operating member of the transport pipe when the powder collection container is turned to the position to cover the attachment part. The discharging port is disposed on a side of a vertical line including the pivot center different from the apparatus body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A powder collection device comprising:
a transport pipe that transports collected powder produced in an apparatus body, wherein the apparatus body includes a powder processing unit and a cover that is pivotally fixed to the apparatus body;
a powder collection container having, therein, a powder receiving chamber that receives the collected powder, supported turnably on a pivot center provided in a lower edge portion of an attachment part of the apparatus body, and removably attached to a position to cover the attachment part of the apparatus body;
a pipe-side opening/closing mechanism having an opening/closing lid that linearly moves to open and close a discharging port provided on a bottom side of the transport pipe near a protruding end in a longitudinal direction along the longitudinal direction of the transport pipe, the pipe-side opening/closing mechanism opening the discharging port by moving the opening/closing lid at the discharging port in cooperation with an operating member provided in the powder collection container when the powder collection container is turned to the position to cover the attachment part of the apparatus body while opening the cover; and
a container-side opening/closing mechanism having a container opening/closing lid that linearly moves to open and close a collection port provided in a predetermined receiving portion of the collection container along the longitudinal direction, the container-side opening/closing mechanism opening the collection port by moving the container opening/closing lid in cooperation with an operating member provided in the transport pipe when the powder collection container is turned to the position to cover the attachment part of the apparatus body,
wherein the discharging port of the pipe-side opening/closing mechanism is disposed on an opposite side of a vertical line than the apparatus body, the vertical line extending through the pivot center of the powder collection container.

2. The powder collection device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the opening/closing lid of the pipe-side opening/closing mechanism includes a communicating port that is larger than the discharging port and smaller than the collection port of the powder collection container and communicates between the discharging port and the collection port when the discharging port is opened, and an arm portion projecting downward on a side closer to the apparatus body than the communicating port, and
wherein, when the powder collection container is attached to the attachment part, the operating member provided in the powder collection container first comes into contact with the arm portion.

3. The powder collection device according to claim 1 , wherein the powder collection container has an elastically deformable elastic member that projects along a peripheral edge of the collection port.

4. A powder collection device comprising:
a first transport pipe that transports collected powder produced in an apparatus body includes a powder processing unit and a cover that is pivotally fixed to the apparatus body;
a second transport pipe disposed above the first transport pipe to transport collected powder produced in the apparatus body including the powder processing unit;
a powder collection container having, therein, a powder receiving chamber that receives the collected powder, supported turnably on a pivot center provided in a lower edge portion of an attachment part of the apparatus body, and removably attached to a position to cover the attachment part of the apparatus body;
a first pipe-side opening/closing mechanism having a first opening/closing lid that linearly moves to open and close a first discharging port provided on a bottom side of the first transport pipe near a protruding end in a longitudinal direction along the longitudinal direction of the first transport pipe, the first pipe-side opening/closing mechanism opening the first discharging port by moving the first opening/closing lid in cooperation with an operating member provided in the powder collection container when the powder collection container is turned to the position to cover the attachment part of the apparatus body while opening the cover;
a second pipe-side opening/closing mechanism having a second opening/closing lid that moves along an outer periphery of the second transport pipe to open and close a second discharging port provided on a bottom side of the second transport pipe near a protruding end in the longitudinal direction along the longitudinal direction of the second transport pipe, the second pipe-side opening/closing mechanism opening the second discharging port by moving the second opening/closing lid in cooperation with a second operating member provided in the powder collection container when the powder collection container is turned to the position to cover the attachment part of the apparatus body;
a first container-side opening/closing mechanism having a first container opening/closing lid that linearly moves to open and close a first collection port provided in a predetermined receiving portion of the powder collection container along the longitudinal direction of the first transport pipe, the first container-side opening/closing mechanism opening the first collection port by moving the first container opening/closing lid in cooperation with an operating member provided in the first transport pipe when the powder collection container is turned to the position to cover the attachment part of the apparatus body; and
a second container-side opening/closing mechanism having a second container opening/closing lid that opens and closes a second collection port provided in a predetermined receiving portion above the first container-side opening/closing mechanism of the powder collection container, the second container-side opening/closing mechanism opening the second collection port by moving the second container opening/closing lid in cooperation with an operating member provided in the second transport pipe when the powder collection container is turned to the position to cover the attachment part of the apparatus body,
wherein the first discharging port of the first pipe-side opening/closing mechanism is disposed on an opposite side of a vertical line than the apparatus body, the vertical line extending through the pivot center of the powder collection container.

5. The powder collection device according to claim 4 , wherein the second discharging port is disposed at a position out of a region occupied by the first discharging port in a vertical direction.

6. The powder collection device according to claim 5 , wherein the second discharging port is disposed on the vertical line including the pivot center.

7. The powder collection device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the first opening/closing lid includes a communicating port that is larger than the first discharging port and smaller than the first collection port of the powder collection container and communicates between the first discharging port and the first collection port when the first discharging port is opened, and an arm portion projecting downward on a side closer to the apparatus body than the communicating port, and
wherein, when the powder collection container is attached to the attachment part, the operating member provided in the powder collection container first comes into contact with the arm portion.

8. The powder collection device according to claim 4 , wherein the powder collection container includes an elastically deformable elastic member projecting along a peripheral edge of the first collection port.

9. A processing apparatus comprising:
the powder processing unit provided in the apparatus body to process powder; and
the powde

Assignees

• Fuji Xerox Co Ltd

Inventors

• Komiyama Tsutomu
• Shigemori Kohyu
• Mitsui Taro

Classifications

• G03G21/12 Primary

  Toner waste containers · CPC title

• G03G2215/0132

  vertical medium transport path at the secondary transfer · CPC title

• G03G15/0879

  for dispensing developer from a developer cartridge not directly attached to the development unit · CPC title

• G03G21/105 Primary

  Arrangements for conveying toner waste · CPC title