US 11,442,397 B2 · Waste toner palletization device applicable to image forming apparatus

Abstract

An example image forming apparatus includes a printing unit to print an image on a print medium using toner, a container having a hollow portion to accommodate waste toner discharged from the printing unit, a heater to apply heat to the container such that the waste toner becomes a waste toner viscous body, and a piston inserted in the hollow portion of the container movable between a first position blocking a first end portion of the hollow portion, a second position exposing the waste toner viscous body to a second end portion of the hollow portion to cool the waste toner viscous body to become a waste toner pellet, and a third position beyond the second position to separate the waste toner pellet from the second end portion of the hollow portion.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An image forming apparatus comprising:

a printing unit to print an image on a print medium using toner;
a container having a hollow portion to accommodate waste toner discharged from the printing unit;
a heater to apply heat to the container such that the waste toner becomes a waste toner viscous body;
and
a piston inserted in the hollow portion of the container movable between a first position blocking a first end portion of the hollow portion, a second position exposing the waste toner viscous body to a second end portion of the hollow portion to cool the waste toner viscous body to become a waste toner pellet, and a third position beyond the second position to separate the waste toner pellet from the second end portion of the hollow portion.

2 more elements

A waste toner pelletization method of an image forming apparatus, the method comprising:

positioning a piston in a first position adjacent to a first end portion of a hollow portion of a container and accommodating waste toner discharged from a printing unit in the hollow portion;
forming a waste toner viscous body by heating the waste toner;
moving the piston to a second position to support the waste toner viscous body at a second end portion of the hollow portion and to cool the waste toner viscous body to form a waste toner pellet;
moving the piston to a third position beyond the second end portion of the hollow portion and separating the waste toner pellet from the second end portion of the hollow portion;
moving the piston from the third position toward the first position through the second position and separating the waste toner pellet from a head surface of the piston;
and
moving the piston to a position beyond the second end portion of the hollow portion and discharging the waste toner pellet out of the container.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

17/299,101Filed 17 Jul 2020

Priority

KR 10-2019-009138329 Jul 2019

Published

US 2022/0155719 A119 May 2022

Granted

13 Sep 2022

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G03G 15/095
Using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer: removing excess solid developer , e.g. fog preventing
G03G 21/12
Collecting or recycling waste developer: toner waste containers
G03G 21/10
Arrangements not provided for by groups G03G13/00 - G03G19/00, e.g. cleaning, elimination of residual charge: collecting or recycling waste developer
G03G 21/105
Collecting or recycling waste developer: arrangements for conveying toner waste

Waste toner palletization device applicable to image forming apparatus

Life of this patent

Waste toner palletization device applicable to image forming apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15