| Entries |
| Document | Title | Date |
|---|
| 20080205940 | Developer Cartridge, Developing Unit and Image Forming Apparatus Including the Same - A developer cartridge includes a cartridge cabinet including a developer accommodating chamber configured to accommodate developer, and a supply opening that is provided in one wall surface and is configured to supply the developer from an inside of the developer accommodating chamber to an outside of the developer accommodating chamber, a rotational shaft that is rotatably supported in the cartridge cabinet, extends parallel to the one wall surface and extends through the inside of the developer accommodating chamber, an agitating blade that is supported by the rotational shaft and rotates with the rotational shaft to supply the developer toward the supply opening while agitating the developer, and an obstruction member that is supported by the rotational shaft and rotates with the rotational shaft following the agitating blade to obstruct the supply opening during rotation of the rotational shaft. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20080226352 | Process cartridge and image forming apparatus - When starting driving of an agitating unit or a developing roller in an image forming apparatus, rotation speed of one or both of the agitating unit and the developing roller is raised in a stepwise manner until the agitating unit and the developing roller attain a steady rotation speed. When stopping the driving of the agitating unit or the developing roller, the rotation speed is lowered in a stepwise manner until completion of stop of the driving. | 09-18-2008 |
| 20080247784 | DEVELOPER CONTAINER, DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND PROCESS CARTRIDGE - A developer container for an image forming apparatus includes a developer accommodating chamber, provided with an opening, for accommodating a developer to be supplied to the opening; a feeding member, provided in the developer accommodating chamber and having an elasticity, for feeding the developer by rotation thereof; a deforming portion, provided in the developer accommodating chamber and contactable to the feeding member, for deforming the feeding member against the elasticity with the rotation of the feeding member; and a restoration portion for permitting the feeding member deformed by the deformed portion to restore elastically, thereby to throw the developer toward the opening, wherein a boundary portion between the deformed portion the restoration portion is disposed below a lower end of the opening. | 10-09-2008 |
| 20080279595 | TONER CARTRIDGE - The toner cartridge is provided with: a toner storing container of a rectangular shape having a toner feeding opening in an angular portion thereof; and a stirring conveying member that is rotatably disposed inside the toner storing container in a predetermined rotation direction and that stirs and conveys toner toward the toner feeding opening in the toner storing container. Compression ratio defined by the following equation (1) of the toner stored in the toner storing container is 0.25 to 0.38. | 11-13-2008 |
| 20080286014 | DEVELOPER STORAGE CASE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer storage case includes: a storage case that includes a discharge opening formed in the horizontal direction side surface thereof, that is formed in a flat shape having a horizontal direction width larger than the vertical direction height thereof, and that stores a developer therein; a delivery member that has a center of rotation disposed shifted to the discharge opening, that is rotatably supported on one end wall of the storage case, and that delivers the developer stored within the storage case; and a drive transmission member that is supported on the end portion of the delivery member, and that drives and rotates the delivery member. | 11-20-2008 |
| 20080298846 | TONER BOTTLE AND APPARATUS FOR IMAGE FORMATION - A toner bottle for containing toner has a cylindrical body and a scraper. The bottle body can be rotated on its axis by a driving source. The scraper is supported movably in the bottle body. The bottle body has an opening and ribs. The toner in the toner bottle is supplied through the opening to a developing unit. When the bottle body rotates, the ribs convey the toner toward the opening. The scraper includes a shaft and a scraping part. The shaft extends over the whole length of the bottle body and supports the scraping part. A portion of the scraping part is in contact with the inner cylindrical surface of the bottle body. When the bottle body rotates, the scraper moves perpendicularly to the axis of the body. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20080317512 | Developer Cartridge and Developing Device - A developer cartridge and developing device are provided. The developer cartridge is attachable to and detachable from a developing housing, the developing housing supporting a developer carrier and comprising a drive gear for transmitting a driving force to the developer cartridge. The developer cartridge includes a cartridge housing that is configured to accommodate developer, an agitator that is provided in the cartridge housing and is configured to agitate the developer by the driving force, a transmission gear that is configured to mesh with the agitation gear, the transmission gear meshing with the drive gear when the developer cartridge is installed in the developing housing, and a supporting member that is configured to support the transmission gear movably with respect to the agitation gear while the transmission gear meshes with the agitation gear. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090060588 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING TONER CARTRIDGE - A toner cartridge includes a toner receptacle that houses toner, a plurality of stirring members housed in the toner receptacle, a plurality of gears meshing with each other on outside of the toner receptacle, and a phase display section. The stirring members are arranged next to each other in the toner receptacle and rotate to stir the toner. Each of the stirring members has a scraper that scrapes off the toner adhering to an inner surface of the toner receptacle. The gears rotate to rotate the stirring members in an interlocked manner with each other. The phase display section shows a meshing position of the gears so that the gears mesh with each other at a position where a phase difference along a rotating direction of the stirring members occurs between the scrapers of the stirring members that are next to each other. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090060589 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING TONER CARTRIDGE - A toner cartridge has first and second toner hosing portions configured to house toner. The first toner housing portion has a first bottom part that is arcuately curved. The second toner housing portion has a second bottom part that is arcuately curved. The second bottom part is next to the first bottom part and is situated at a position lower than the first bottom part. A third bottom part is provided between the first bottom part and the second bottom part. The third bottom part has a toner discharge port. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090067888 | TONER CONTAINER HAVING TONER AGITATING FUNCTION - A toner container is mounted to an image forming apparatus in a state of containing toners. The toner container includes: a container body for containing toners; and an agitating unit provided in the container body for agitating the toners. The agitating unit includes: a cylindrical member having a cylindrical peripheral wall and rotating about an axis of cylinder; an opening formed in the cylindrical peripheral wall for allowing the toners to pass through; and a conveying section for conveying the toners in a direction of the axis of the cylindrical member. | 03-12-2009 |
| 20090087226 | Developer Cartridge, Developing Device, Process Cartridge and Image Forming Apparatus - A developer cartridge includes a housing attachable to and detachable from a developing device and accommodating developer and an agitator agitating the developer in the housing and supplying the developer to the developing device through a supply opening of the housing. The agitator includes a rotation shaft, a support plate, a delivery agitation blade supported by the support plate and passing through a position opposing the supply opening along an inner surface of the housing by rotation of the rotation shaft, an entire width of a first end portion of the delivery agitation blade being supported by a distal end portion of the support plate, and an oblique agitation blade erected from a surface of the support plate and oblique to the rotation shaft in order to move the developer in an axial direction of the rotation shaft toward the supply opening. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090087227 | Developer Cartridge, Developing Device, and Process Cartridge - A developer cartridge includes a housing for accommodating developer, a rotation shaft rotatably supported by the housing and passing across an inside of the housing, a supply opening formed in a wall of the housing opposite in a diameter direction of the rotation shaft, a return opening formed in a wall of the housing at a position displaced from the supply opening in an axial direction of the rotation shaft, a first agitation blade supported by the rotation shaft and passing through a position opposite the return opening along an inner surface of the housing from an above to a below of the position opposite the return opening along with a rotation of the rotation shaft, and a second agitation blade supported by the rotation shaft and passing through a position opposite the supply opening along an inner surface of the housing. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090087228 | Developer transportation device and image forming apparatus - A developer transportation device includes a storage portion for storing developer; a transportation member formed of an elastic material and disposed in the storage portion to be freely rotatable for transporting the developer upon rotating; and a rotation transmission member for transmitting a rotation to the transportation member. The transportation member may be provided with an abutting portion abutting against a wall portion of the storage portion when the transportation member rotates. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090087229 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND PROCESS CARTRIDGE - A developing device including a flexible agitating blade attached to an agitating member is described. The developing device may receive developer from a developer cartridge via a replenishing port. The replenishing port may be configured to prevent the flexible agitating blade from flinging toner outside of the developing device. In one example, an upstream opening of the replenishing port may be located such that, when a free end of the flexible agitating blade rotates to the opening, the surface of the agitating member has rotated to vertical or inclined downward. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090097886 | TONER CARTRIDGE - There is provided a toner cartridge capable of suppressing the use of the toner cartridge beyond its lifetime due to excessive refilling of toner, the toner cartridge including a housing | 04-16-2009 |
| 20090103955 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING THE SAME - A toner cartridge in a bottle shape for storing toner is composed of a first cylindrical portion having a blocked bottom wall at one end and an opening at the other end and a second cylindrical portion in which one end thereof is connected to the opening, and an opening for ejecting toner is formed at the other end, and the outside diameter thereof is smaller than the first cylindrical portion. | 04-23-2009 |
| 20090129828 | DEVELOPER CONTAINING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SUCH DEVICE - A developer containing device includes: a developer container having an opening through which developer can be filled in; a closing member that is removably installed to the developer container to close the opening; a stirring and feeding member that is rotatably supported in the closing member and stirs and feeds the developer contained in the developer container by rotating in one direction; and a fitting part that fixes the closing member to the developer container by rotating the closing member in the same direction as the rotational direction of the stirring and feeding member. | 05-21-2009 |
| 20090136266 | DEVELOPER CONTAINER AND METHOD FOR FILLING THE SAME - A developer container includes: a container chamber that has a container space for containing a developer; and an conveyance member having a rotation shaft and a spiral member and which rotates inside the container space about the rotation shaft, the spiral member being spirally extended to hold a first angle to an axial direction of the rotation shaft, and the spiral member being provided with a plurality of low-angle portions, wherein at least one of the low-angle portions is provided in each unit segment which is equivalent to one turn of the spiral member about the rotation shaft, and an amount of a developer contained in the container space is enough to constantly bury any of the plurality of low-angle portions in the developer under a condition that the axial direction of the rotation shaft is held to be horizontal inside the container space. | 05-28-2009 |
| 20090142104 | TONER CONTAINER, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING TONER CONTAINER - A toner container installed in an image forming apparatus, the toner container including a toner container main body having a predetermined length and which accommodates toner, a mixer which stirs the toner in the toner container main body, a discharge port through which the toner in the toner container main body is discharged from the toner container main body, a screw having one end projected from one end surface of the toner container main body, the screw being rotated to convey the toner from the toner container main body to the discharge port, a coupling portion provided at the one end of the screw and rotated by a driving portion provided in the image forming apparatus, and a protruding portion provided on an outer peripheral surface of the coupling portion. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090148194 | Toner cartridge - The present disclosure relates to a toner cartridge with a toner level detector mechanism. The toner level detector mechanism according to the present disclosure includes a construction that is easy to assemble and manufacture. | 06-11-2009 |
| 20090162107 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner cartridge has a toner storage chamber, a discharge outlet, a conveying screw, and a blocking wall. The discharge outlet serves to send out toner stored in the toner storage chamber, and the conveying screw serves to convey the toner stored in the toner storage chamber. Further, before the toner cartridge mounted into an image forming apparatus, the blocking wall is located in a space between a toner area, which is an area in the toner storage chamber where the toner exists, and the discharge outlet, thereby putting the space in a blocked state. The toner cartridge further includes a driving mechanism for, when the toner cartridge has been mounted into the image forming apparatus, driving the conveying screw by power transmitted from the image forming apparatus, so as to cancel the blocked state. | 06-25-2009 |
| 20090169268 | ROTARY MOUNTING STRUCTURE FOR TONER CARTRIDGE - A toner cartridge comprising a rotary | 07-02-2009 |
| 20090180817 | METHOD AND TONER BOTTLE FOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF EFFECTIVELY SUPPLYING TONER TO IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The toner bottle exchangeably used in an image forming apparatus. The toner bottle includes a bottle body having a substantially cylindrical shape and configured to contain toner, a gear configured to rotate a part of the toner bottle, a cap attached to the bottle body and including an opening arranged in a circumferential surface of the cap and configured to output toner to a development apparatus of the image forming apparatus, a toner conveyance mechanism arranged in the bottle body and configured to convey the toner to the opening. | 07-16-2009 |
| 20090185833 | Developer holding apparatus, developing apparatus, and image forming apparatus - A developer holding apparatus holds developer therein. The developer is discharged through a discharging opening. An agitator includes shaft portions and an agitating portion. A bearing member includes a bearing hole formed therein. One of the shaft portions is rotatably received in the bearing hole. The bearing hole has a larger diameter than the shaft portions. A hollow body is rotatable in the developer holding apparatus and the agitator rotates in the hollow body. | 07-23-2009 |
| 20090220285 | TONER CARTRIDGE, DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS ALLOWING ACCURATE CONTROL OF TONER REPLENISH AMOUNT - A toner cartridge includes: a toner holding container having an outlet formed thereon; a partition wall separating the inside of toner holding container to a toner discharging portion in which the outlet is formed and a toner stirring portion other than the toner discharging portion; a toner discharging member axially and rotatably supported in the toner discharging portion for carrying the toner contained in the toner discharging portion to the outlet; a toner stirring member axially and rotatably supported in the toner stirring portion for stirring and carrying to the toner discharging portion the toner in the toner stirring portion; and an upper lid with a recess formed to surround, like a tunnel, the toner discharging member at a portion above the outlet, together with the partition wall and the toner holding container. | 09-03-2009 |
| 20090245885 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developing device includes a developing agent carrying body that carries toner, a toner supply member that supplies toner to the developing agent carrying body, a regulating member that regulates an amount of toner present on the developing agent carrying body, a developing chamber having the developing agent carrying body, the toner supply member and the regulating member, and a replaceable toner cartridge that supplies toner to the developing chamber and collects the toner from the developing chamber. When the toner cartridge is replaced with a toner cartridge storing new toner, the new toner is supplied to the developing chamber from the toner cartridge. The new toner and the toner remaining in the developing chamber are agitated to form agitated toner, and the agitated toner is collected in the toner cartridge from the developing chamber. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090257785 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - An image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor drum, a charger, an exposure device, a developing device, a toner cartridge for supplying toner to the developing device, a transfer device and a fusing device. The toner cartridge includes a toner container, a toner discharge port, a toner agitator, a toner discharger having a toner conveyor, a toner discharger partition that separates the toner container into compartments on the toner agitator side and on the toner discharger side. The toner conveyor is constructed such that its screw pitch becomes greater as it becomes more distant from the toner discharge port along the axial direction of the rotational axis of the toner discharger. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090290911 | TONER CONTAINER - A toner container installed in an image forming apparatus includes a toner container main body having a predetermined length and in which toner is accommodated, a discharge port through which the toner is discharged from the toner container main body, a shutter which opens and closes the discharge port, a handle provided on the toner container main body, and a pressed portion provided on the toner container main body and which is pressed by the image forming apparatus to project the handle out from the image forming apparatus. | 11-26-2009 |
| 20100003057 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - An image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor drum, a charger, an exposure device, a developing device, a toner cartridge, a transfer device and a fusing device. The toner cartridge includes a toner container, a toner discharge port, a toner agitator, a toner discharger having a toner conveyor. The toner discharger includes a toner discharger rotary shaft for supporting toner conveyor portion, and the toner discharger rotary shaft is formed to be smaller in diameter as it goes farther in its axial direction from the toner discharge port. | 01-07-2010 |
| 20100061772 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - An image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor drum, a charger, an exposure device, a developing device, a toner cartridge for supplying toner to the developing device, a transfer device and a fixing device. The toner cartridge includes: a toner container, a toner discharge port, a toner discharger having a toner agitator. The toner discharger includes a toner discharger rotary shaft, around which a helical magnet is provided; and magnetic particles that form a helical magnetic brush along the magnet on the surface of the toner discharger rotary shaft. | 03-11-2010 |
| 20100104327 | Developing Cartridge for Image-Forming Device and Method of Manufacturing the Same - A developing cartridge includes: a casing configured of a first frame and a second frame with a space formed therebetween; and a developer-carrying member that is supported in the first frame and that is configured to carry developer. The first frame includes a bottom wall and a pair of side walls erected from both sides of the bottom wall and has a box shape that is open on a side opposite the bottom wall. The second frame is mounted over the pair of side walls so as to cover the open side of the first frame and has a partition extending into the space formed in the casing. The partition contacts the bottom wall of the first frame and spans between the pair of side walls of the first frame, thereby separating the space within the casing into a first chamber on a side near the developer-carrying member and a second chamber on a side far from the developer-carrying member. Developer is accommodated in the first chamber only. | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100111574 | TRANSPORT MEMBER FOR POWDER TRANSPORT, DEVELOPING POWDER ACCOMMODATION CONTAINER, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A transport member for a powder transport includes a revolving shaft, a transport part that extends in a helical shape relative to an axial direction of the revolving shaft, includes one end part with a free end and the other end part at an opposite side of the one end part, and transports a powder at the time of revolution of the revolving shaft, and one support part that supports the other end part of the transport part by being arranged with the revolving shaft, wherein the transport part is not supported by another support part that is arranged at an phase angle between the one support part and the another support part of 90 degrees or more, in a direction of the revolving shaft. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100196059 | TONER SUPPLY APPARATUS - A toner supply apparatus is installed detachably in an image forming apparatus. The toner supply apparatus includes a container body which accommodates toner, and an agitating member which is disposed inside the container body and is driven to rotate so as to agitate toner. The agitating member includes a drive member which is driven to rotate and a film member which is fixed on the drive member, and the film member covers the periphery of the drive member in a tubular fashion. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100202803 | Developer-Accommodating Vessel and Developing Device - A toner cartridge is mountable on a process cartridge. The process cartridge includes a supply roller. The toner cartridge includes a first accommodating unit and an agitating member. The first toner accommodating unit has a peripheral surface in which an inner hollow space for accommodating a toner is formed. The agitating member is disposed in the first toner accommodating unit and rotates in a rotating direction to agitate the toner. The peripheral surface has a wall portion formed with a first supply-hole at an upstream side in the rotating direction. The wall portion is curved about a reference line as a center of curvature and depressed inward the first toner accommodating unit. The reference line is outside of the first toner accommodating unit in a radial direction of the agitating member and extending in a prescribed direction. | 08-12-2010 |
| 20100254732 | METHOD AND TONER BOTTLE FOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF EFFECTIVELY SUPPLYING TONER TO IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The toner bottle exchangeably used in an image forming apparatus. The toner bottle includes a bottle body having a substantially cylindrical shape and configured to contain toner, a gear configured to rotate a part of the toner bottle, a cap attached to the bottle body and including an opening arranged in a circumferential surface of the cap and configured to output toner to a development apparatus of the image forming apparatus, a toner conveyance mechanism arranged in the bottle body and configured to convey the toner to the opening. | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100278566 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE, DEVELOPING DEVICE AND TONER CARTRIDGE - An image forming device has: a developing cartridge for developing an electrostatic latent image on an image carrying member and a toner cartridge. The developing cartridge contains a developing roller and a single auger. The toner cartridge is detachably attached to the developing cartridge and containing toner. The toner cartridge has an agitation mechanism that agitates the toner, a conveyance mechanism that conveys the toner to the agitation mechanism, and two ports, the two ports being aligned in the axial direction and communicated with the developing cartridge, respectively. The toner cartridge and the developing cartridge are arrayed side by side in a horizontal direction. The toner cartridge has a shape having a vertical cross section in which a horizontal length is greater than a vertical length. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20100310276 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner cartridge includes: a toner storing unit configured to store a toner; and an agitation paddle configured to rotate a spiral section, which extends in a spiral shape with a rotation axis as a spiral center, in the toner storing unit with the rotation axis as a rotation center to thereby agitate the toner in the toner storing unit. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20100310277 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - According to one embodiment, a toner cartridge includes a housing, plural paddles and an auger. The housing contains a toner and has a shape spreading in a gravity direction in a state of being supported in an image forming apparatus. The plural paddles agitate the toner in an area including a bottom surface of the housing in the gravity direction in the state of being supported in the image forming apparatus. The auger delivers the toner agitated by the plural paddles. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20100310278 | TONER SUPPLY CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner supply container that has: a container body that contains toner therein; and a conveyance member that is rotatably arranged inside the container body and conveys the toner toward a discharge opening of the container body when driven to rotate by external force, wherein the conveyance member includes (i) a cylindrical rotary body and (ii) a screw blade member that is wound around the cylindrical rotary body in such a manner that the screw blade member stands on an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical rotary body, an inner surface of a bottom wall of the container body includes a cylindrically curved surface that is identical to a part of a circumferential surface of an imaginary cylinder whose axis is substantially the same as a rotation axis of the conveyance member, and a curvature radius of the cylindrically curved surface is set such that the conveyance member is driven to rotate in a state where an outer circumferential edge of the screw blade member substantially slides on the cylindrically curved surface | 12-09-2010 |
| 20110002714 | CONVEYANCE MEMBER, DEVELOPER CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS - A conveyance member includes: a rotational shaft; a support portion that extends from the rotational shaft in a direction crossing an axial direction of the rotational shaft; and an arcuate member that includes one end that is supported by the support portion, and another end that extends in a direction different from the rotational direction, wherein a distance between an outer edge of the arcuate member at the other end and the rotational shaft is longer than a distance between an outer edge of the arcuate member at the one end and the rotational shaft. | 01-06-2011 |
| 20110002715 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - A toner cartridge includes: a toner storing portion for storing toner; a toner discharger having a toner discharge port; a screw auger having a rotary shaft and a helical blade for conveying the toner in the toner storing portion to the toner discharger; and an inner shutter that sections between the toner storing portion and the toner discharger. The inner shutter is provided so as to be movable to such a position as to create communication between the toner storing portion and the toner discharge port in linkage with rotation of the screw auger. | 01-06-2011 |
| 20110008076 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - According to one embodiment, a toner cartridge includes a cartridge body, a stirring member configured to stir toner contained in the cartridge body, and a scraping member having elasticity. The stirring member includes a rotation shaft contained in the cartridge body, and plural stirring rods protruded from the rotation shaft and arranged in an axial direction of the rotation shaft. The stirring rods have tips opposite to an inner surface of the cartridge body. The tips of the stirring rods are separate from each other. The scraping member extends in the axial direction of the rotation shaft to scrape toner adhered to the inner surface of the cartridge body, and includes plural elastically deformable strips divided along the axial direction of the rotation shaft. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110013946 | CONVEYANCE MEMBER, DEVELOPER CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS - A conveyance member includes: a rotating shaft; a plurality of support members that extend from the rotating shaft in a direction crossing an axial direction of the rotating shaft; and a plurality of arcuate members each having one end supported respectively by one of the support members, and having another end extending in a direction other than the axial direction so as to form an arc, wherein: when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, there are a plurality of overlapping areas in which adjacent arcuate members overlap in the axial direction; and a length of at least one of the plurality of overlapping areas close to one end of the rotating shaft is greater than a length of each of the overlapping areas in the axial direction toward another end of the rotating shaft. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110026974 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A toner stirring section provided in a toner cartridge includes a first rotating body and a second rotating body. The first rotating body is rotated around an axis J | 02-03-2011 |
| 20110026975 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - A toner cartridge includes: a toner storing portion for storing toner; a toner discharging portion having a toner discharge port; and a screw auger having a rotary shaft and a helical blade for conveying the toner in the toner storing portion to the toner discharging portion. The helical blade includes a first helical blade portion located over the toner discharge port and a second helical blade portion located in the toner storing portion. The first toner thrust face of the first helical blade portion, located on the downstream side with respect to the toner conveying direction is formed at a first inclination angle to the axial direction of the rotary shaft. The second toner thrust face of the second helical blade portion, located on the downstream side with respect to the toner conveying direction is formed at a second inclination angle to the axial direction of the rotary shaft. The first inclination angle is formed to be smaller than the second inclination angle. | 02-03-2011 |
| 20110052269 | TONER CONTAINER - A toner container installed in an image forming apparatus includes a toner container main body having a predetermined length and in which toner is accommodated, a discharge port through which the toner is discharged from the toner container main body, a shutter which opens and closes the discharge port, a handle provided on the toner container main body, and a pressed portion provided on the toner container main body and which is pressed by the image forming apparatus to project the handle out from the image forming apparatus. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110064481 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - A toner cartridge includes a container for containing toner, a toner discharge section having a toner discharge port, an auger screw provided in the container, for conveying toner in the container to the toner discharge section, a shutter for opening and closing the toner discharge port, and a toner flowing-out preventing member provided in a communicating part between the container and the toner discharge section, for preventing flowing out of toner by closing an opening of the communicating part. The toner flowing-out preventing member is configured so as to open the opening in conjunction with an opening operation of the shutter. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110064482 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - A toner cartridge includes a toner container for containing toner, a toner discharge section provided on one side part of the toner container and having a toner discharge port, an auger screw provided in the toner container, for conveying toner in the toner container to the toner discharge section, and a toner flowing-out preventing valve provided in a communicating part between the toner container and the toner discharge section to prevent flowing out of toner. The toner flowing-out preventing valve is configured to open and close the communicating part in conjunction with rotation of the auger screw. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110076063 | DEVELOPER STORAGE CASE HAVING A DISCHARGE OPENING OF A FLAT SHAPE - A developer storage case includes: a storage case that includes a discharge opening formed in the horizontal direction side surface thereof, that is formed in a flat shape having a horizontal direction width larger than the vertical direction height thereof, and that stores a developer therein; a delivery member that has a center of rotation disposed shifted to the discharge opening, that is rotatably supported on one end wall of the storage case, and that delivers the developer stored within the storage case; and a drive transmission member that is supported on the end portion of the delivery member, and that drives and rotates the delivery member. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110081170 | TONER CARTRIDGE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - A toner cartridge includes a container body and a screw conveyer section. The screw conveyer section includes a rotation shaft and a toner conveying blade. The toner rotation shaft includes a first rotation shaft portion and a second rotation shaft portion concentrically communicated to the first rotation shaft portion and having a diameter smaller than that of the first rotation shaft portion. The toner conveying blade includes a first blade portion formed on the first rotation shaft portion, and a second blade portion formed on the second rotation shaft portion, a period of a spiral of the second blade portion winding around the second rotation shaft portion being smaller than a period of a spiral of the first blade portion winding around the first rotation shaft portion. | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110081171 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A toner cartridge includes a toner container that contains a toner, an auger screw, a toner discharge port, a shutter, an internal opening/closing valve and a stirring paddle. The internal opening/closing valve is provided as a member for closing the toner discharge port, in addition to the shutter. The shutter is fixed to a position at which the toner discharge port is always opened in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted in the image forming apparatus. The internal opening/closing valve is provided at a position facing the toner discharge port of a driving side end of a rotation shaft of the auger screw. The internal opening/closing valve is composed of a rectangular sheet member having flexibility, and closes the toner discharge port by blocking the entire toner discharge port. | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110103845 | DEVELOPER UNIT FOR AN IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer unit for an image forming apparatus is provided. The developer unit includes a developer device with a developer agent carrier, a developer agent container arranged in an upper position with respect to the developer device. The developer agent container is formed to have a fitting wall, which is curved inward at a position to be adjacent to the developer device. The developer agent container includes an agitator, which is rotated to sweep an inner surface of the fitting wall and stir developer agent in the developer agent container. The fitting wall is formed to have a first feeding hole and a first collecting hole. A first angle between a direction, in which the first collecting hole is oriented, and a vertical direction is larger than a second angle between a direction, in which the first feeding hole is oriented, and the vertical direction. | 05-05-2011 |
| 20110103846 | Developer storage container, developing device and image forming apparatus - A developer storage container includes a developer storage portion that stores a developer and has an opening for supplying the developer. An agitating-and-supplying member is rotatably provided in the developer storage portion. The agitating-and-supplying member has a shaft portion and an agitating portion. The agitating portion has a fixed end and a distal end opposite to each other. The fixed end of the agitating portion is fixed to the shaft portion. The agitating portion has an area corresponding to the opening. In the area, a distance between a center axis of the shaft portion and the distal end of the agitating portion is longer than a distance between the center axis of the shaft portion and an outer wall of the developer storage portion. | 05-05-2011 |
| 20110176839 | IMAGE FORMING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming unit including a toner supplier that comprises a cylindrical conveying passage member and a toner conveying rotational body that is inserted into the cylindrical conveying passage member, includes first/second spiral blades formed on different areas of a rotational axis in an axis direction, wound in directions opposite to each other and is rotated so that the first/second spiral blades convey toner in convergent directions. The rotational axis is inclined such that the second spiral blade is higher than the first spiral blade, and the cylindrical conveying passage member comprises a fresh toner receiving opening that receives fresh toner, a collected toner receiving opening that receives collected toner, and a toner supplier opening disposed at a position where the fresh toner conveyed by the first spiral blade and the collected toner conveyed by the second spiral blade meet, so as to supply the toner to the developer. | 07-21-2011 |
| 20110188896 | DEVELOPING UNIT, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND PROCESS CARTRIDGE - A developing unit includes: a developer carrier; a toner supplying member having a porous surface layer; a toner storage storing therein toner; a stirring member that is rotated to stir the toner; a toner amount detecting unit that detects an amount of the toner; a toner supplying unit that supplies new toner to the toner storage based on a detection result; and a toner removing member that removes the toner carried in the porous surface layer, wherein the toner removing member is arranged in a separable and contactable manner from and with the porous surface layer, and the developing unit has a stirring mode in which the toner removing member is brought into contact with the porous surface layer, and the toner supplying member is rotated while the stirring member is rotated to stir the toner. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110194876 | DEVELOPER SUPPLY CONTAINER - If a user is not familiar with the operation for the developer supply container, the rotating operation for the developer supply container may be insufficient, so that developer supply container does not reach a predetermined operating position, with the result of abnormal developer supply. by increasing a rotation load of a second gear | 08-11-2011 |
| 20110222917 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A toner cartridge comprising a toner cartridge body, a screw shaft, a paddle member, and a toner inflow block piece coupled to a part of the paddle member, wherein the toner cartridge body includes therein a toner storage section being a large-capacity space where the paddle member is disposed and most of the toner is stored; and a toner conveying passage being a small-capacity space where the screw shaft is disposed, the toner conveying passage being adjacent to and communicating with the toner storage section and having a toner discharge port disposed on an one end side in a longitudinal direction of the toner conveying passage, the toner inflow block piece is disposed at a block position where an inflow of the toner in the toner conveying passage toward the toner discharge port is blocked while the toner cartridge body is yet to be attached to an image forming apparatus, and rotates together with the paddle member so as to be away from the block position while the toner cartridge body is attached to the image forming apparatus. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110229212 | TONER DISCHARGE MECHANISM, TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE TONER CARTRIDGE - A toner discharge mechanism which is attached to a toner cartridge includes an auger screw for conveying and discharging a toner stored in the toner cartridge, the auger screw having an end portion downstream thereof, the end portion forming a taper portion having a predetermined length and an outer diameter diminishing toward a tip thereof; a cover member for covering the taper portion, the cover member having a conical inner wall configured to correspond to a taper shape of the taper portion; and a toner discharge outlet formed on the cover member. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110229213 | TONER DISCHARGING DEVICE, TONER CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner discharging device, a toner cartridge, and an image forming apparatus in which the occurrence of the locking phenomenon is prevented are provided. A toner discharging device includes a discharge container including a wall portion which defines an inner space and has a reception port and a discharge port, and a discharge member which includes an inner spiral blade moving toner in a direction H | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110255906 | Developer storage body, developing device and image forming apparatus - A developer storage body includes a developer storage portion storing a developer and having an elongated shape, an outlet opening provided at a substantially center portion of the developer storage portion in a longitudinal direction of the developer storage portion, inclined portions provided on both end portions of the developer storage portion in the longitudinal direction, a rotation member rotatably provided in the developer storage portion, and a film member provided on the rotation member. The film member is brought into contact with the inclined portions when the rotation member rotates. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110255907 | TONER DISCHARGING DEVICE, TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner discharging device, a toner cartridge and an image forming apparatus in which occurrence of a locking phenomenon can be suppressed are provided. A toner discharging device includes a discharge container having a wall portion which defines an internal space thereof and has a reception port and a discharge port, and a discharge member including a rotation shaft and a discharge blade as a decay spiral blade. At least a part of the wall portion of the discharge container surrounds the discharge blade along an axial line direction of the rotation shaft, and the discharge port is formed on the part of the wall portion. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110305486 | TONER CONVEYING APPARATUS, TONER CARTRIDGE AND CLEANING UNIT HAVING THE TONER CONVEYING APPARATUS - A toner conveying apparatus comprising:
| 12-15-2011 |
| 20120008989 | DEVELOPER STORAGE CONTAINER, IMAGE FORMING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer storage container includes a developer storage portion in which a developer is stored, the developer storage portion having a wall, a rotating body rotatably provided in the developer storage portion, and an agitating plate that engages the rotating body and agitates the developer at least in the vicinity of the wall. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120039636 | DEVELOPING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A developing unit of an image forming apparatus includes a developer cartridge detachably mounted on the developing unit, a developing case in which a developing member and a first supply member are provided, a developer supply passage to supply a developer stored in the developer cartridge to the developing case, and a developer supplement unit mounted in a portion connecting the developing case and the developer supply passage, to agitate the developer supplied through the developer supply passage and to supply the agitated developer to the developing case. | 02-16-2012 |
| 20120141171 | METHOD AND TONER BOTTLE FOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF EFFECTIVELY SUPPLYING TONER TO IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The toner bottle exchangeably used in an image forming apparatus. The toner bottle includes a bottle body having a substantially cylindrical shape and configured to contain toner, a gear configured to rotate a part of the toner bottle, a cap attached to the bottle body and including an opening arranged in a circumferential surface of the cap and configured to output toner to a development apparatus of the image forming apparatus, a toner conveyance mechanism arranged in the bottle body and configured to convey the toner to the opening. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120155926 | TONER STIRRING MEMBER AND TONER CARTRIDGE INCLUDING THEREOF - A toner stirring member | 06-21-2012 |
| 20120243913 | TONER TRANSPORTATION DEVICE, TONER CASE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING TONER TRANSPORTATION DEVICE - A toner transportation device includes a toner case and a drive section. The toner case includes a main body containing toner, and an agitating unit rotatably mounted in the main body that agitates the toner. The drive section includes a driving unit driving the agitating unit, a detection unit detecting a driving unit driving state, and a control unit able to transmit a drive instruction signal to the driving unit and receive a detection signal regarding the driving unit driving state from the detection unit. The control unit determines whether the toner case is in an overload state in accordance with a detection signal reception state. The control unit performs a retry control, causing the driving unit to repeatedly rotate the agitating unit forward and backward when the control unit determines that the toner case is in an overload state. | 09-27-2012 |
| 20120243914 | TONER CASE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND METHOD OF DRIVING TONER CASE - A toner case includes a main body that contains toner, a discharge port located in the main body through which toner is discharged, an agitating unit rotatably positioned in the main body for agitating the toner, a transportation unit rotatably positioned in the main body for transporting the toner toward the discharge port, and a driving unit that drives the transportation unit and the agitating unit. The driving unit is rotatable forward and backward. When the driving unit rotates in one rotation direction, the agitating unit and the transportation unit rotate. When the driving unit rotates in the other rotation direction, the transportation unit does not rotate and the agitating unit rotates in the same direction as a direction in which the agitating unit rotates when the driving unit rotates in the one rotation direction. | 09-27-2012 |
| 20120328336 | ROTATION TRANSMISSION UNIT, REPLACEMENT UNIT, DEVELOPER CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A rotation transmission unit includes a driving unit that provides a rotational power; a rotation transmission member that is rotated due to reception of the rotational power transmitted from the driving unit; a rotation member that is rotated due to reception of a rotation of the rotation transmission member; a locking groove that is formed at one of the rotation transmission member and the rotation member; and a locking member that is arranged at the other of the rotation transmission member and the rotation member. Wherein, a surface of the locking member on the locking groove side is plane. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20130028639 | ROTATION RESTRICTING MEMBER, MECHANICAL DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - The present invention provides a rotation restricting member that includes, a shaft that is inserted into a shaft insertion hole with a predetermined angle relationship, and a plurality of rotation restriction portions, each of which is formed at a different position around the shaft insertion hole and performs a rotation restriction function of the shaft by engaging with an external portion, where the shaft insertion hole is set to have a shape of the shaft and is formed around the shaft with a different angle corresponding to the shape of the shaft to allow any of the plurality of rotation restriction portions to engage with the external portion. | 01-31-2013 |
| 20130034371 | TONER CARTRIDGE - A toner cartridge comprises a toner container which contains toner, a driving member which rotationally drives a conveying member, an agitating member which agitates a toner in the toner container while being rotated, a driven member which rotates in association with the driving member which is for rotationally driving the agitating member, and a rotational body which rotates according to rotation of the driven member, has a plurality of slits in rotational circumference for identifying a type of the toner cartridge, and has 1/K or more of the slits when a ratio of a rotational speed R | 02-07-2013 |
| 20130149011 | CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A cartridge detachably attachable to an image forming apparatus includes a developer storage chamber partitioned into a first storage portion and a second storage portion and configured to store a developer, a replenishment opening disposed in the second storage portion, through which the developer passes from inside the developer storage chamber to outside the developer storage chamber, and a conveyance member disposed in the second storage portion and configured to convey the developer in a predetermined conveying direction, the conveyance member including a first conveyance portion located on an upstream side of the replenishment opening to convey the developer in the conveying direction, and a second conveyance portion located on a downstream side of the replenishment opening to convey an amount of a developer smaller than that of the developer conveyed by the first conveyance portion in the conveying direction. | 06-13-2013 |
| 20130170873 | TONER DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR A SHAKE-FREE TONER CARTRIDGE - A toner delivery system for a shake-free toner cartridge comprises a toner paddle assembly having a plurality of scrapers. A main scraper scrapes toner adhering to interior surfaces and directs toner from a first region of the toner reservoir into the opening in a first portion of the front of the housing. A secondary scraper positioned adjacent with the main scraper scrapes and directs toner from a second region of the toner reservoir into the first region. A side scraper scrapes toner adhering to interior surfaces of respective side walls of the housing. | 07-04-2013 |
| 20130170874 | PADDLE ASSEMBLY FOR A SHAKE-FREE TONER CARTRIDGE - A paddle assembly for a shake-free toner cartridge comprises a toner paddle having a plurality of scrapers. When installed in a toner cartridge, a main scraper scrapes toner adhering to interior surfaces and directs toner from a first region of the toner reservoir into the opening in a first portion of the front of the housing. A secondary scraper positioned adjacent with the main scraper scrapes and directs toner from a second region of the toner reservoir into the first region. A side scraper scrapes toner adhering to interior surfaces of respective side walls of the housing. | 07-04-2013 |
| 20130170875 | TONER VESSEL HAVING IMPROVED PADDLE FOR BREAKING COMPACTED TONER - A toner paddle for a toner vessel containing toner according to one example embodiment includes a drive shaft defining an axis of rotation for the paddle. The paddle also includes a first set of radially aligned breaker bars, a second set of radially aligned breaker bars radially offset from the first set of breaker bars by about 90 degrees, and a third set of radially aligned breaker bars radially offset from the second set of breaker bars by about 180 degrees. Each of the sets of breaker bars includes a plurality of radially extending breaker bars axially spaced along the drive shaft. The rotation of the drive shaft results in the rotation of the sets of breaker bars into, through, and out of engagement with the toner within the vessel. | 07-04-2013 |
| 20130259537 | POWDER ACCOMMODATION CONTAINER, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND MANUFACTURING METHOD OF THE IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A powder accommodation container includes an accommodation container body, a regulation member, and a transport member. The accommodation container body has a hole portion to outside and accommodates powder. The regulation member is provided in the hole portion to regulate a passage of the powder accommodated in the accommodation container body. The transport member is arranged in an inside of the accommodation container body to rotate about a rotating shaft and to transport the powder in the inside of the accommodation container body. The transport member has one end side in a short direction that is arranged on the rotating shaft and the other end side that is a free end, the free end includes a flexible member that is in contact with the accommodation container body to be flexed. The flexible member is locatable to face the hole portion. | 10-03-2013 |
| 20130322929 | POWDER ACCOMMODATION CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A powder accommodation container includes an accommodation container body that accommodates powder, a transport member and a discharge port. The transport member is arranged in an inside of the accommodation container body, rotates about a rotating shaft, and transports powder in the inside of the accommodation container body. The discharge port is provided on the accommodation container body and discharges the powder accommodated in the accommodation container body to an outside of the accommodation container body. The transport member includes a first transport piece transporting the powder toward the discharge port at a position corresponding to the discharge port, and a second transport piece arranged on a downstream side in a rotating direction of the rotating shaft than the first transport piece. The second transport piece has a length that is in non-contact with the inner surface at an immediate downstream of the discharge port in the rotating direction. | 12-05-2013 |
| 20140003844 | DEVELOPER STORAGE BODY, IMAGE FORMING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | 01-02-2014 |
| 20140037342 | TONER CASE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner case includes a main body, a cover, a rotating member, an agitating member, a protrusion arrangement part and a depression arrangement part. The main body has a first wall, a second wall, a third wall, a fourth wall, a bottom board, an opening at an upper side and a toner discharge port discharging a toner stored inside to an outside. The protrusion arrangement part is formed on one of an upper face facing upward formed in the first or second wall and a lower face facing to the upper face formed in the cover. The protrusion arrangement part has a plurality of protrusions arranged in the direction from the third wall to the fourth wall. The depression arrangement part is formed on another of the upper and lower faces. The depression arrangement part has a plurality of depressions, into which the protrusions insert, arranged in the direction. | 02-06-2014 |
| 20140044459 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND TONER CASE - An image forming apparatus includes a toner case and an attachment member. The toner case has a transmission coupling. The attachment member has a drive coupling, an advance/retreat member and a lever. The advance/retreat member advances and retreats between a first position and a second position being closer to the drive coupling than the first position. The lever is moved between a first operation position to move the advance/retreat member to the first position and a second operation position to move the advance/retreat member to the second position. When the toner case is attached to the attachment member, the toner case engages with the advance/retreat member. In this time, when the lever is moved from the first operation position to the second operation position, the toner case together with the advance/retreat member approaches to the drive coupling and the transmission coupling is connected to the drive coupling. | 02-13-2014 |
| 20140064796 | TONER CASE INCLUDING CONVEYING MEMBER ATTACHED TO CASE BODY AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING TONER CASE - A toner case includes a case body, a cover, and a conveying member. The cover covers the outer surface of a wall at an end of the case body. The conveying member, including a first attaching assembly, a second attaching assembly and a linking assembly, is rotatably attached to the case body and feeds toner. The first attaching assembly is rotatably attached to the wall. The second attaching assembly is rotatably attached to a wall at the other end of the case body. One end and the other end of the linking assembly are respectively linked to the first attaching assembly and second attaching assembly. One end is slidable in the longitudinal direction of the conveying member. The linking assembly rotates together with the first and second attaching assemblies. The first attaching assembly engages the cover's inner surface, preventing the first attaching assembly from coming off the one-end wall. | 03-06-2014 |
| 20140072348 | TONER ANTI-BRIDGING AGITATOR FOR AN IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - A removable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having an inner volume forming a toner reservoir and a channel for accumulating toner. The removable unit further includes an auger for advancing toner within the channel. The auger has a rotational axis and a flight. An agitator is pivotally mounted within the toner reservoir. The agitator has at least one agitating member extending near the auger and a cam surface operatively connected to the at least one agitating member and positioned to engage the auger. When the auger rotates, the flight of the auger engages the cam surface causing pivotal movement of the agitator to move the at least one agitating member to agitate toner accumulated near the auger. | 03-13-2014 |
| 20140086640 | Developer Container - A developer container including: a housing including an inner surface that defines a filling port for filling developer; a cap mounted to the housing and sealing the filling port; and an agitating member having a rotary shaft and configured to be rotated about the rotary shaft to agitate the developer in the housing, wherein a first end portion of the rotary shaft is supported by the inner surface of the housing and the cap mounted to the housing. | 03-27-2014 |
| 20140147175 | DEVELOPER STORAGE CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH SAME - A developer storage container includes a container main body, a tubular portion projecting from the container main body, and a rotary member extending from the container main body to the tubular portion. The rotary member includes a first section located in the container main body and a second section located in the tubular portion. A first conveying member for conveying developer in a first conveying direction is arranged on the second section of a rotary shaft, and a second conveying member for conveying the developer in a second conveying direction is arranged radially outwardly of the first conveying member around the first section. A first flexible member radially extending to a side outward of the second conveying member and a second flexible member radially extending to a side outward of the second conveying member and having a shorter length than the first flexible member are mounted on the rotary shaft. | 05-29-2014 |
| 20140169838 | DEVELOPER SUPPLY CONTAINER AND DEVELOPER SUPPLYING SYSTEM - A developer supply container detachably mountable to a developer receiving apparatus and settable in a developer receiving apparatus by a setting operation including at least a rotation toward a setting position, includes a containing portion for containing the developer; a rotatable discharging member for discharging the developer out of said containing portion; drive transmitting means, engageable with a driving gear provided in said developer receiving apparatus and rotatable in a direction opposite the setting direction, for transmitting a rotating force from said driving gear to said discharging member. | 06-19-2014 |
| 20140193178 | TONER CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH THE TONER CONTAINER - A movable member installed in a bottom portion of a housing is configured such that, if the amount of a toner existing within the housing is equal to or larger than a predetermined amount, the movable member lies down in a lying-down position where the movable member extends along an inner wall surface of the bottom portion of the housing and, if the amount of the toner existing within the housing is less than the predetermined amount, the movable member moves from the lying-down position to a protruding position where at least a portion of the movable member protrudes from the inner wall surface of the bottom portion of the housing. A stirring sheet is configured such that, if the stirring sheet moves in a state that an engaging portion engages with the movable member, the base end portion of the stirring sheet is detached from the shaft. | 07-10-2014 |
| 20140199097 | Toner Delivery System for a Shake-Free Toner Cartridge - A toner delivery system for a shake-free toner cartridge comprises a toner paddle assembly having a plurality of scrapers. A main scraper scrapes toner adhering to interior surfaces and directs toner from a first region of the toner reservoir into the opening in a first portion of the front of the housing. A secondary scraper positioned adjacent with the main scraper scrapes and directs toner from a second region of the toner reservoir into the first region. A side scraper scrapes toner adhering to interior surfaces of respective side walls of the housing. | 07-17-2014 |
| 20140241759 | TONER CASE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner case includes a case main body and an agitating member. The case main body contains a toner. The agitating member agitates the toner contained in the case main body by rotating along an inner surface of the case main body. A rib is protruded on the inner surface of the case main body along a rotation direction of the agitating member. The agitating member is provided with a slit extending along the rotation direction and located at a position corresponding to the rib. | 08-28-2014 |
| 20140321886 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A toner cartridge includes a toner container to store toner and two rotary agitation members to rotate to agitate toner in the toner container. The toner container has two arc-shaped portions adjacent to each other at an inner bottom wall of the toner container. The two rotary agitation members has edges to rotate along the two arc-shaped portions with rotation phases thereof shifted from each other. The two rotary agitation members are placed with rotation trajectories thereof partially overlapping each other. | 10-30-2014 |
| 20140334850 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is a toner cartridge capable of preventing occurrence of toner discharge failure when a toner discharge section is below a toner storage section. A toner cartridge includes a toner storage container having a toner storage section and a toner discharge section, a toner stirring member provided in the toner storage section, and a toner discharge member provided in the toner discharge section. The toner stirring member includes a rotating shaft member rotatably supported by the toner storage section, a first blade portion having a first base end portion fixed to the rotating shaft member and a first free end portion coming into contact with an inner surface of the toner storage section, and a second blade portion having a second base end portion fixed to the rotating shaft member and a second free end portion not coming into contact with the inner surface of the toner storage section. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20140348551 | TONER HOUSING CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner housing container includes: container body; conveying portion; pipe receiving port; and uplifting portion. Container body includes; protruding portion protruding from container body interior side of container opening portion to one end of container body; and shutter member moving between closing and opening positions to close and open container opening portion. Uplifting portion includes: uplifting wall surface extending from container body internal wall surface toward protruding portion; and curving portion curving to conform to protruding portion. Shutter member moves from closing to opening position upon push by conveying pipe. When toner housing container is mounted on toner conveying device, protruding portion is present between curving portion and toner receiving port of conveying pipe inserted and extends along shutter member moving region. Toner has bulk density of ≦0.399 g/cm | 11-27-2014 |
| 20140348552 | REPLENISHING DEVELOPER HOUSING CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A replenishing developer housing container according to the present invention includes: a container body housing a replenishing developer; a conveying portion; a pipe receiving port; and an uplifting portion, wherein the replenishing developer contains a toner and a carrier, wherein the container body includes a protruding portion protruding from a container body interior side of the container opening portion toward one end of the container body and a curving portion curving so as to conform to the protruding portion, wherein the uplifting portion includes an uplifting wall surface extending from an internal wall surface of the container body toward the protruding portion, wherein the protruding portion is provided such that when the replenishing developer housing container is mounted on the replenishing developer conveying device, the protruding portion is present between the curving portion and the replenishing developer receiving port of a conveying pipe being inserted. | 11-27-2014 |
| 20140348553 | Image Forming Apparatus and Cartridge for the Use Therewith - An image forming apparatus and a cartridge for use therewith are provided. The image forming apparatus includes a main body; a cartridge that stores a developer; a supporting member that receives the cartridge; and a side cover that covers the supporting member, where the supporting member is rotatably supported by the main body. The supporting member pivots between a reception position at which the cartridge is received into the main body and an exposure position at which the cartridge is exposed from the main body. | 11-27-2014 |
| 20150063878 | AGITATING MECHANISM, TONER CONTAINER, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An agitating mechanism according to one aspect of the present disclosure is disposed in a toner container in which toner is stored. The agitating mechanism includes a rotation shaft member. The rotation shaft member is configured to support an agitating member that agitates the toner. The rotation shaft member is provided, together with the agitating member, in the toner container so as to be rotatable. The rotation shaft member has a through hole that passes through the rotation shaft member in a first direction orthogonal to a rotation axis direction. | 03-05-2015 |
| 20150071685 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Toner cartridge and image forming apparatus are provided capable of reducing rotation torque on startup even if a toner is solidified. The toner cartridge includes a toner stirring member having a rotating shaft and a stirring blade; a toner discharge member having a spiral-shaped conveyance blade attached to a conveyance shaft; a second gear having a bearing projection protruding radially inwardly from an inner peripheral surface of an annular base part, which is rotatably supported in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft; an abutment member protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft, against which the bearing projection abuts under rotation of the second gear; first and third gears for transmitting rotation of the second gear to the conveyance shaft; and a rotationally driving section for imparting a rotating force to the second gear. | 03-12-2015 |
| 20150093154 | TONER CONTAINER, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A toner container according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a container body, a rotating member, a conveying member, a film member, and a stepped portion. Container body can store toner thereinside. Container body includes toner conveying path having supply opening through which toner is supplied to the outside. Rotating member is rotatably provided in container body. Rotating member rotates to scoop, into toner conveying path, toner stored in container body. Conveying member is rotatably provided in toner conveying path. Conveying member rotates to convey, toward the supply opening, toner in toner conveying path. Film member is mounted to an inner wall which extends from toner conveying path to an inner side of container body, and projects toward a region in which rotating member rotates. Stepped portion is provided in the inner wall. Stepped portion forms, between stepped portion and film member, a space having a predetermined height. | 04-02-2015 |
| 20150117909 | DEVELOPER CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A developer container includes a container housing for storing developer, a cylinder section projecting from the container housing and including a developer discharge port, and a rotary member for conveying the developer to the discharge port. The rotary member includes a rotary shaft rotatably supported and having a first part located in the container housing and a second part located in the cylinder section, and a resilient member projecting from the second part of the rotary shaft in a radial direction of rotation of the rotary member and facing the developer discharge port. The resilient member includes a tip end operable to protrude radially outward out of the developer discharge port after rubbing an inner surface of the cylinder section as the rotary shaft of the rotary member makes rotation. | 04-30-2015 |
| 20150147097 | IMAGE FORMING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming unit includes an image carrier, a developer carrier carrying a developer for developing images by attaching the developer to electrostatic latent images on the image carrier, a developer supply member for supplying the developer to the developer carrier, a first developer container having an opening, for containing the developer, a second developer container reserving the developer supplied via the opening from the first developer container, and a stirring member disposed rotatably in a prescribed rotation direction around a rotation axis in the first developer container for stirring the developer. The stirring member comprises a first elastic member extending in a first direction, and a second elastic member extending in a second direction as different direction from the first direction, and the second elastic member is disposed on a downstream side of the first elastic member in the rotation direction of the stirring member. | 05-28-2015 |
| 20150293475 | TONER CARTRIDGE - A toner cartridge comprises a toner container which contains toner, a driving member which rotationally drives a conveying member, an agitating member which agitates a toner in the toner container while being rotated, a driven member which rotates in association with the driving member which is for rotationally driving the agitating member, and a rotational body which rotates according to rotation of the driven member, has a plurality of slits in rotational circumference for identifying a type of the toner cartridge, and has 1/K or more of the slits when a ratio of a rotational speed R1 (rad/s) of the driving member and a rotational speed R2 (rad/s) of the driven member is K=R2/R1. | 10-15-2015 |
| 20150301478 | Detecting A Developing Cartridge - A developing cartridge is provided. The developing cartridge includes a housing which accommodates developer therein, a receiving member which receives a driving force output member provided in an image forming apparatus, a developing roller which rotates by the driving force received by the receiving member, and a detectable rotary member including a detectable portion, which is a detection target to be detected by a detection member provided in the image forming apparatus, and a contact portion which is provided away from the detectable portion. The detectable rotary member rotates from a retreat position to an initial position where the detectable rotary member is rotated by the driving force received by the receiving member, by the contact portion contacting an interference member fixed in the image forming apparatus in a process of mounting the developing cartridge into the image forming apparatus. | 10-22-2015 |
| 20150301480 | TONER STORAGE DEVICE, TONER CARTRIDGE, IMAGE FORMING UNIT, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is a toner storage device comprising: a toner storage case for storing toner; and a stirring paddle which is configured to be rotatably supported in the toner storage case and which comprises: at least one stirring blade configured to stir the toner stored in the toner storage case; and a rotating shaft configured to rotate said at least one stirring blade, wherein the toner storage case comprises: a first supporting portion that rotatably supports an end of the rotating shaft of the stirring paddle; a second supporting portion that rotatably supports an other end of the rotating shaft; and a tapered portion that is tapered toward the first supporting portion. | 10-22-2015 |
| 20150301481 | TONER CARTRIDGE, IMAGE FORMING UNIT, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is a toner cartridge comprising: a toner storage case configured to store toner; and an auger screw rotatably supported in the toner storage case and configured to convey the toner stored in the toner storage case, wherein the toner storage case comprises: a first supporting portion that rotatably supports a downstream end along a toner conveyance direction of the auger screw; a second supporting portion that rotatably supports an upstream end along the toner conveyance direction of the auger screw; a discharge port provided at a downstream side along the toner conveyance direction and below the first supporting portion so as to discharge therefrom the toner conveyed by the auger screw; and an inclined portion that is provided above the discharge port and inclines by a predetermined angle from a plane perpendicular to a rotating shaft of the auger screw toward an upstream side along the toner conveyance direction. | 10-22-2015 |
| 20150355575 | ANGLED TONER PADDLES FOR A REPLACEABLE UNIT OF AN IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner and an outlet for exiting toner from the housing. A channel in fluid communication with the outlet has an inlet positioned between the first end and the second end of the reservoir. A rotatable auger is positioned along the channel. Paddles extend from a rotatable shaft in the reservoir. A first set of one or more paddles are positioned between a first end of the reservoir and the inlet of the channel and a second set of one or more paddles are positioned between a second end of the reservoir and the inlet of the channel. The first and second sets of paddles are angled to direct toner away from the first end and the second end of the reservoir, respectively, and toward the inlet of the channel. | 12-10-2015 |
| 20160018783 | Process Cartridge - A process cartridge includes: a drum cartridge including a photoconductor; a development cartridge configured to be detachably attached to the drum cartridge and including a developer carrying member for supplying developer to the photoconductor; a locking member provided on the drum cartridge and configured to be switchable between a locking position in which the development cartridge attached to the drum cartridge is in a locked state and restrained from being moved in a removing direction in which the development cartridge is removed from the drum cartridge and a lifting position in which the locked state is released and the development cartridge is movable in the removing direction, and a retaining member configured to retain the development cartridge which has been moved from the locked state in the removing direction by switching the locking member from the locking position to the lifting position. | 01-21-2016 |
| 20160048093 | Cap Configuration for a Toner Cartridge - Aspects described herein relate to a cap for a toner cartridge. In one example, the cap may be configured to close a toner supply opening of the toner cartridge. According to one or more aspects, the cap may include a sealing or covering portion configured to cover the toner supply opening and a shaft portion for rotatably supporting a to-be-detected rotary member. The to-be-detected rotary member | 02-18-2016 |
| 20160054683 | TONER CASE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A toner case according to the present invention includes a toner supplying portion, a screw portion | 02-25-2016 |
| 20160179033 | TONER CONTAINER, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS TO WHICH TONER CONTAINER IS ATTACHED | 06-23-2016 |
| 20170235250 | DEVELOPER SUPPLY CONTAINER | 08-17-2017 |
