Image forming apparatus comprising a rotatable waste toner container having a locking mechanism for locking a drive mechanism

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a waste toner container capable of being provided in a predetermined place;
• a drive source;
• a drive mechanism, driven by said drive source, for driving said waste toner container to rotate;
• a locking mechanism for locking said drive mechanism against driving of said waste toner container when no waste toner container is provided in the predetermined place, and for releasing and thus allowing said drive mechanism to drive said waste toner container when said toner container is provided in the predetermined place;
• and
• detecting means for outputting, in response to said locking mechanism, a detection signal which varies, depending upon whether said waste toner container is provided in the predetermined place;
• wherein said locking mechanism is pushed into a locking position for locking said drive mechanism against driving of said waste toner container when no waste toner is provided, and is pushed by said waste toner container into a position for releasing said drive mechanism, and thus allowing said drive mechanism to drive said waste toner container, when said waste toner container is provided in the predetermined place.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a waste toner container capable of being provided in a predetermined place;
• a drive source;
• a drive mechanism, driven by said drive source, for driving said waste toner container to rotate;
• a locking mechanism for locking said drive mechanism against driving of said waste toner container when no waste toner container is provided in the predetermined place, and for releasing and thus allowing said drive mechanism to drive said waste toner container when said toner container is provided in the predetermined place;
• and
• detecting means for outputting, in response to said locking mechanism, a detection signal which varies, depending upon whether said waste toner container is provided in the predetermined place;
• a transporting mechanism for transporting waste toner to said waster toner container;
• said detecting means includes a response mechanism for responding when said locking mechanism locks said drive mechanism against driving of said waste toner container, and for responding when torque, required for transporting the waste toner to said waste toner container by said transporting mechanism, is not less than a predetermined value,
• wherein said detecting means, in accordance with said responding mechanism, detects that no waste toner is provided, and that amount of waste toner in said waste toner container has reached predetermined amount, and thus outputs a detection signal in accordance with the amount of the waste toner in said waste toner container;
• wherein said response mechanism includes:
• a clutch member having a drive coupler driven to rotate by said drive source and a driven coupler connected to said drive and transporting mechanisms, the drive coupler and the driven coupler staying in mesh with each other;
• and
• moving means for moving the drive coupler away from the driven coupler both when said drive mechanism is locked and stopped, and when the torque required for transporting the waste toner is not less than the predetermined value, and
• said detecting means includes a detecting switch turned on/off by a movement of the drive coupler.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a waste toner container capable of being provided in a predetermined place;
• at least one drive source;
• a transporting mechanism, driven by said drive source, for transporting waste toner to said waste toner container;
• a drive mechanism, driven by said drive source, for driving said waste toner container to rotate;
• a locking mechanism for locking said drive mechanism not to drive said waste toner container when no waste toner container is provided in the predetermined place;
• a responding mechanism for responding both when said locking mechanism locks said drive mechanism not to drive said waste toner container and when torque required for transporting the waste toner to said waste toner container by said transporting mechanism is not less than a predetermined value;
• and
• detecting means, in accordance with said responding mechanism, for detecting that no waste toner container is provided, and that amount of the waste toner in said waste toner container has reached predetermined amount.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a waste toner container capable of being provided in a predetermined place;
• a drive source;
• a transporting mechanism, driven by said drive source, for transporting waste toner to said waste toner container;
• a drive mechanism, driven by said drive source, for driving said waste toner container to rotate;
• a locking mechanism for locking said drive mechanism against driving of said waste toner container by a mechanical self-operating system without using a signal when no waste toner container is provided in the predetermined place, and for releasing said drive mechanism, and thus allowing said drive mechanism to drive said waste toner container, by a mechanical self-operating system without using a signal when said waste toner container is provided in the predetermined place;
• and
• a linkage mechanism, interlocked with said locking mechanism, for locking said transporting mechanism against transporting of the waste toner when said locking mechanism locks and stops said drive mechanism, and for releasing said transporting mechanism, and thus allowing said transporting mechanism to transport the waste toner, when said locking mechanism releases and thus allows said drive mechanism to drive said waste toner container.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a waste toner container capable of being provided in a predetermined place;
• a drive source;
• a transporting mechanism, driven by said drive source, for transporting waste toner to said waste toner container;
• a drive mechanism, driven by said drive source, for driving said waste toner container to rotate;
• a locking mechanism for locking said drive mechanism against driving of said waste toner container when no waste toner container is provided in the predetermined place, and for releasing said drive mechanism, and thus allowing said drive mechanism to drive said waste toner container, when said waste toner container is provided in the predetermined place;
• and
• a linkage mechanism, interlocked with said locking mechanism, for locking said transporting mechanism against transporting of the waste toner when said locking mechanism locks and stops said drive mechanism, and for releasing said transporting mechanism, and thus allowing said transporting mechanism to transport the waste toner, when said locking mechanism releases and thus allows said drive mechanism to drive said waste toner container;
• and wherein said drive mechanism includes:
• a container drive gear, driven by said drive source, for driving said waste toner container to rotate and said linkage mechanism includes:
• an input gear driven by said drive source to rotate;
• a transporting mechanism drive gear connected to said transporting mechanism;
• and
• moving means for keeping said container drive gear in a place where said container drive gear does not come into engagement with said input gear when no waste toner container is provided in said predetermined place, and for moving said container drive gear, pushed by said waste toner container, to a place where said container drive gear comes into engagement with both said input gear and said transporting mechanism when said waste toner container is provided in said predetermined place.