Particle collecting device and image forming apparatus

A particle collecting device comprising:

• a vent pipe having a channel space through which air flows;
• first air blowing means for delivering air including a particle at a first end of the vent pipe into the channel space;
• collecting means, disposed to block a channel in the channel space at an intermediate part of the vent pipe, for collecting the particle included in the air delivered by the first air blowing means;
• and
• second air blowing means for collecting the air traveling through the collector collecting means at a second end of the vent pipe and delivering the air from the channel space,
• wherein the first air blowing means and the second air blowing means operate such that a first pressure in a first channel space extending from the first air blowing means to the collecting means and a second pressure in a second channel space extending from the collecting means to the second air blowing means are maintained to have a relationship in which the second pressure<the first pressure≤atmospheric pressure, the first channel space and the second channel space being included in the channel space of the vent pipe,
• wherein the vent pipe has a front channel-space section included in the first channel space and extending in a longitudinal direction of the collecting means at a position in front of the collecting means, an inlet through which air flows into the front channel-space section, and an outlet through which air existing in the second channel space after traveling through the collecting means is discharged to the second air blower, and
• wherein the inlet and the outlet are disposed in an offset fashion at different ends in the longitudinal direction of the collecting means,
• wherein the front channel-space section has a first space section where the inlet exists and a second space section where the inlet does not exist, and
• wherein a distance between the collecting means and an inner wall surface of the second space section that faces the collecting means is smaller than a distance between the collecting means and an inner wall surface of the first space section that faces the collecting means.