Powder container, image forming apparatus, and transport member disposed therein

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016342111-A1
Application number	US-201514980868-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 28, 2015
Priority date	May 22, 2015
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A transport member includes a shaft portion that extends in one direction and that is disposed in a containing portion, which has a substantially columnar shape extending in the one direction and contains a powder, and a blade portion that includes a body portion having a substantially plate-like shape and a protruding portion having a plate thickness smaller than a plate thickness of the body portion, the body portion having a proximal end, which is fixed to the shaft portion, and a distal end, which is bent by coming into contact with an inner wall of the containing portion, and the protruding portion protruding from the distal end of the body portion.

First claim

1 . A transport member comprising:
a shaft portion that extends in one direction and that is disposed in a containing portion, which has a substantially columnar shape extending in the one direction and contains a powder; and a blade portion that includes a body portion having a substantially plate-like shape, a protruding portion having a plate thickness smaller than a plate thickness of the body portion, and a plurality of slits that extend to the protruding portion, the body portion having a proximal end, which is fixed to the shaft portion, and a distal end, which is bent by coming into contact with an inner wall of the containing portion, and the protruding portion protruding from the distal end of the body portion.

2 . The transport member according to claim 1 ,
wherein, when viewed from a plate thickness direction of the blade portion, an end edge of the protruding portion has a substantially wave-like shape.

3 . A powder container comprising:
a containing member in which a containing portion, which has a substantially columnar shape extending in one direction and contains a powder, is formed and that has a discharge port, which is formed in one end portion of the containing member in the one direction and through which the powder contained in the containing portion is discharged; and the transport member according to claim 1 that is rotatably supported by the containing member and that transports the powder contained in the containing portion toward the discharge port as a result of rotating.

4 . A powder container comprising:
a containing member in which a containing portion, which has a substantially columnar shape extending in one direction and in which a powder is contained, is formed and that has a discharge port, which is formed in one end portion of the containing member in the one direction and through which the powder contained in the containing portion is discharged; and the transport member according to claim 2 that is rotatably supported by the containing member and that transports the powder contained in the containing portion toward the discharge port as a result of rotating.

5 . The powder container according to claim 3 ,
wherein the body portion is bent by coming into contact with the inner wall of the containing portion in such a manner that a portion of the body portion between the proximal end and the distal end of the body portion has a curved shape, and wherein the protruding portion protrudes from a portion of the distal end of the body portion.

6 . The powder container according to claim 4 ,
wherein the body portion is bent by coming into contact with the inner wall of the containing portion in such a manner that a portion of the body portion between the proximal end and the distal end of the body portion has a curved shape, and wherein the protruding portion protrudes from a downstream portion of the distal end of the body portion.

7 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
the powder container according to claim 3 ; an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed; and a developing unit that receives a toner, which is a powder discharged from the powder container, and develops the electrostatic latent image, which is formed on the image carrier, into a toner image.

8 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
the powder container according to claim 4 : an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; and a developing unit that receives a toner, which is a powder discharged from the powder container, and develops the electrostatic latent image, which is formed on the image carrier, into a toner image.

9 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
the powder container according to claim 5 ; an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; and a developing unit that receives a toner, which is a powder discharged from the powder container, and develops the electrostatic latent image, which is formed on the image carrier, into a toner image.

10 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
the powder container according to claim 6 ; an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; and a developing unit that receives a toner, which is a powder discharged from the powder container, and develops the electrostatic latent image, which is formed on the image carrier, into a toner image.

11 . The transport member according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of slits are inclined with respect to the radial direction of the shaft portion.

12 . The transport member according to claim 11 , wherein one of the plurality of slits is inclined with respect to the radial direction of the shaft in a different direction from a direction of incline of the other of the plurality of slits.

Assignees

• Fuji Xerox Co Ltd

Inventors

• Uemura Yasunori
• Abe Masato
• Yamashita Takayoshi
• Matsumoto Takuji
• Terakado Yuki
• Sasaki Atsushi

Classifications

• G03G15/0865

  Arrangements for supplying new developer · CPC title

• G03G15/0891 Primary

  for conveying or circulating developer, e.g. augers · CPC title

• G03G2215/085

  Stirring member in developer container · CPC title