1. An image recording apparatus, comprising:
a recording device configured to record an image on a recording medium in a recording space, the recording space being defined facing the recording device;
a cassette configured to accommodate the recording medium on which the image is to be recorded by the recording device;
a discharge tray configured to stack the recording medium on which the image has been formed by the recording device;
a conveying path along which the recording medium is conveyed from the cassette to the discharge tray via the recording space;
a conveyor configured to apply, to the recording medium, a conveying force for conveying the recording medium along the conveying path;
an electrical power supply configured to supply electrical power at least to the conveyor;
a cooling air flow path through which air for cooling the electrical power supply flows;
an air blower configured to apply a wind-force to air so as to cause the air to flow through the cooling air flow path;
a casing that accommodates the recording device, the cassette, the conveying path, the conveyor, the electrical power supply, the cooling air flow path and the air blower; and
an additional cassette device that is attached to a lower portion of the casing and is arranged under the casing in a vertical direction,
wherein the additional cassette device comprises:
an additional cassette configured to accommodate a recording medium on which an image is to be recorded by the recording device; and
an additional conveying path along which the recording medium accommodated in the additional cassette is conveyed to the conveying path,
wherein:
a relay path is provided in the casing such that an end of the relay path is connected to a downstream side end of the additional conveying path and an other end of the relay path flows into the conveying path;
the electrical power supply and the cooling air flow path are arranged in a lower region in the vertical direction with respect to the cassette, the conveying path and the recording device;
the recording device is located, in regard to the vertical direction, at a position higher than or equal to the cassette;
the electrical power supply and the cassette overlap each other in the vertical direction; and
the cooling air flow path is formed not to intersect with the relay path.
2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein:
each of the cassette and the additional cassette has a shape elongated in a direction equal to a conveying direction of the recording medium in the recording space; and
the cooling air flow path is formed to extend, in a horizontal plane, in a direction intersecting with the conveying direction of the recording medium in the recording space.
3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein, when one of walls of the casing extending in a vertical direction and in a direction parallel with a conveying direction of the recording medium in the recording space is defined as a casing front wall part, the other of the walls is fiend as a casing rear wall part, and a wall part of the additional cassette device arranged under the casing front wall part in the vertical direction is defined as a cassette front wall part,
a first insertion hole into which the cassette is inserted is formed in the casing front wall part,
a second insertion hole into which the additional cassette is inserted is formed in the cassette front wall part,
an air intake through which an air outside the casing is introduced into the cooling air flow path is formed in the casing front wall, and
an air outlet for the air flowing through the cooling air flow path is formed in the casing rear wall part.
4. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein:
the discharge tray is formed on a top face of the casing in the vertical direction;
the conveying path includes:
a horizontal path through which the recording medium is conveyed horizontally in the recording space;
a supply path through which the recording medium accommodated in the cassette is conveyed to the horizontal path; and
an ejection path through which the recording medium which has passed the horizontal path is conveyed.
5. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the air blower is arranged, in the cooling air flow path, on a downstream side in a direction in which the air flows, with respect to a region in which the electrical power supply is provided.
6. An image recording apparatus, comprising:
a recording device configured to record an image on a recording medium in a recording space, the recording space being defined facing the recording device;
a cassette configured to accommodate the recording medium on which the image is to be recorded by the recording device;
a discharge tray configured to stack the recording medium on which the image has been formed by the recording device is ejected;
a conveying path along which the recording medium is conveyed from the cassette to the discharge tray via the recording space;
a conveyor configured to apply, to the recording medium, a conveying force for conveying the recording medium along the conveying path;
an electrical power supply configured to supply electrical power at least to the conveyor;
a cooling air flow path through which air for cooling the electrical power supply flows;
an air blower configured to apply a wind-force to air so as to cause the air to flow through the cooling air flow path; and
a casing that accommodates the recording device, the cassette, the conveying path, the conveyor, the electrical power supply, the cooling air flow path and the air blower,
wherein:
a recording medium introducing hole through which the recording medium is inserted into an inside of the casing from an outside is provided at a bottom constituting a lower surface of the casing in a vertical direction;
a relay path is provided in the casing such that an end of the relay path is connected to the recording medium introducing hole and an other end of the relay path flows into the conveying path;
the electrical power supply and the cooling air flow path are arranged in a lower region in the vertical direction with respect to the cassette, the conveying path and the recording device;
the recording device is located, in regard to the vertical direction, at a position higher than or equal to the cassette;
the electrical power supply and the cassette overlap each other in the vertical direction; and
the cooling air flow path is formed not to intersect with the relay path, and extends, in a horizontal plane, to intersect with the conveying direction of the recording medium in the recording space.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An electrophotographic marking system comprising:
a developer station and a cleaning station, said developer and cleaning stations comprising a waste toner dispensing unit,
said waste toner dispensing unit comprising a plurality of collection tubes configured to convey waste toner from said developer and cleaning stations to a waste collection assembly,
said waste collection assembly comprising a funnel portion configured to feed waste toner to a controlled drop gate that is configured to transport said waste toner to a collection bag,
said controlled drop gate comprising a hinged blade that is connected to a motor and a controller, said controller configured to open said blade at a fixed time or times, to allow waste toner to drop into and be collected by said collection bag,
wherein said controlled drop gate transports waste toner into said collection bag while turning off any pressure existing in an adjacent waste collection assembly thereby preventing said pressure from entering said collection bag.
2. The marking system of claim 1 wherein said system comprises a plurality of xerographic stations or structures each having at least one of said plurality of collection tubes.
3. The marking system of claim 1 wherein said system is a color marking system comprising a plurality of color stations, each said station comprising at least one of said plurality of collection tubes.
4. The marking system of claim 1 wherein said system is a monochromatic marking system with at least one of said plurality of collection tubes.
5. The marking system of claim 1 wherein said waste collection assembly is configured to be easily retrofitted into existing electrophotographic marking systems.
6. A toner waste collection assembly comprising a controller, a motor and collection tubes running from an electrophotographic marking system to a toner collection funnel in said assembly,
said toner collecting funnel connecting said collection tubes to a controlled drop gate, said controlled drop gate configured to transport waste toner to a disposable and replaceable collection bag,
said controlled drop gate comprising a hinged blade that is connected to said motor and controller, said controller configured to opening said blade at a fixed time or times, said opening configured to allow waste toner to drop into said collection bag,
wherein said controlled drop gate transports waste toner into said collection bag while turning off any pressure existing in an adjacent waste collection assembly thereby preventing said pressure from entering said collection bag.
7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein said controlled drop gate is configured when in a closed position to prevent toner from entering said collection bag.
8. The assembly of claim 6 wherein said collection bag is located above a weight scale, said scale configured to indicate when said collection bag is filled with waste and needs to be replaced.
9. The assembly of claim 6 wherein said collection bag has an opening configured to accept waste toner transported by said controlled drop gate.
10. The assembly of claim 6 wherein said controlled drop gate is hinged to permit easy opening when toner is to be dropped into said collection bag.
11. The assembly of claim 6 configured to transport waste toner into a collection bag while at the same time maintaining only atmospheric pressure in said collection bag.
12. The assembly of claim 6 wherein a weight scale is positioned below said collection bag and is configured to indicate the weight of said collection bag with said toner waste.
13. The assembly of claim 6 wherein a motor is connected to said controller, said motor configured to both energize said controlled drop gate and shut down said controlled drop gate when instructed to do so by said controller.