Image forming apparatus including developing device and developer containing device

• US 20040161261A1
• Filed: 02/19/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Kasahara, Nobuo, Matsumoto, Junichi, Iwata, Nobuo, Muramatsu, Satoshi
• Granted Patent: US 6,882,812 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/120
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/08 using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0896 Arrangements or disposition of the complete developer unit or parts thereof not provided for by groups G03G15/08 - G03G15/0894
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/163 for the developer unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/18 Cartridge systems

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a main body. The apparatus includes an image carrier, a developing device, a cleaning device that removes a waste toner on the image carrier, a developer supply device that supplies a developer to the developing device, a developer discharging device that discharges an excess developer from the developing device, and a developer containing device. The developer containing device includes an opening facing the developer supply device, a developer storing section that stores the developer supplied to the developer supply device through the opening, and a waste developer storing section that stores the excess developer and waste toner. The developer containing device is detachably attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus, and when the developer containing device is detached from the main body for replacement, the waste developer storing section is detached from the main body together with the developer containing device.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus including a main body, comprising:

an image carrier configured to carry a latent image on a surface of the image carrier;

a developing device configured to develop the latent image on the image carrier with a developer including toner and carrier and to form a toner image on the surface of the image carrier;

a transfer device configured to transfer the toner image from the image carrier to a transfer material;

a cleaning device configured to remove a waste toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier after the toner image is transferred from the image carrier to the transfer material by the transfer device;

a developer supply device configured to supply the developer to the developing device;

a developer discharging device configured to discharge an excess developer from the developing device;

a developer containing device configured to contain the developer to be supplied to the developing device by the developer supply device, the developer containing device including,

an opening facing the developer supply device;

a developer storing section configured to store the developer supplied to the developer supply device through the opening; and

a waste developer storing section configured to store the excess developer discharged from the developing device by the developer discharging device and to store the waste toner removed from the surface of the image carrier by the cleaning device,

wherein at least the image carrier, the developing device, the developer supply device, and the developer containing device are positioned substantially parallel to each other, and the developer containing device is detachably attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus, and when the developer containing device is detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus for replacement of the developer containing device by a new developer containing device, the waste developer storing section is configured to be detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus together with the developer containing device.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the developer containing device is formed from a cartridge.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising,

an excess developer conveying device configured to convey the excess developer discharged from the developing device by the developer discharging device to the waste developer storing section;

and

a waste toner conveying device configured to convey the waste toner removed from the surface of the image carrier by the cleaning device to the waste developer storing section.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising,

an excess developer conveying device configured to convey the excess developer discharged from the developing device by the developer discharging device to the waste developer storing section;

and

a waste toner conveying device configured to convey the waste toner removed from the surface of the image carrier by the cleaning device,

wherein the waste toner conveying device is merged with the excess developer conveying device, and the excess developer conveying device is configured to convey the excess developer and waste toner to the waste developer storing section after the waste toner conveying device is merged with the excess developer conveying device.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the excess developer conveying device and the waste toner conveying device are provided at one side of the image carrier, the developing device, the developer supply device, and the developer containing device.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the excess developer conveying device and the waste toner conveying device are provided at one side of the image carrier, the developing device, the developer supply device, and the developer containing device.

7. An image forming apparatus including a main body, comprising:

image carrying means for carrying a latent image on a surface of the image carrying means;

developing means for developing the latent image on the image carrying means with a developer including toner and carrier and for forming a toner image on the surface of the image carrying means;

transferring means for transferring the toner image from the image carrying means to a transfer material;

removing means for removing a waste toner remaining on the surface of the image carrying means after the toner image is transferred from the image carrying means to the transfer material by the transferring means;

developer supplying means for supplying the developer to the developing means;

developer discharging means for discharging an excess developer from the developing means;

developer containing means for containing the developer to be supplied to the developing means by the developer supplying means, the developer containing means including,

an opening facing the developer supplying means;

developer storing means for storing the developer supplied to the developer supplying means through the opening; and

waste developer storing means for storing the excess developer discharged from the developing means by the developer discharging means and for storing the waste toner removed from the surface of the image carrying means by the removing means,

wherein at least the image carrying means, the developing means, the developer supplying means, and the developer containing means are positioned substantially parallel to each other, and the developer containing means is detachably attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus, and when the developer containing means is detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus for replacement of the developer containing means by new developer containing means, the waste developer storing means is detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus together with the developer containing means.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the developer containing means is formed from a cartridge.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising,

excess developer conveying means for conveying the excess developer discharged from the developing means by the developer discharging means to the waste developer storing means;

and

waste toner conveying means for conveying the waste toner removed from the surface of the image carrying means by the removing means to the waste developer storing means.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising,

excess developer conveying means for conveying the excess developer discharged from the developing means by the developer discharging means to the waste developer storing means;

and

waste toner conveying means for conveying the waste toner removed from the surface of the image carrying means by the removing means,

wherein the waste toner conveying means is merged with the excess developer conveying means, and the excess developer conveying means conveys the excess developer and waste toner to the waste developer storing means after the waste toner conveying means is merged with the excess developer conveying means.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the excess developer conveying means and the waste toner conveying means are provided at one side of the image carrying means, the developing means, the developer supplying means, and the developer containing means.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the excess developer conveying means and the waste toner conveying means are provided at one side of the image carrying means, the developing means, the developer supplying means, and the developer containing means.