Powder material storage container and image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10185246-B2
Application number	US-201715698791-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2017
Priority date	Jan 16, 2017
Publication date	Jan 22, 2019
Grant date	Jan 22, 2019

Abstract

A powder material storage container includes: a cylindrical body member that extends in one direction and includes a storage chamber for storing powder material; a transport member that transports the powder material to an end of the storage chamber; a cylindrical end member that is attached to the body member, extends in the one direction and includes a passage chamber through which the powder material is passed, and a discharge outlet through which the powder material is discharged; a pillar member that is disposed in the passage chamber, extending in the one direction, and rotates in a circumferential direction of the passage chamber along the wall surface, and transports the powder material adhering to the wall surface to the discharge outlet; and a beam member that is laid across the discharge outlet and extends from an upstream side to a downstream side of a rotation direction of the pillar member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A powder material storage container comprising:
a body member that has a cylindrical shape extending in one direction and that includes a storage chamber configured to store powder material;
a transport member configured to transport the powder material stored in the storage chamber of the body member to an end of the storage chamber;
an end member that is attached to an end of the body member, and that has a cylindrical shape extending in the one direction and includes a passage chamber configured to pass the powder material transported by the transport member to be discharged to an outside, and a discharge outlet which is formed in a wall surface of the passage chamber,
wherein the discharge outlet is configured to discharge the powder material to an outside of the powder material storage container;

a pillar member that is disposed in the passage chamber and extends in the one direction, and that is configured to rotate in a circumferential direction of the passage chamber along the wall surface of the passage chamber, and that is configured to transport the powder material adhering to the wall surface of the passage chamber to the discharge outlet; and
a rigid beam member that is laid across the discharge outlet and extends from an upstream side to a downstream side of a rotation direction of the pillar member.

2. The powder material storage container according to claim 1 ,
wherein the discharge outlet is surrounded by a wall surface,
wherein a vertical length of the beam member is set to be shorter than a vertical length of the wall surface, and
wherein an upper surface of the beam member is flush with the passage chamber.

3. An image forming apparatus comprising:
the powder material storage container according to claim 2 ;
an image carrier configured such that an electrostatic latent image may be formed on the image carrier; and
a developing device configured to receive the powder material to be stored in the powder material storage container, and configured to develop the electrostatic latent image formed in the image carrier with the powder material.

4. The powder material storage container according to claim 2 , further comprising a partition section that partitions into the storage chamber and the passage chamber,
wherein a through hole having an opening area equal to or smaller than an opening area of the discharge outlet is formed in the partition section.

5. An image forming apparatus comprising:
the powder material storage container according to claim 4 ;
an image carrier configured such that an electrostatic latent image may be formed on the image carrier; and
a developing device configured to receive the powder material to be stored in the powder material storage container, and configured to develop the electrostatic latent image formed in the image carrier with the powder material.

6. The powder material storage container according to claim 1 , further comprising a partition section that partitions into the storage chamber and the passage chamber,
wherein a through hole having an opening area equal to or smaller than an opening area of the discharge outlet is formed in the partition section.

7. An image forming apparatus comprising:
the powder material storage container according to claim 6 ;
an image carrier configured such that an electrostatic latent image may be formed on the image carrier; and
a developing device configured to receive the powder material to be stored in the powder material storage container, and configured to develop the electrostatic latent image formed in the image carrier with the powder material.

8. An image forming apparatus comprising:
the powder material storage container according to claim 1 ;
an image carrier configured such that an electrostatic latent image may be formed on the image carrier; and
a developing device configured to receive the powder material to be stored in the powder material storage container, and configured to develop the electrostatic latent image formed in the image carrier with the powder material.

9. A powder material storage container comprising:
a body member that has a cylindrical shape extending in one direction and that includes a storage chamber configured to store powder material;
a transport member configured to transport the powder material stored in the storage chamber of the body member to an end of the storage chamber;
an end member that is attached to an end of the body member, and that has a cylindrical shape extending in the one direction and includes a passage chamber configured to pass the powder material transported by the transport member to be discharged to an outside, and a discharge outlet which is formed in a wall surface of the passage chamber,
wherein the discharge outlet is configured to discharge the powder material to an outside of the powder material storage container;

a pillar member that is disposed in the passage chamber and extends in the one direction, and that is configured to rotate in a circumferential direction of the passage chamber along the wall surface of the passage chamber, and that is configured to transport the powder material adhering to the wall surface of the passage chamber to the discharge outlet; and
a beam member that is laid across the discharge outlet and extends from an upstream side to a downstream side of a rotation direction of the pillar member,
wherein the discharge outlet is surrounded by a wall surface,
wherein a vertical length of the beam member is set to be shorter than a vertical length of the wall surface, and
wherein an upper surface of the beam member is flush with the passage chamber.

10. A powder material storage container comprising:
a body member that has a cylindrical shape extending in one direction and that includes a storage chamber configured to store powder material;
a transport member configured to transport the powder material stored in the storage chamber of the body member to an end of the storage chamber;
an end member that is attached to an end of the body member, and that has a cylindrical shape extending in the one direction and includes a passage chamber configured to pass the powder material transported by the transport member to be discharged to an outside, and a discharge outlet which is formed in a wall surface of the passage chamber,
wherein the discharge outlet is configured to discharge the powder material to an outside of the powder material storage container;

a pillar member that is disposed in the passage chamber and extends in the one direction, and that is configured to rotate in a circumferential direction of the passage chamber along the wall surface of the passage chamber, and that is configured to transport the powder material adhering to the wall surface of the passage chamber to the discharge outlet; and
a beam member that is laid across the discharge outlet and extends from a first end at an upstream side to a second end at a downstream side of a rotation direction of the pillar member,
wherein both of the first end and the second end are fixed to a wall surface of the discharge outlet.

Assignees

• Fuji Xerox Co Ltd

Inventors

• Fukuno Ryo
• Ishii Yasutomo
• Kubo Keisuke
• Nagata Kenjo
• Suzuki Toshiaki
• Uchimitsu Daisuke

Classifications

• G03G15/0868 Primary

  Toner cartridges fulfilling a continuous function within the electrographic apparatus during the use of the supplied developer material, e.g. toner discharge on demand, storing residual toner, acting as an active closure for the developer replenishing opening · CPC title

• G03G15/0879 Primary

  for dispensing developer from a developer cartridge not directly attached to the development unit · CPC title

• G03G15/0872

  the developer cartridges being generally horizontally mounted parallel to its longitudinal rotational axis · CPC title