Developer storage apparatus, developer cartridge, developing device and image forming apparatus

• US 8,380,117 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Oki Data Corporation (OKI Electric Industry Company Limited)
• Inventors: Ohta, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lindsay, Jr., Walter L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wenderoth, Frederick
• Application Number:
  US12/926,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20110103857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 399/61, 399/64, 399/358, 399/360, 399/366
• US Class Current: 399/360
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/105 Arrangements for conveying toner waste
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/12 Toner waste containers
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0802 Arrangements for agitating or circulating developer material
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0888 Arrangements for detecting toner level or concentration in the developing device

Abstract

A developer storage apparatus includes a developer receiving opening for receiving a developer, a developer conveying unit disposed below the developer receiving opening and having a first conveying member that conveys the developer in a conveying direction, a developer detection unit for detecting the developer, and a wall surface portion provided on a downstream side of the developer detection unit in the conveying direction.

Claims

1. A developer storage apparatus comprising:

a developer receiving opening for receiving a developer;

a developer conveying unit disposed below said developer receiving opening and configured to convey said developer in a conveying direction;

a developer detection unit for detecting said developer, and

a wall surface portion provided on a downstream side of said developer detection unit in said conveying direction;

wherein said developer detection unit extends substantially parallel to said developer conveying unit, and is disposed at an upper position relative to said developer conveying unit.

2. The developer storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said developer conveying unit has a first conveying member that conveys said developer in said conveying direction and a second conveying member, and

wherein said first conveying member has an end disposed between said developer detection unit and said wall surface portion.

3. The developer storage apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said developer detection unit has a developer detecting position, and

wherein said end of said first conveying member is substantially at a center between said developer detecting position and said wall surface portion.

4. The developer storage apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said second conveying member is configured to generate a conveying force in a direction opposite to that of said first conveying member.

5. The developer storage apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said second conveying member is configured to generate a smaller conveying force than said first conveying member.

6. The developer storage apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first conveying member and said second conveying member are constituted by conveying spirals which are coaxial with each other.

7. The developer storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said developer detection unit has a shorter length than said developer conveying unit in a longitudinal direction of said developer storage apparatus, and

wherein said developer detection unit is disposed on said developer receiving opening side.

8. The developer storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said developer detection unit has a crank portion, and a detection of said developer is performed by detecting a rotational motion of said crank portion.

9. The developer storage apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said detection of said developer is performed by an optical detection unit, and

wherein said optical detection unit optically detects a change in a rotational motion of said crank portion due to a resistance of said developer accumulated in said developer storage apparatus, when said crank portion rotates by gravity due to a weight of said crank portion.

10. A developer cartridge comprising said developer storage apparatus according to claim 1.

11. The developer cartridge according to claim 10, further comprising a developer storage portion that stores a black developer,

wherein said developer storage apparatus and said developer storage portion are provided integrally with each other.

12. A developing device comprising said developer storage apparatus according to claim 1.

13. A developing device comprising said developer cartridge according to claim 10.

14. An image forming apparatus comprising said developer storage apparatus according to claim 1.

21. The developer storage apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cylindrical portion that receives said developer supplied via said developer receiving opening,

wherein said cylindrical portion is formed so as to cover a part of said developer conveying unit, and

wherein said developer detection unit has a detecting portion corresponding to a region where said developer conveying unit is not covered by said cylindrical portion.

22. The developer storage apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said developer conveying unit has a first conveying unit, and a second conveying unit having a smaller conveying force than that of said first conveying unit,

wherein said developer detection unit has a crank portion, and

wherein said crank portion is provided above said first conveying unit.

23. The developer storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, with respect to said developer conveying unit, said developer detection unit is located in a direction in which said developer conveyed by said developer conveying unit is accumulated.

15. A developer storage apparatus comprising:

a developer receiving opening for receiving a developer;

a developer conveying unit disposed below said developer receiving opening and configured to convey said developer in a conveying direction;

a rotation member juxtaposed to said developer conveying unit, said rotation member having a crank portion, and

a wall surface portion provided on a downstream side of said crank portion in said conveying direction;

wherein said rotation member extends substantially parallel to said developer conveying unit, and is disposed at an upper position relative to said developer conveying unit.

16. A developer cartridge comprising said developer storage apparatus according to claim 15.

17. The developer cartridge according to claim 16, further comprising a developer storage portion that stores a black developer,

wherein said developer storage apparatus and said developer storage portion are provided integrally with each other.

18. A developing device comprising said developer storage apparatus according to claim 15.

19. A developing device comprising said developer cartridge according to claim 16.

20. An image forming apparatus comprising said developer storage apparatus according to claim 15.

24. The developer storage apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a cylindrical portion that receives said developer supplied via said developer receiving opening,

wherein said cylindrical portion is formed so as to cover a part of said developer conveying unit, and

wherein said crank portion is disposed corresponding to a region where said developer conveying unit is not covered by said cylindrical portion.

25. The developer storage apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said developer conveying unit has a first conveying unit, and a second conveying unit having a smaller conveying force than that of said first conveying unit,

wherein said crank portion is provided above said first conveying unit.

26. The developer storage apparatus according to claim 15, wherein, with respect to said developer conveying unit, said rotation member is located in a direction in which said developer conveyed by said developer conveying unit is accumulated.