Patent classifications
G03G2215/0154
TONER CASE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
A toner case includes a case main body, a cover, and a coil spring. The case main body is rotatable and has a toner containing space in which a toner is contained and an opening through which the toner is discharged from the toner containing space. The cover keeps a rotation stop state when the case main body rotates and has a communication space which communicates with the toner containing space via the opening. The coil spring is fixed to the cover so that at least a part of the coil spring is arranged in the communication space. The coil spring vibrates as the case main body rotates.
DAMPER MECHANISM AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS THEREWITH
A damper mechanism has first and second rail members, a biasing member, and a slide member. The first rail member is fixed inside the opening/closing member along the up/down direction, and has an oblong guide hole formed therein extending along the longitudinal direction. The second rail member has fixed to a top end part thereof an engaging pin inserted through the guide hole, and has a bottom end part swingably supported on the apparatus main body. The biasing member biases the first and second rail members in a direction in which these approach each other. The slide member is made of resin fixed to the engaging pin, slides while in contact with the first rail member and the opening/closing member, and prevents contact between the engaging pin and an inner circumferential rim of the guide hole.
Toner conveying device with vibration generator attached thereto and image forming apparatus including the same
A toner conveying device conveys toner supplied from outside. The toner conveying device includes a housing, a plurality of toner acceptors, a plurality of legs, a bracket, and a vibration generator. The housing has a toner conveyance path inside. The toner acceptors are provided on the housing to accept toner supplied from outside and guide the toner to the toner conveyance path. The legs are fixed near the toner acceptors on the housing, respectively, and protrude outward from a side surface of the housing. The bracket is supported by each of the legs. The vibration generator is attached to the bracket.
TONER CONVEYING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING TONER CONVEYING DEVICE
A toner conveying device conveys toner supplied from outside. The toner conveying device includes a housing, a plurality of toner acceptors, a plurality of legs, a bracket, and a vibration generator. The housing has a toner conveyance path inside. The toner acceptors are provided on the housing to accept toner supplied from outside and guide the toner to the toner conveyance path. The legs are fixed near the toner acceptors on the housing, respectively, and protrude outward from a side surface of the housing. The bracket is supported by each of the legs. The vibration generator is attached to the bracket.
IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier that carries a toner image on a surface thereof while rotating, from which the toner image is transferred to a transfer member; a scraper that comes into contact with an area of the surface of the image carrier from which the toner image has been transferred and that scrapes residue off the image carrier; and a flattening device that flattens a pile of residue that has been scraped off by the scraper and has accumulated.
Toner level sensing using toner container vibration
A system for an electrophotographic image forming device includes a toner container having a reservoir for storing toner and an impact member configured to selectively impart an impulse force on the toner container to cause vibration of the toner container. A sensor is configured to sense the vibration of the toner container upon the impact member imparting the impulse force on the toner container. Processing circuitry in communication with the sensor is configured to determine an estimate of an amount of toner in the reservoir based on the sensed vibration of the toner container.
Exposure device
An exposure device includes an exposure section, a weight, and an elastic portion. The exposure section includes plural light emitting elements arranged along an axial direction of an image holding member that is rotatable, is positioned with respect to the image holding member at both ends in the axial direction, and exposes the image holding member to light by emitting light to the image holding member. The weight is disposed so as to face the exposure section, and has a mass determined in advance. The elastic portion is elastic, and is disposed between the exposure section and the weight to support the weight so as to be vibratable.
EXPOSURE DEVICE
An exposure device includes an exposure section, a weight, and an elastic portion. The exposure section includes plural light emitting elements arranged along an axial direction of an image holding member that is rotatable, is positioned with respect to the image holding member at both ends in the axial direction, and exposes the image holding member to light by emitting light to the image holding member. The weight is disposed so as to face the exposure section, and has a mass determined in advance. The elastic portion is elastic, and is disposed between the exposure section and the weight to support the weight so as to be vibratable.
Damper mechanism and image forming apparatus therewith
A damper mechanism has first and second rail members, a biasing member, and a slide member. The first rail member is fixed inside the opening/closing member along the up/down direction, and has an oblong guide hole formed therein extending along the longitudinal direction. The second rail member has fixed to a top end part thereof an engaging pin inserted through the guide hole, and has a bottom end part swingably supported on the apparatus main body. The biasing member biases the first and second rail members in a direction in which these approach each other. The slide member is made of resin fixed to the engaging pin, slides while in contact with the first rail member and the opening/closing member, and prevents contact between the engaging pin and an inner circumferential rim of the guide hole.
Toner case and image forming apparatus with a vibrating coil spring in a toner communication space
A toner case includes a case main body, a cover, and a coil spring. The case main body is rotatable and has a toner containing space in which a toner is contained and an opening through which the toner is discharged from the toner containing space. The cover keeps a rotation stop state when the case main body rotates and has a communication space which communicates with the toner containing space via the opening. The coil spring is fixed to the cover so that at least a part of the coil spring is arranged in the communication space. The coil spring vibrates as the case main body rotates.