WO2021080637A1

WO2021080637A1 - Waste toner container mounting structure of image forming apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2021080637A1
Application number: PCT/US2020/020037
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hyunwoo Kim; Jaeseok YOO; Yongjae Kim
Original assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
Priority date: 2019-10-21
Filing date: 2020-02-27
Publication date: 2021-04-29
Also published as: KR20210047193A

Abstract

Provided is an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus including a main body including a printing portion to form an image on a print medium according to an electrophotographic method, a paper feeding cassette to load a print medium, located below the printing portion, and a waste toner container located below the printing portion and above the paper feeding cassette to accommodate waste toner discharged from the printing portion.

Description

WASTE TONER CONTAINER MOUNTING STRUCTURE OF IMAGE FORMING

APPARATUS

BACKGROUND

[0001] Image forming apparatuses using an electrophotographic method form a visible toner image on a photoconductor by supplying toner to an electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor, transfer the toner image to a print medium directly or through an intermediate transfer medium, and then fix the transferred toner image on the print medium.

[0002] Waste toner generated during image formation is contained in a waste toner container. When the waste toner container is full of waste toner, the waste toner container may be removed and replaced by a new waste toner container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0003] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to an example;

[0004] FIG. 2 is an exterior perspective view of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus of FIG. 1;

[0005] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a connection structure between a developing device and a waste toner container;

[0006] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an example of a waste toner container from which a cover is separated;

[0007] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the waste toner container of FIG. 3 taken along line X1-X1;

[0008] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an example of a conveying member; and [0009] FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an electrophotographic image forming apparatus including a duplex printing path, according to an example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES [0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to an example. FIG. 2 is an exterior perspective view of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus of FIG. 1. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a main body 1 is provided with a printing portion 2 that can form an image on a print medium P according to an electrophotographic method.

[0011] The printing portion 2 may include a developing device 10, an exposure device 20, a transfer device, and a fixing device 40. The developing device 10 may include a photoconductive drum 11 and a developing roller 12. The photoconductive drum 11 may be an example of a photoconductor on which an electrostatic latent image is formed. A surface of the photoconductive drum 11 can be charged to a uniform electric potential by a charging bias voltage that is applied to a charging roller 13.

[0012] The exposure device 20 can scan light modulated according to image information to the surface of the photoconductive drum 11 charged to the uniform electric potential. For example, a laser scanning unit (LSU) may be used as the exposure device 20 and can include deflecting light emitted from a laser diode in a main scanning direction by using a polygon mirror and scanning the deflected light to the photoconductive drum 11.

[0013] The developing roller 12 can supply toner to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photoconductive drum 11 and can develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image. In the present example, a one-component contact type development method in which toner is used as a developer and a development nip is formed when the developing roller 12 and the photoconductive drum 11 contact each other. When a developing bias voltage is applied to the developing roller 12, toner can be moved from the developing roller 12 to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photoconductive drum 11 through the development nip. The toner can be attached to the electrostatic latent image, in some examples, a supply bias voltage may be applied to a supply roller 15 so that the toner contained in the developing device 10 is attached to the developing roller 12. A regulating member 16 can regulate the amount of toner that is attached to the surface of the developing roller 12. In some examples, a conveying member 17 conveys the toner contained in a toner container 18 toward the supply roller 15. Reference numeral 14 indicates a cleaning roller that removes a foreign material from the surface of the charging roller 13. A cleaning member 19 can remove residual toner and a foreign material from the surface of the photoconductive drum 11 before charging.

[0014] A transfer roller 30 is an example of a transfer device located to face the photoconductive drum 11 and form a transfer nip. A transfer bias voltage for transferring the toner image developed on the surface of the photoconductive drum 11 to a print medium P can be applied to the transfer roller 30.

[0015] While the print medium P transported along a printing path 201 is passing the transfer nip, the toner image can be transferred from the photoconductive drum 11 to the surface of the print medium P by the transfer bias voltage that is applied to the transfer roller 30. The transferred toner image can be kept on the surface of the print medium P by electrostatic attraction. In some examples, the fixing device 40 fixes the toner image onto the print medium P by applying heat and pressure to the toner image. The print medium P, with respect to which printing has been completed by passing the fixing device 40, can be transported along a discharge path 202 and discharged to a paper discharge tray 106 located on the outside of the main body 1, for example, on the top of the main body 1, by the discharge roller 104.

[0016] In some instances, during printing, waste toner is generated in the printing portion 2. For example, residual toner remaining by not being transferred to the print medium P from among the toner image formed on the photoconductive drum 11 can be removed from the surface of the photoconductive drum 11 by the cleaning member 19. A foreign material, such as paper dust, attached to the surface of the photoconductive drum 11, may also be removed by the cleaning member 19. The removed residual toner and the removed foreign material are referred to as waste toner. The waste toner can be discharged from the developing device 10 by a waste toner conveying member 19a. [0017] The image forming apparatus may include the main body 1 including the printing portion 2 forming an image on the print medium P according to an electrophotographic method. The paper feeding cassette 50 which loads the print medium P can be located below the printing portion 2 and can be attachable to/detachable from a first side 1-1 of the main body 1. The waste toner container 80 can be located below the printing portion 2 and above the paper feeding cassette 50, can accommodate waste toner discharged from the printing portion 2, and can be attachable to/detachable from a second side 1-2 of the main body 1 that is opposite to the first side 1-1. According to an example, the first side 1-1 and the second side 1-2 may be sides in a traverse direction orthogonal to a width direction W of the print medium P.

[0018] In some examples, the paper feeding cassette 50 loads the print medium P and is located below the printing portion 2. The print medium P withdrawn from the paper feeding cassette 50 can be transported along a supply path 204 extending upwards and can be transported to the transfer nip by transporting rollers 102 and 103 along the printing path 201. The paper feeding cassette 50 may be pulled out of the first side 1-1 of the main body 1 and may be withdrawn from the main body 1. As shown in the dashed line of FIG. 2, after the paper feeding cassette 50 is withdrawn from the main body 1 and the print medium P is loaded on the paper feeding cassette 50, the paper feeding cassette 50 may be pushed back into the main body 1 and mounted therein.

[0019] The waste toner discharged from the printing portion 2, for example, the developing device 10, may be accommodated in the developing device 10. As the lifespan of the developing device 10 increases, the amount of waste toner generated during the lifespan of the developing device 10 may exceed the waste toner accommodating capacity of the developing device 10. For example, even when toner is refilled and used in the developing device 10, the amount of waste toner may exceed the waste toner accommodating capacity of the developing device 10. Considering this point, the waste toner container 80 accommodating the waste toner discharged from the printing portion 2 may be employed. The waste toner container 80 can be attachable to/detachable from the main body 1. In some examples, when the waste toner container 80 is full of waste toner, the waste toner container 80 may be removed from the main body 1 , and a new waste toner container 80 may be mounted in the main body 1.

[0020] As shown in the dashed line of FIG. 2, a waste toner container 80a may be arranged on a side of the printing portion 2, for example, a side thereof in the width direction W of the print medium P. According to this structure, the width of the image forming apparatus may increase, and the footprint of the image forming apparatus may increase. To increase the capacity of the waste toner container 80a, the waste toner container 80a can expand in the width direction W of the print medium P. In this case, the footprint of the image forming apparatus may further increase.

[0021] In the image forming apparatus according to the present example, the waste toner container 80 can be located below the printing portion 2. In some examples, the waste toner container 80 has a first length L1 of FIG. 3 in the width direction W of the print medium P, a second length L2 of FIG. 3 in a direction orthogonal to the width direction W, and a third length L3 of FIG. 3 in a thickness direction. The third length L3 can be less than the first length L1 and the second length L2. As a result, the waste toner container 80 can have a flat shape suitable to be disposed between the printing portion 2 and the paper feeding cassette 50. The second length L2 of the waste toner container 80 can be determined such that the waste toner container 80 does not interfere with the supply path 204. To increase the capacity of the waste toner container 80, in some examples the waste toner container 80 may be expanded in the thickness direction. As a result, the capacity of the waste toner container 80 may be expanded without increasing the footprint of the image forming apparatus, thereby accommodating an increase in the lifespan of the image forming apparatus.

[0022] In some examples, the waste toner container 80 is located between the printing portion 2 and the paper feeding cassette 50. In such an example, a distance between the waste toner container 80 and the printing portion 2, for example, the developing device 10, may be reduced, and waste toner may be accommodated in the waste toner container 80. In some instances, the waste toner container 80 may be arranged between the printing portion 2 and the paper feeding cassette 50 by moving the paper feeding cassette 50 downwards with respect to some image forming apparatuses.

[0023] The waste toner container 80 according to the present example is provided in the main body 1 to be attachable to/detachable from the opposite side of the first side 1-1 , for instance, the second side 1-2 of the main body 1 that faces the first side 1-1. As shown in FIG. 1, when a transporting path of the print medium P from the paper feeding cassette 50 to the paper discharging table 106 has an S shape, the print medium P withdrawn from the paper feeding cassette 50 can be guided to the printing path 201 via the supply path 204. The waste toner container 80 may be attachable to/detachable from the second side 1-2 of the main body 1 to such that interference of the waste toner container 80with the supply path 204 is reduced while the waste toner container 80 is being detached from the main body 1.

[0024] The image forming apparatus may include a multipurpose tray 60. The multipurpose tray 60 may be provided such that its location may be switched to a location (indicated by a solid line) where the multipurpose tray 60 is closed in the main body 1 and a location (indicated by a dashed line) where the multipurpose tray 60 is open. The print medium P loaded in the multipurpose tray 60 may be transported to the printing path 201 by the pickup roller 112 and the transporting roller 113. The multipurpose tray 60 may be provided on the first side 1-1 of the main body 1. Because the waste toner container 80 according to the present example is provided in the main body 1 to be attachable to/detachable from the second side 1-2 of the main body 1, which is opposite to the first side 1-1, the waste toner container 80 may not interfere with the multipurpose tray 60.

[0025] As shown in the dashed line of FIG. 2, to replace the waste toner container 80a arranged on a side of the printing portion 2 in the width direction W of the print medium P, a door (not shown) opening or closing a portion of the main body 1 may be provided in the main body 1. In the image forming apparatus according to the present example, the waste toner container 80 may be partially exposed to the outside of the main body 1. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an opening 1-3 can be provided in the main body 1. The opening 1-3 can be provided on the second side 1-2 opposite to the first side 1-1. In some examples, the waste toner container 80 is attachable to/detachable from the main body 1 via the opening 1-3. The waste toner container 80 can be partially exposed to the outside via the opening 1-3 such that it is attachable to/detachable from the main body 1. In some examples, a handle 81 may be provided in the waste toner container 80. The handle 81 may be exposed to the outside of the main body 1 via the opening 1-3. The handle 81 is not limited to a particular shape (e.g., as long as it can be grabbed by a hand of a user).

[0026] A waste toner outlet via which waste toner is discharged is provided in the printing portion 2. As described above, the printing portion 2 according to the present example includes the developing device 10. In some examples, the developing device 10 includes the photoconductive drum 11 on which the electrostatic latent image is formed, with the developing roller 12 developing the electrostatic latent image into the toner image by supplying toner to the electrostatic latent image. Waste toner removed from the photoconductive drum 11 can be discharged from the developing device 10. In such an example, the image forming apparatus can include the waste toner outlet provided in the developing device 10.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a connection structure between the developing device 10 and the waste toner container 80. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the waste toner removed from the photoconductive drum 11 can be conveyed in the width direction W of the print medium P by the waste toner conveying member 19a. The waste toner conveying member 19a may be, for example, an auger extending in the width direction W. In some examples, a waste toner outlet 19-1 is provided on one side of the developing device 10 in the width direction W of the print medium P. A waste toner inlet 82 that is connected to the waste toner outlet 19-1 can be provided in the waste toner container 80. The waste toner outlet 19-1 and the waste toner inlet 82 may be located outside an effective image area E1 in the width direction W of the print medium P. The effective image area E1 , which may be used to form an image on the print medium P, can be an area used for image formation from among the width of the developing device 10. For example, the length of the image area E1 may be greater than a width of the print medium P that is a particular size (e.g., largest size) used in the image forming apparatus.

[0028] In some examples, the waste toner outlet 19-1 and the waste toner inlet 82 may be located outside a width E2 of the printing path 201 in the width direction W of the print medium P to reduce contamination of the print medium P transported along the printing path 201 by the waste toner delivered from the waste toner outlet 19-1 to the waste toner inlet 82.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 3, the waste toner outlet 19-1 and the waste toner inlet 82 may be connected to each other via a waste toner pipe 90 provided in the main body 1. When the developing device 10 is mounted in the main body 1 , the waste toner outlet 19-1 may be connected to the waste toner pipe 90. When the waste toner container 80 is mounted in the main body 1 , the waste toner inlet 82 may be connected to the waste toner pipe 90. A shutter that opens or closes the waste toner outlet 19-1 may be provided on the waste toner outlet 19-1. A shutter that opens or closes the waste toner pipe 90 may be provided on an end of the waste toner pipe 90 that is connected to the waste toner inlet 82. The shutter may open/close the waste toner pipe 90 in connection with an operation of attaching/detaching the waste toner container 80 to/from the main body 1.

[0030] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an example of the waste toner container 80 from which a cover 80-2 has been separated. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X1-X1' of FIG. 3. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an example of each of a plurality of conveying members 83. In FIG. 4, the plurality of conveying members 83 are omitted to illustrate the shape of a housing 80-1. Referring to FIGS. 3 through 6, the waste toner container 80 may include the housing 80-1 having an open top and accommodating waste toner, the cover 80-2 covering the top of the housing 80-1 and including the waste toner inlet 82 formed therein. The plurality of conveying members 83 can be provided within the housing 80-1 to convey waste toner.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 80-1 has the first length L1 in a first direction A1 , the second length L2 in a second direction A2 orthogonal to the first direction A1, and the third length L3 in the thickness direction. As described above, the third length L3 is less than the first length L1 and the second length L2. As a result, the waste toner container 80 can have a flat shape, and the waste toner container 80 having this shape may be arranged between the printing portion 2 and the paper feeding cassette 50.

[0032] In some examples, the waste toner inlet 82 is located at one side in the first direction A1 corresponding to the width direction W of the print medium P and at the same time at one side in the second direction A2 orthogonal to the width direction W of the print medium P. In other words, the waste toner inlet 82 can be provided at one side in a diagonal direction with respect to the first direction A1 and the second direction A2. This location of the waste toner inlet 82 can reduce a distance from the waste toner outlet 19-1 located on one side in the width direction W of the print medium P.

[0033] Waste toner introduced into the waste toner container 80 via the waste toner inlet 82 can accumulate on an area 86-1 below the waste toner inlet 82. The plurality of conveying members 83 are used to distribute (e.g., approximately evenly) the waste toner within the waste toner container 80. The plurality of conveying members 83 each extend in one direction among the first direction A1 and the second direction A2 and are arranged in the other direction among the first direction A1 and the second direction A2 to thereby convey the waste toner in the other direction among the first direction A1 and the second direction A2.

[0034] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the conveying members 83 according to the present example can each extend in the second direction A2 and can be arranged in the first direction A1 to convey waste toner in the first direction A1. The conveying members 83 can be rotatably provided on the housing 80-1. The housing 80-1 may include a plurality of concave portions 85 each extending in the second direction A2 and arranged in the first direction A1. The conveying members 83 may be provided on the concave portions 85. Each of the conveying members 83 may include a rotation shaft 83-1 extending in the second direction A2 and a wing portion 83-2 extending from the rotation shaft 83-1 in a radial direction. The wing portion 83-2 can be, for example, a film and may be coupled to the rotation shaft 83-1. The conveying member 83 having this shape is referred to as a paddle. A power delivering member 83-3 may be provided on one end of the rotation shaft 83-1. The power delivering member 83-3 may be, for example, a gear. In some examples, when the waste toner container 80 is mounted in the main body 1, a rotational force may be delivered from the main body 1 to the power delivering member 83-3, and the conveying member 83 may rotate. When the conveying member 83 rotates, waste toner can be conveyed in the first direction A1 by the wing portion 83-2.

[0035] To distribute the waste toner within the waste toner container 80, the waste toner can be conveyed at a particular rate (e.g., above a particular threshold rate) to an area 86-2 that is a particular direction and distance (e.g., diagonally farthest) from the waste toner inlet 82. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a plurality of guide ribs 84 guiding waste toner from the waste toner inlet 82 in a diagonal direction are provided in the waste toner container 80 according to the present example. The plurality of guide ribs 84, each extending in a diagonal direction, can be radially arranged from a vicinity of the waste toner inlet 82. In such an example, the waste toner that is conveyed by the conveying members 83 in the first direction A1 can be distributed by the guide ribs 84 also in the second direction A2. Thus, the waste toner may easily and effectively reach up to the area 86-2 diagonally farthest from the waste toner inlet 82.

[0036] The plurality of guide ribs 84 may be discontinuously arranged in the diagonal direction. In such an example, waste toner may be moved in the first direction A1 and the second direction A2 via gaps between the plurality of guide ribs 84 and may be distributed within the housing 80-1.

[0037] The guide ribs 84 may include first guide ribs 84-1 provided on the housing 80-1. The first guide ribs 84-1 may protrude upwards from the bottom of the housing 80-1, between the plurality of concave portions 85, and may each extend in the diagonal direction. In such an example, when a waste toner level within the waste toner container 80 is below a particular threshold, waste toner that is conveyed by the conveying members 83 in the first direction A1 may be guided by the first guide ribs 84-1 in the diagonal direction. The guide ribs 84 may include second guide ribs 84-2 provided on the cover 80-2. The second guide ribs 84-2 may protrude downwards from the bottom surface of the cover 80-2 and may each extend in the diagonal direction. In such an example, when the waste toner level within the waste toner container 80 heightens, waste toner may be guided by the second guide ribs 84-2 in the diagonal direction. [0038] The waste toner container 80 may include a waste toner full sensor 89 located within a particular threshold distance (e.g., near) the waste toner inlet 82 to sense whether the waste toner in the waste toner container 80 is above a particular threshold (e.g., full of waste toner). The waste toner full sensor 89 may be, for example, provided on the cover 80-2. The waste toner full sensor 89 may be, for example, a light sensor including a light-emission unit and a light-reception unit. The light-emission unit and the light-reception unit may be located apart from each other. When waste toner is interposed between the light-emission unit and the light-reception unit, the amount of light that is detected by the light-reception unit decreases. By monitoring the amount of light that is detected by the light-reception unit, the light sensor may sense whether waste toner has reached a threshold level. When the waste toner level within the waste toner container 80 increases and reaches the threshold level (e.g., a full level), a waste toner full signal can be generated by the waste toner full sensor 89. In some examples, when the waste toner full signal is generated, the image forming apparatus may display a message indicating that replacement of the waste toner container 80 may be desired, via a visual and/or auditory display device.

[0039] In some examples, the waste toner introduced into the housing 80-1 via the waste toner inlet 82 is conveyed diagonally by the plurality of conveying members 83 and the plurality of guide ribs 84. The waste toner may first accumulate on the area 86-2 located a threshold distance and direction (e.g., diagonally farthest) from the waste toner inlet 82 and may later (e.g., last) accumulate within a particular threshold distance (e.g., near) the waste toner inlet 82. When the waste toner full sensor 89 is arranged within the particular threshold distance the waste toner inlet 82, the waste toner container 80 can be filled (e.g., entirely and evenly) with waste toner, and a waste toner full state can be sensed by the waste toner full sensor 89. Accordingly, the probability of generation of an error in waste toner full sensing may be reduced, and the internal space of the waste toner container 80 may be utilized as a waste toner storage. [0040] In some examples, when the waste toner full sensor 89 is arranged on the housing 80-1, the waste toner full sensor 89 can be arranged to float over the bottom of the housing 80-1. In such an example, a structure for supporting the waste toner full sensor 89 can be provided on the bottom of the housing 80-1. This structure may impede waste toner conveyance. According to the present example, because the waste toner full sensor 89 is provided on the cover 80-2, the waste toner full sensor 89 can be at a location capable of waste toner full sensing, and, when a structure for supporting the waste toner full sensor 89 is provided on the cover 80-2, the structure may not impede waste toner conveyance.

[0041] FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an image forming apparatus according to an example. The image forming apparatus of FIG. 7 may be different from the electrophotographic image forming apparatus of FIG. 1 in that a duplex printing path 203 is included. Accordingly, members performing the same function are indicated by the same reference numeral, and repeated descriptions thereof are omitted. Differences between the image forming apparatuses of FIGS. 1 and 7 are the focus and are described.

[0042] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 7, the image forming apparatus may include the main body 1 including the printing portion 2, the paper feeding cassette 50 loading the print medium P to be supplied to the printing portion 2 and withdrawably provided below the printing portion 2, and the waste toner container 80 accommodating waste toner discharged from the printing portion 2. The waste toner container 80 can be located between the printing portion 2 and the paper feeding cassette 50. The waste toner container 80 can be partially exposed to the outside via the opening 1-3 provided on the second side 1-2 of the main body 1 so as to be attachable to/detachable from the second side 1-2 of the main body 1. For example, the waste toner container 80 may include the handle 81 exposed to the outside via the opening 1-3. A structure of the printing portion 2 and a structure of the waste toner container 80 can be the same as those described above with reference to FIGS. 1 through 6.

[0043] The image forming apparatus may include the duplex printing path 203. The duplex printing path 203 is a path for inverting the print medium P, one surface of which has already been printed on, and guiding the inverted print medium P to the printing portion 2. A selector 70 may be provided between the fixing device 40 and the discharge roller 104. The selector 70 may be switched to a discharge location (indicated by a solid line) for guiding, to the discharge roller 104, the print medium P discharged from the fixing device 40 and transported along the discharge path 202. The selector may be switched to a duplex printing location (indicated by a dashed line) for guiding, to the duplex printing path 203, the print medium P transported along the discharge path 202 in a reverse direction as the discharge roller 104 is reversely rotated. The selector 70 may be switched to the discharge location and the duplex printing location by an unshown actuator, for example, a solenoid actuator.

[0044] In some examples, the print medium P, one surface of which has already been printed on, is guided to the discharge roller 104 by the selector 70 positioned at the discharge location. The print medium P can be transported in a forward direction where the print medium P is discharged by the discharge roller 104 to the outside of the main body 1, namely, to the paper discharging tray 106. When a duplex printing mode is selected, the discharge roller 104 can be reversely rotated before the end of the print medium P passes through the discharge roller 104.The print medium P can be transported in a reverse direction that is opposite to the forward direction. In some examples, the selector 70 is positioned at the duplex printing location. The print medium P can be guided to the duplex printing path 203 by the selector 70. The print medium P can be transported by transporting rollers 105 along the duplex printing path 203. In some examples, while passing the duplex printing path 203, the print medium P is inverted such that the other surface thereof faces the photoconductive drum 11 and is guided to the printing path 201. The print medium P, the other surface of which has already been printed on, can be guided to the discharge roller 104 by the selector 70 positioned at the discharge location and can be discharged to the outside of the main body 1 by the discharge roller 104.

[0045] The duplex printing path 203 can be located between the printing portion 2 and the waste toner container 80. In other words, the waste toner container 80 can be located below the duplex printing path 203. In some examples, because the waste toner container 80 is attachable to/detachable from the second side 1-2, the duplex printing path 203 applied to the image forming apparatus having a structure in which the print medium P is transported along an S-shaped transporting path and the waste toner container 80 may be arranged to not interfere with each other. The waste toner outlet 19-1 and the waste toner inlet 82 may be located outside a width (may be the same as the width E2 of FIG. 3) of the duplex printing path 203 in the width direction W of the print medium P to reduce contamination of the print medium P that is transported along the duplex printing path 203 by the waste toner delivered from the waste toner outlet 19-1 to the waste toner inlet 82..

[0046] According to the aforementioned example, waste toner removed from the photoconductive drum 11 can be accommodated in the waste toner container 80. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited by this embodiment. For example, although not shown, a printing portion of an image forming apparatus that forms a color image may include a plurality of developing devices for forming toner images of different colors, and an intermediate transfer belt onto which a toner image can be temporarily transferred. In such an example, waste toner removed from the surfaces of a plurality of photoconductive drums and the surface of the intermediate transfer belt may be accommodated in a waste toner container. Moreover, in some examples in which an auto developer refill (ADR) developing method is employed, an excessive developer discharged from the developing devices may be accommodated in the waste toner container.

[0047] It should be understood that examples described herein should be considered in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Descriptions of features or aspects within each example should typically be considered as available for other similar features or aspects in other examples. While examples have been described with reference to the figures, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope as defined by the following claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A waste toner container comprising: a housing, comprising: an open top to accommodate waste toner; a first length in a first direction; a second length in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and a third length in a thickness direction, wherein the third length is less than the first length and the second length; a cover to cover the top of the housing and having a waste toner inlet at one side in a diagonal direction with respect to the first direction and the second direction; and a plurality of conveying members within the housing, each of the plurality of conveying members extending in one direction among the first direction and the second direction and arranged in the other direction among the first direction and the second direction to convey waste toner introduced via the waste toner inlet in the other direction among the first direction and the second direction.

2. The waste toner container of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of guide ribs to guide the waste toner from the waste toner inlet in a diagonal direction.

3. The waste toner container of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of guide ribs extends in the diagonal direction and is arranged radially from the waste toner inlet.

4. The waste toner container of claim 3, wherein the plurality of guide ribs is discontinuously arranged in the diagonal direction.

5. The waste toner container of claim 2, comprising: the housing having a plurality of concave portions on which the plurality of conveying members is arranged; the plurality of guide ribs having a plurality of first guide ribs on the housing and a plurality of second guide ribs on the cover; and the first guide ribs located between the plurality of concave portions.

6. The waste toner container of claim 1 , further comprising a waste toner full sensor located within a threshold distance of the waste toner inlet to sense whether waste toner in the waste toner container is above a particular threshold.

7. The waste toner container of claim 6, wherein the waste toner full sensor is located on the cover.

8. An image forming apparatus comprising: a main body comprising a printing portion to form an image on a print medium according to an electrophotographic method; a paper feeding cassette to load a print medium located below the printing portion, wherein the paper feed cassette is attachable to and detachable from a first side of the main body; and a waste toner container located below the printing portion and above the paper feeding cassette to accommodate waste toner discharged from the printing portion, wherein the waste toner container is attachable to and detachable from a second side of the main body that is opposite to the first side.

9. The image forming apparatus of claim 8, comprising: an opening on the second side, wherein the waste toner container is attachable to and detachable from the opening; and the waste toner container comprising a handle exposed to the outside via the opening.

10. The image forming apparatus of claim 8, comprising a duplex printing path located between the printing portion and the waste toner container, the duplex printing path to: invert the print medium, one surface on which has been printed; and guide the inverted print medium to the printing portion.

11. The image forming apparatus of claim 10, comprising: the printing portion having a waste toner outlet; the waste toner container having a waste toner inlet that is connected to the waste toner outlet; and the waste toner outlet and the waste toner inlet located outside a width of the duplex printing path in a width direction of the print medium.

12. An image forming apparatus comprising: a main body comprising a printing portion to form an image on a print medium; a paper feeding cassette to load a print medium located below the printing portion, wherein the paper feed cassette is attachable to and detachable from a first side of the main body; and a waste toner container located below the printing portion and above the paper feeding cassette to accommodate waste toner discharged from the printing portion, wherein the waste toner container is attachable to and detachable from a second side of the main body that is opposite to the first side; and wherein the waste toner container comprises: a waste toner inlet located at one side in a first direction corresponding to a width direction of the print medium and at one side in a second direction orthogonal to the width direction of the print medium; a plurality of conveying members each extending in one direction among the first direction and the second direction and arranged in the other direction among the first direction and the second direction to convey waste toner in the other direction among the first direction and the second direction; and a plurality of guide ribs to guide the waste toner from the waste toner inlet in a diagonal direction.

13. The image forming apparatus of claim 12, comprising: the waste toner container having a housing with an open top, and a cover to cover the top of the housing and having the waste toner inlet; and the plurality of guide ribs having a plurality of first guide ribs on the housing, and a plurality of second guide ribs provided on the cover.

14. The image forming apparatus of claim 13, comprising: the housing having a plurality of concave portions on which the plurality of conveying members is arranged; and the first guide ribs located between the plurality of concave portions.

15. The image forming apparatus of claim 12, wherein the waste toner container includes a waste toner full sensor located within a threshold distance of the waste toner inlet to sense whether the waste toner in the waste toner container is above a particular threshold.