Powder conveyance device having a powder conveyance pipe with first, second, and third conveyance sections

• US 8,346,135 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Kenji, Hori, Eisuke, Kimura, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROTH, LAURA K
• Application Number:
  US12/494,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20100003055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 399/258, 399/259, 399/260
• US Class Current: 399/260
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0855 the concentration being measured by optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0865 Arrangements for supplying new developer
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0872 the developer cartridges being generally horizontally mounted parallel to its longitudinal rotational axis
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0877 Arrangements for metering and dispensing developer from a developer cartridge into the development unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0879 for dispensing developer from a developer cartridge not directly attached to the development unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0802 Arrangements for agitating or circulating developer material

Abstract

A powder conveyance device includes a powder conveyance pipe having a first conveyance section communicating with the powder container section and having a supply inlet to receive powder from a powder container. A second conveyance section is provided in the powder conveyance pipe to communicate downstream with the first conveyance section via a first bending section. The second conveyance section downwardly extends to the conveyance destination being inclined from a horizontal at a larger angle than the first conveyance section. A third conveyance section is also provided in the powder conveyance pipe to communicate downstream with the second conveyance section via a second bending section. The third conveyance section extends toward the conveyance destination being inclined from the horizontal at a smaller angle than the second conveyance section. The third conveyance section has a replenishment outlet for replenishing the powder from the powder conveyance pipe to the powder conveyance destination.

Claims

1. A powder conveyance device, comprising:

a powder container section configured to contain powder;

a powder conveyance pipe configured to guide downstream the powder mixed with air from the powder container section; and

a powder conveyance member configuration to convey the powder installed in the powder conveyance pipe toward a conveyance destination;

said powder conveyance pipe including;

a first conveyance section having a supply inlet and communicating with the powder container section, said first conveyance section being configured to receive the powder from the powder container through the supply inlet;

a second conveyance section communicating downstream with the first conveyance section via a first bending section, said second conveyance section downwardly extending to the conveyance destination being inclined from a horizontal at a larger angle than the first conveyance section;

a third conveyance section communicating downstream with the second conveyance section via a second bending section, said third conveyance section extending toward the conveyance destination being inclined from the horizontal at a smaller angle than the second conveyance section, said third conveyance section having a replenishment outlet for replenishing the powder from the powder conveyance pipe to the powder conveyance destination; and

a space restriction member at least arranged in the second conveyance section and configured to partially close an inner space of the second conveyance section,

wherein said space restriction member is arranged from the second conveyance section to the third conveyance section via the second bending section.

2. The powder conveyance device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a powder passage restriction section arranged in the first conveyance section and configured to restrict passage of the powder.

3. The powder conveyance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said space restriction member is arranged from the second conveyance section to the third conveyance section via the second bending section, and

a gap between the space restriction member and an inner wall of the third conveyance section is larger than that between the space restriction member and an inner wall of the second conveyance section.

4. The powder conveyance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the powder conveyance member includes a coil member,

the space restriction member is installed in a hollow section of the coil member, and

the space restriction member is a cylindrical shape, and wherein a difference between the diameter of a part of the space restriction member in the second conveyance section and that of an internal diameter of the powder conveyance member is not more than 1.0 mm.

5. A powder conveyance device, comprising:

a powder container section configured to contain powder;

a powder conveyance pipe configured to guide downstream the powder mixed with air from the powder container section; and

a powder conveyance member configuration to convey the powder installed in the powder conveyance pipe toward a conveyance destination;

said powder conveyance pipe including;

a first conveyance section having a supply inlet and communicating with the powder container section, said first conveyance section being configured to receive the powder from the powder container through the supply inlet;

a second conveyance section communicating downstream with the first conveyance section via a first bending section, said second conveyance section downwardly extending to the conveyance destination being inclined from a horizontal at a larger angle than the first conveyance section;

a third conveyance section communicating downstream with the second conveyance section via a second bending section, said third conveyance section extending toward the conveyance destination being inclined from the horizontal at a smaller angle than the second conveyance section, said third conveyance section having a replenishment outlet for replenishing the powder from the powder conveyance pipe to the powder conveyance destination; and

a space restriction member at least arranged in the second conveyance section and configured to partially close an inner space of the second conveyance section,

wherein said space restriction member is arranged from the second conveyance section to the third conveyance section via the second bending section, and

wherein a gap between the space restriction member and an inner wall of the third conveyance section is larger than that between the space restriction member and an inner wall of the second conveyance section.

6. The powder conveyance device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said gap between the space restriction member and the inner wall of the third conveyance section is not less than 1.0 mm.

7. The powder conveyance device as claimed in claim 5, wherein a cross section of said space restriction member gradually decreases from the second conveyance section to the third conveyance section.

8. The powder conveyance device as claimed in claim 5, wherein a cross section of said space restriction member gradually decreases in the second conveyance section, the second bending section, and the third conveyance section in this order.

9. The powder conveyance device as claimed in claim 5, wherein a powder passage restriction section is provided in the first conveyance section.

10. The powder conveyance device as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a powder passage restriction section arranged in the first conveyance section and configured to restrict passage of the powder.

11. The powder conveyance device as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

said space restriction member is arranged from the second conveyance section to the third conveyance section via the second bending section.

12. The powder conveyance device as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

the powder conveyance member includes a coil member,

the space restriction member is installed in a hollow section of the coil member, and

the space restriction member is a cylindrical shape, and wherein a difference between the diameter of a part of the space restriction member in the second conveyance section and that of an internal diameter of the powder conveyance member is not more than 1.0 mm.

13. A powder conveyance device comprising:

a powder container section configured to contain powder;

a powder conveyance pipe configured to guide downstream the powder mixed with air from the powder container section; and

a powder conveyance member configuration to convey the powder installed in the powder conveyance pipe toward a conveyance destination;

said powder conveyance pipe including;

a first conveyance section having a supply inlet and communicating with the powder container section, said first conveyance section being configured to receive the powder from the powder container through the supply inlet;

a second conveyance section communicating downstream with the first conveyance section via a first bending section, said second conveyance section downwardly extending to the conveyance destination being inclined from a horizontal at a larger angle than the first conveyance section;

a third conveyance section communicating downstream with the second conveyance section via a second bending section, said third conveyance section extending toward the conveyance destination being inclined from the horizontal at a smaller angle than the second conveyance section, said third conveyance section having a replenishment outlet for replenishing the powder from the powder conveyance pipe to the powder conveyance destination; and

a space restriction member at least arranged in the second conveyance section and configured to partially close an inner space of the second conveyance section,

wherein the powder conveyance member includes a coil member,

wherein the space restriction member is installed in a hollow section of the coil member, and

wherein the space restriction member is a cylindrical shape, and wherein a difference between the diameter of a part of the space restriction member in the second conveyance section and that of an internal diameter of the powder conveyance member is not more than 1.0 mm.

14. The powder conveyance device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the space restriction member is longer than a winding interval of the coil and shorter than twice the same.

15. The powder conveyance device as claimed in claim 13, wherein a difference between the diameter of the space restriction member and that of the internal diameter of the powder conveyance member is not less then 0.3 mm.

16. The powder conveyance device as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a powder passage restriction section arranged in the first conveyance section and configured to restrict passage of the powder.

17. The powder conveyance device as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

wherein said space restriction member is arranged from the second conveyance section to the third conveyance section via the second bending section.

18. The powder conveyance device as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

said space restriction member is arranged from the second conveyance section to the third conveyance section via the second bending section, and

a gap between the space restriction member and an inner wall of the third conveyance section is larger than that between the space restriction member and an inner wall of the second conveyance section.