Powder material transportation apparatus

• US 4,297,021 A
• Filed: 06/06/1979
• Issued: 10/27/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Minoru, Tani, Tatsuo, Nagahara, Yasumori, Ohta, Sakae, Hashizume, Kiyozo
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Fred L.
• Application Number:
  US06/045,964
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 355/3 R, 355/3 DD, 355/15, 222/413, 222/DIG. 1, 198/661
• US Class Current: 399/358
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0822 Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/105 Arrangements for conveying toner waste
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 222/01 Xerography

Abstract

The powder material transportation apparatus for transporting powder materials such as developer powder, by a rotating member such as a coil is provided with an agitator for destroying a bridge of powder material which is apt to be formed in an upper portion of the rotating member. The diameter or pitch of a rotating coil member is designed to be greater in a transportation termination portion than in a transportation initiation portion, whereby the powder material transportation force is increased in the transportation termination portion and formation of the bridge of powder material is prevented.

Claims

1. Apparatus for handling powdered material, said apparatus comprising:

a housing comprising an upper portion and a bottom portion to receive the powdered material;

a rotating member located in the bottom portion of the housing to transport the powdered material;

a shaft in the housing to support the member rotatably, the member extending axially relative to the shaft;

stirring means movably mounted in the housing between the upper portion of the housing and the rotating member to direct the powdered material to the rotating member;

the rotating member comprising a helical structure;

a second helical structure located to receive the powdered material from the first-named helical structure and convey the received powdered material in a direction at an angle to the direction the powdered material is conveyed by the first-named helical structure;

electrophotographic means for electrophotographic reproduction;

the powdered material comprising toner; and

means to effect separate rotation of the first-named and second helical structures and to rotate both of the helical structures at a first speed during formation of electrophotographic reproductions and to continue to rotate the second helical structure at a speed less than the first speed for a predetermined period of time after formation of an electrophotographic reproduction.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the stirring means comprises a pivotally mounted plate.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the helical structure is a coil.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the helical structure is a blade.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the pitch of the helical structure increases in the direction in which the powdered material travels therealong as the helical structure rotates.

6. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the diameter of the helical structure increases in the direction in which the powdered material travels therealong as the helical structure rotates.

7. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the stirring means is located in the housing at a higher level than the rotating member.

8. Apparatus for handling powdered material, said apparatus comprising:

a housing comprising an upper portion and a bottom portion to receive the powdered material;

a rotating member located in the bottom portion of the housing to transport the powdered material;

a shaft in the housing to support the member rotatably, the member extending axially relative to the shaft;

stirring means movably mounted in the housing between the upper portion of the housing and the rotating member to direct the powdered material to the rotating member;

the stirring means comprising a rotatably mounted brush, a second shaft, and an eccentric cam supporting the brush on the second shaft.

9. The invention as defined in claim 8 comprising connecting means supporting the stirring means to shift the position of stirring means periodically with eccentric motion of the brush.

10. The invention as defined in claim 9 in which the connecting means comprises a rod with a circular portion that fits around the cam.

11. The invention as defined in claim 9 in which the connecting means comprises a pivotally mounted fork with first and second tines on opposite sides of the cam.