Toner conveyance device and image forming apparatus
First Claim
1. A toner conveyance device comprising:
- a downward passage through which toner falls;
a reciprocating member that includes a rigid body and a flexible sheet that forms a hollow passage along a vertical length of the downward passage, the reciprocating member being disposed in the downward passage, to move up and down along the downward passage in a vertical direction in which the downward passage extends;
a conveyance passage communicating with a lower end of the downward passage and extending in a direction crossing the vertical direction;
a rotatable conveyor disposed in the conveyance passage to convey the toner in an axial direction of the conveyor; and
a flexible member disposed at a bottom of the reciprocating member, the flexible member extending in the axial direction of the conveyor, the flexible member to move in the vertical direction together with the reciprocating member,wherein, when the reciprocating member is at a lowest position in a movable range of the reciprocating member, a lower end of the flexible member opposes a downstream portion of the conveyor downstream from an upper end of the conveyor in a rotation direction of the conveyor.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A toner conveyance device includes a downward passage, a reciprocating member disposed in the downward passage, to move in a vertical direction in which the downward passage extends, a conveyance passage communicating with a lower end of the downward passage and extending in a direction crossing the vertical direction, a conveyor to rotate in the conveyance passage around an axis extending along the conveyance passage to transport the toner, and a flexible member projecting from a bottom of the reciprocating member toward the conveyance passage. The flexible member extends in the axial direction of the conveyor and moves together with the reciprocating member. When the reciprocating member is at a lowest position, a lower end of the flexible member opposes a portion of the conveyor downstream from an upper end thereof in a rotation direction thereof.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A toner conveyance device comprising:
-
a downward passage through which toner falls; a reciprocating member that includes a rigid body and a flexible sheet that forms a hollow passage along a vertical length of the downward passage, the reciprocating member being disposed in the downward passage, to move up and down along the downward passage in a vertical direction in which the downward passage extends; a conveyance passage communicating with a lower end of the downward passage and extending in a direction crossing the vertical direction; a rotatable conveyor disposed in the conveyance passage to convey the toner in an axial direction of the conveyor; and a flexible member disposed at a bottom of the reciprocating member, the flexible member extending in the axial direction of the conveyor, the flexible member to move in the vertical direction together with the reciprocating member, wherein, when the reciprocating member is at a lowest position in a movable range of the reciprocating member, a lower end of the flexible member opposes a downstream portion of the conveyor downstream from an upper end of the conveyor in a rotation direction of the conveyor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 19, 20)
-
-
11. A toner conveyance device comprising:
-
a downward passage through which toner falls; a reciprocating member disposed in the downward passage, to move up and down along the downward passage in a vertical direction in which the downward passage extends; a conveyance passage communicating with a lower end of the downward passage and extending in a direction crossing the vertical direction; a rotatable conveyor disposed in the conveyance passage to convey the toner in an axial direction of the conveyor; and a flexible member disposed at a bottom of the reciprocating member, the flexible member extending in the axial direction of the conveyor, the flexible member to move in the vertical direction together with the reciprocating member, wherein the reciprocating member includes a plurality of bent portions projecting in a direction crossing the axial direction of the conveyor and the vertical direction. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A toner conveyance device comprising:
-
a downward passage through which toner falls; a reciprocating member disposed in the downward passage, to move up and down along the downward passage in a vertical direction in which the downward passage extends; a conveyance passage communicating with a lower end of the downward passage and extending in a direction crossing the vertical direction; a rotatable conveyor disposed in the conveyance passage to convey the toner in an axial direction of the conveyor; and a flexible member disposed at a bottom of the reciprocating member, the flexible member extending in the axial direction of the conveyor, the flexible member to move in the vertical direction together with the reciprocating member, wherein the reciprocating member includes a plurality of through holes in a face opposing one of four side-wall inner faces of the downward passage, and wherein each of the plurality of through holes has a vertical length shorter than a reciprocation span of the reciprocating member. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
Specification