ROTATOR FOR POWDER CONVEYANCE AND TONER CARTRIDGE

• US 20080240789A1
• Filed: 03/14/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: NORIGOE, Masatoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,925,189 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/254
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0875 cartridges having a box like shape
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0877 Arrangements for metering and dispensing developer from a developer cartridge into the development unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0827 Augers

Abstract

A rotator for powder conveyance includes a substantially linear rotary supporting shaft and plural stirring/conveying pieces. The plural stirring/conveying pieces are separated from each other and arranged in a longitudinal direction along the rotary supporting shaft, are placed at positions separated from a central axis of the rotary supporting shaft in a radial direction of the rotary supporting shaft, have a spiral configuration along an outer peripheral surface of the rotary supporting shaft, and are respectively connected to the rotary supporting shaft via a connecting piece at plural points.

Claims

1. A rotator for powder conveyance comprising:

a substantially linear rotary supporting shaft; and

a plurality of stirring/conveying pieces that;

are separated from each other and arranged in a longitudinal direction along the rotary supporting shaft;

are placed at positions separated from a central axis of the rotary supporting shaft in a radial direction of the rotary supporting shaft;

have a spiral configuration along an outer peripheral surface of the rotary supporting shaft; and

are respectively connected to the rotary supporting shaft via a connecting piece at a plurality of points.

2. The rotator for powder conveyance according to claim 1, wherein a length of the spiral-shaped stirring/conveying pieces is substantially within a range of from a length of a circumference of the rotary supporting shaft and a length of approximately one-third of the circumference of the rotary supporting shaft.

3. The rotator for powder conveyance according to claim 1, wherein at least one of stirring/conveying pieces has an auxiliary stirring/conveying piece at one or both ends of the one stirring/conveying piece, the auxiliary stirring/conveying pieces being formed so that the auxiliary stirring/conveying pieces extend in a direction toward an adjacent stirring/conveying piece that is located at a given distance from the one stirring/conveying piece.

4. The rotator for powder conveyance according to claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary stirring piece positioned at an end of the rotary supporting shaft where a connector for rotation transmission is provided, and extending in a radial direction of the rotary supporting shaft.

5. A toner cartridge comprising:

a container that houses toner and has a toner supply port at one end;

a rotator for powder conveyance that is provided in the container so as to be rotatable, and that stirs and conveys toner housed in the container to the toner supply port, comprising;

a substantially linear rotary supporting shaft; and

a plurality of stirring/conveying pieces that;

are separated from each other and arranged in a longitudinal direction along the rotary supporting shaft;

are placed at positions separated from a central axis of the rotary supporting shaft in a radial direction of the rotary supporting shaft;

have a spiral configuration along an outer peripheral surface of the rotary supporting shaft; and

are respectively connected to the rotary supporting shaft via a connecting piece at a plurality of points.

6. The toner cartridge according to claim 5, wherein a length of the spiral-shaped stirring/conveying pieces is substantially within a range of from a length of a circumference of the rotary supporting shaft and a length of approximately one-third of the circumference of the rotary supporting shaft.

7. The toner cartridge according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the stirring/conveying pieces has an auxiliary stirring/conveying pieces at one or both ends of the one stirring/conveying piece, the auxiliary stirring/conveying pieces being formed so that the auxiliary stirring/conveying pieces extend in a direction toward an adjacent stirring/conveying piece that is located at given distance from the at least one stirring/conveying piece.

8. The toner cartridge according to claim 5, further comprising a toner hopper provided at one end of the container, that receives toner carried out from the toner supply port.

9. The toner cartridge according to claim 5, further comprising an auxiliary stirring piece positioned at one end of the rotary supporting shaft where a connector for rotation transmission is provided, and extending in a radial direction of the rotary supporting shaft.

10. A rotator for powder conveyance comprising:

a substantially linear rotary supporting means; and

a plurality of stirring/conveying means that;

are separated from each other and arranged in a longitudinal direction along the rotary supporting means;

are placed at positions separated from a central axis of the rotary supporting means in a radial direction of the rotary supporting means;

have a spiral configuration along an outer peripheral surface of the rotary supporting means; and

are respectively connected to the rotary supporting means via a connecting means at a plurality of points.