Patent classifications
G03G2215/085
DEVELOPER CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
A developer container includes: a case that stores developer and in which a developer outlet for discharging the developer is formed; a conveying spiral that is rotatably disposed in the case and rotates to convey the developer toward the developer outlet in an axial direction of the conveying spiral; a guide wall that is disposed along the conveying spiral and guides the developer in the axial direction of the conveying spiral; and a push member that is attached to the conveying spiral and rotates with the conveying spiral to push the developer into the developer outlet. A cutout is formed at a portion of the guide wall corresponding to the push member to form a guide portion that guides the developer to the developer outlet.
POWDER LEVELER, POWDER CONTAINER DEVICE, POWDER TRANSPORTER, AND POWDER HANDLING DEVICE
A powder leveler includes: a structure having an internal space in which powder moves; a sheet-shaped leveling member that rotates while having a first end thereof attached to a rotation shaft disposed inside the structure, and that comes into contact with part of the powder accumulating at a portion inside the structure close to a free end thereof located away from the rotation shaft to level out the powder; and an obstacle located inside the structure at a position on a rotation path of the leveling member to obstruct the rotation path, the obstacle allowing the leveling member to pass thereby while the leveling member is rotating and being bent as a result of partially coming into contact with the obstacle. The leveling member includes multiple first discontinuous portions in at least a range in which the rotation path is obstructed by the obstacle while the leveling member is rotating, the multiple first discontinuous portions extend inward from an end closer to the free end in a direction obliquely crossing an axis of the rotation shaft, and the first discontinuous portions have terminal ends located within the range.
DRUM CARTRIDGE AND DEVELOPING CARTRIDGE CAPABLE OF SUPPRESSING VARIATION IN POSITION OF ELECTRICAL CONTACT SURFACE
A drum cartridge includes: a drum frame to which a developing cartridge including a storage medium having an electrical contact surface is detachably attachable; a photosensitive drum; a transfer roller; and a conveying roller. The drum is rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction and positioned at one end portion of the frame in a second direction. The transfer roller is rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction and in contact with the drum. The conveying roller is rotatable about a third axis extending in the first direction and separated from the transfer roller in the second direction. A first opening of the frame is positioned between the transfer roller and the conveying roller in the second direction. The electrical contact surface is exposed to an outside through the first opening in a case where the developing cartridge is attached to the frame.
Toner cartridge attachable to image forming apparatus
Toner cartridge includes a housing, an agitator, an auger, a first protrusion, and a second protrusion. The housing includes a first toner accommodating portion having and a second toner accommodating portion. The auger is rotatable about a second axis extending in a first direction and is configured to convey toner from a first toner accommodating portion to the second toner accommodating portion. The first protrusion is positioned at a first side of the second toner accommodating portion. The first protrusion extends in the first direction. The second protrusion is positioned at a second side of the second toner accommodating portion and extends in the first direction.
Powder discharging structure and powder cylinder
A toner outlet structure includes: an outlet front cover communicating with a toner bottle containing toner, wherein the outlet front cover has a toner outlet; a toner lever rotatably arranged in the outlet front cover, wherein a plurality of blades are provided on the toner lever; and a toner outlet elastic sheet having a fixed end and a free end opposite to the fixed end, wherein the fixed end is fixed in the outlet front cover; the toner outlet elastic sheet extends in a circumferential direction of the toner lever, and extends into a circular track formed by rotation of the blades; wherein the blades rotate together with the toner lever to scrape the toner sent from the toner bottle to one side of the toner outlet elastic sheet; as the blades rotate, the blades contact and press the toner outlet elastic sheet.
FORMING ELECTROSTATIC LATENT IMAGES
A device to develop an electrostatic latent image in an imaging apparatus includes first and second passages coupled to each other through first and second openings to form a circulation passage. A first stir-and-transport member is located in the first passage and includes a first helical blade to stir and transport a developer from the first opening to the second opening along the first passage in a first direction and to supply the developer to a developing roller. A second stir-and-transport member is located in the second passage and includes a second helical blade to stir and transport the developer from the second opening to the first opening along the second passage in a second direction. A developer discharge pipe is coupled to the developer container to communicate with a downstream side of the first passage. The first stir-and-transport member includes a first reverse helical blade located downstream of the first helical blade and disposed downstream of the second opening. The pitch of the first reverse helical blade is between approximately 0.5 times and 1.5 times the pitch of the first helical blade.
DRUM CARTRIDGE AND DEVELOPING CARTRIDGE CAPABLE OF SUPPRESSING VARIATION IN POSITION OF ELECTRICAL CONTACT SURFACE
A drum cartridge includes: a drum frame to which a developing cartridge including a storage medium having an electrical contact surface is detachably attachable; a photosensitive drum; a transfer roller; and a conveying roller. The drum is rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction and positioned at one end portion of the frame in a second direction. The transfer roller is rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction and in contact with the drum. The conveying roller is rotatable about a third axis extending in the first direction and separated from the transfer roller in the second direction. A first opening of the frame is positioned between the transfer roller and the conveying roller in the second direction. The electrical contact surface is exposed to an outside through the first opening in a case where the developing cartridge is attached to the frame.
TONER CARTRIDGE ATTACHABLE TO IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
Toner cartridge includes a housing, an agitator, an auger, a first protrusion, and a second protrusion. The housing includes a first toner accommodating portion having and a second toner accommodating portion. The auger is rotatable about a second axis extending in a first direction and is configured to convey toner from a first toner accommodating portion to the second toner accommodating portion. The first protrusion is positioned at a first side of the second toner accommodating portion. The first protrusion extends in the first direction. The second protrusion is positioned at a second side of the second toner accommodating portion and extends in the first direction.
Imaging system with a developing chamber having a developer roller and multiple air passages
An imaging system includes a developing chamber, a first conveyance path, a second conveyance path, a first air passage and a second air passage. A developing roller located in the developing chamber carries a developer to a developing region where the developing roller is closest to an image carrier. A first stirring-conveying portion is located in the first conveyance path adjacent the developing roller to supply the developer to the developing roller. A second stirring-conveying portion is located in the second conveyance path adjacent the first conveyance path to circulate the developer between the second conveyance path and the first conveyance path. The first air passage has an inlet coupled to the developing chamber and an outlet coupled to the second conveyance path, and the second air passage has an inlet coupled to the second conveyance path and an outlet coupled to the developing chamber.
DRUM CARTRIDGE AND DEVELOPING CARTRIDGE CAPABLE OF SUPPRESSING VARIATION IN POSITION OF ELECTRICAL CONTACT SURFACE
A drum cartridge includes: a drum frame to which a developing cartridge including a storage medium having an electrical contact surface is detachably attachable; a photosensitive drum; a transfer roller; and a conveying roller. The drum is rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction and positioned at one end portion of the frame in a second direction. The transfer roller is rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction and in contact with the drum. The conveying roller is rotatable about a third axis extending in the first direction and separated from the transfer roller in the second direction. A first opening of the frame is positioned between the transfer roller and the conveying roller in the second direction. The electrical contact surface is exposed to an outside through the first opening in a case where the developing cartridge is attached to the frame.