# US 2020/0326654 A1 · Toner collection device and image forming apparatus

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- Number: US 2020/0326654 A1
- Document ID: US20200326654A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/827,909
- Filed: 2020-03-24
- Published: 2020-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2019-04-09
- Assignees: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
- Applicants: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
- Inventors: Naoki MIZUTANI
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200326654A1

## CPC

- G03G 21/206: {Conducting air through the machine, e.g. for cooling, filtering, removing gases like ozone}
- G03G 15/0844: {Arrangements for purging used developer from the developing unit}
- G03G 21/0052: {using an air flow; Details thereof, e.g. nozzle structure}
- G03G 21/10: Collecting or recycling waste developer
- G03G 21/105: {Arrangements for conveying toner waste}
- G03G 21/12: Toner waste containers
- G03G 21/20: Humidity or temperature control {also ozone evacuation; Internal apparatus environment control}
- G03G 2221/0021: applying vibrations to the electrographic recording medium for assisting the cleaning, e.g. ultrasonic vibration
- G03G 2221/0052: Common container for holding cleaned foreign matter and residual toner
- G03G 2221/1618: for the cleaning unit
- G03G 2221/1627: Details concerning the cleaning process
- G03G 2221/1645: for conducting air through the machine, e.g. cooling
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY

## Abstract

A toner collection device includes a casing, a fan unit and a filter. The casing has a suction port and an exhaust port. The fan unit is supported by the casing in a swingable manner and generates an air flow from the suction port to the exhaust port inside the casing. The filter is disposed inside the casing and supported by the casing or the fan unit, and collects a toner contained in the air flow flowed into the casing through the suction port. When the fan unit is driven to generate the air flow, a swinging of the fan unit is transmitted to the filter to vibrate the filter.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A toner collection device comprising:
a casing having a suction port and an exhaust port;
a fan unit supported by the casing in a swingable manner and generating an air flow from the suction port to the exhaust port inside the casing; and
a filter disposed inside the casing and supported by the casing or the fan unit, and collecting a toner contained in the air flow flowed into the casing through the suction port, wherein
when the fan unit is driven to generate the air flow, a swinging of the fan unit is transmitted to the filter to vibrate the filter.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The toner collection device according to claim 1, further comprising a supporting pin supporting the fan unit to the casing, wherein
the casing has a supporting face part where the fan unit is supported, and
the fan unit has:
a rotary blade rotating around a rotational shaft;
a case in which the rotary blade is stored; and
a through hole penetrating the case,
the supporting pin has:
a head portion having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of the through hole; and
a main body having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole and inserting through the through hole, a tip end portion passing through the through hole being fixed to the supporting face part, wherein
gaps are formed between the head portion and the case and between the through hole and the main body, and
the fan unit swings in an axial direction of the main body within the gap between the head portion and the fan unit and in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction within the gap between the through hole and the main body.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The toner collection device according to claim 2, wherein
the through hole is formed along an axial direction of the rotational shaft.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The toner collection device according to claim 2, wherein
the fan unit is supported by the supporting face part via an elastic member deformable in the axial direction and a radial direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The toner collection device according to claim 1, wherein
the casing has a storage part in which the toner shaken off the filter is stored.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The toner collection device according to claim 5, wherein
the storage part is disposed below the suction port.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The toner collection device according to claim 1, further comprising an option filter disposed on a downstream side of the fan unit in a direction of the air flow, fixed to the casing or the fan unit and collecting the toner passed through the filter.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The toner collection device according to claim 1 wherein,
the suction port is communicated with a development device,
the casing is divided into a portion where the fan unit and the filter are supported and a portion where the suction port is provided, and both the portions are air-tightly connected.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

An image forming apparatus comprising the toner collection device according to claim 1.