Image forming apparatus including drum cartridge having waste toner accumulating unit in which waste toner is accumulated

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022004139-A1
Application number	US-202117478443-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 17, 2021
Priority date	Mar 27, 2019
Publication date	Jan 6, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: a casing having an opening; a developing cartridge configured to accommodate toner therein; and a drum cartridge to which the developing cartridge is attachable. The drum cartridge is attachable to the casing through the opening in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum cartridge. The drum cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum; a drum frame; a charge roller; a cleaning blade configured to clean a circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum; a waste toner collecting unit having an internal space allowing waste toner removed from the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum by the cleaning blade to be collected therein; a waste toner accumulating unit having an internal space allowing the waste toner to be accumulated therein; and a waste toner conveying unit configured to convey the waste toner from the waste toner collecting unit to the waste toner accumulating unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
a casing having an opening; a developing cartridge comprising:
a toner accommodating unit configured to accommodate toner therein; and
a developing roller; and
a drum cartridge to which the developing cartridge is attachable, the drum cartridge being attachable to the casing through the opening in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum cartridge, the drum cartridge comprising:
a photosensitive drum rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction;
a drum frame to which the developing cartridge is attachable, the developing cartridge being mountable on the drum frame;
a charge roller configured to charge a circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum;
a cleaning blade positioned opposite to the toner accommodating unit with respect to the photosensitive drum in a second direction, the cleaning blade being configured to clean the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum;
a waste toner collecting unit positioned opposite to the toner accommodating unit with respect to the photosensitive drum in the second direction, the waste toner collecting unit having an internal space allowing waste toner removed from the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum by the cleaning blade to be collected therein;
a waste toner accumulating unit positioned inside the drum frame and positioned opposite to the waste toner collecting unit with respect to the photosensitive drum in the second direction, the waste toner accumulating unit having an internal space allowing the waste toner to be accumulated therein; and
a waste toner conveying unit configured to convey the waste toner from the waste toner collecting unit to the waste toner accumulating unit.

2 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the drum cartridge further includes a transfer roller configured to make contact with the photosensitive drum, and wherein the waste toner accumulating unit is positioned opposite to the waste toner collecting unit with respect to the transfer roller in the second direction.

3 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the drum cartridge further includes a conveying roller positioned opposite to the waste toner collecting unit with respect to the photosensitive drum in the second direction.

4 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the conveying roller is rotatably supported by the drum frame.

5 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the wherein the waste toner accumulating unit is positioned between the photosensitive drum and the conveying roller in the second direction.

6 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the waste toner accumulating unit is positioned opposite to the photosensitive drum with respect to the conveying roller in the second direction.

7 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second direction crosses the first direction.

8 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an exposure unit configured to expose the photosensitive drum to light,
wherein the exposure unit is positioned between the waste toner collecting unit and the waste toner accumulating unit in the second direction.

9 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 ,
wherein the exposure unit is an LED unit, and wherein a portion of the toner accommodating unit is positioned opposite to the waste toner accumulating unit with respect to the LED unit in a third direction crossing both the first direction and the second direction.

10 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the waste toner accumulating unit is configured to accommodate therein waste toner generated by image forming operation performed when the developing cartridge is replaced a plurality of times.

11 . A drum cartridge comprising:
a photosensitive drum rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction; a drum frame to which a developing cartridge is attachable, the developing cartridge including a toner accommodating unit accommodating toner therein and a developing roller, the developing cartridge being mountable on the drum frame; a charge roller configured to charge a circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum; a cleaning blade positioned opposite to the toner accommodating unit with respect to the photosensitive drum in a second direction, the cleaning blade being configured to clean the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum; a waste toner collecting unit positioned opposite to the toner accommodating unit with respect to the photosensitive drum in the second direction, the waste toner collecting unit having an internal space allowing waste toner removed from the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum by the cleaning blade to be collected therein; a waste toner accumulating unit positioned inside the drum frame and positioned opposite to the waste toner collecting unit with respect to the photosensitive drum in the second direction, the waste toner accumulating unit having an internal space allowing the waste toner to be accumulated therein; and a waste toner conveying unit configured to convey the waste toner from the waste toner collecting unit to the waste toner accumulating unit.

12 . The drum cartridge according to claim 11 , further comprising a transfer roller configured to make contact with the photosensitive drum,
wherein the waste toner accumulating unit is positioned opposite to the waste toner collecting unit with respect to the transfer roller in the second direction.

13 . The drum cartridge according to claim 11 , further comprising a conveying roller positioned opposite to the waste toner collecting unit with respect to the photosensitive drum in the second direction.

14 . The drum cartridge according to claim 13 , wherein the conveying roller is rotatably supported by the drum frame.

15 . The drum cartridge according to claim 13 ,
wherein the waste toner accumulating unit is positioned between the photosensitive drum and the conveying roller in the second direction.

16 . The drum cartridge according to claim 13 ,
wherein the waste toner accumulating unit is positioned opposite to the photosensitive drum with respect to the conveying roller in the second direction.

17 . The drum cartridge according to claim 11 ,
wherein the second direction crosses the first direction.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Furukawa Masaaki
• Shimizu Takashi
• Kusuda Shinya
• Aratachi Tomitake
• Fukamachi Yasuo
• Shimizu Keita
• Nakamura Kazutoshi
• Sugimoto Kouichi

Classifications

• G03G21/105

  Arrangements for conveying toner waste · CPC title

• G03G21/1676

  for the developer unit · CPC title

• G03G21/1821 Primary

  means for connecting the different parts of the process cartridge, e.g. attachment, positioning of parts with each other, pressure/distance regulation (G03G21/1825 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03G21/12 Primary

  Toner waste containers · CPC title

• G03G21/1814

  Details of parts of process cartridge, e.g. for charging, transfer, cleaning, developing (G03G21/1835 takes precedence) · CPC title