Powder container and image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9910383-B2
Application number	US-201515026090-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2015
Priority date	Mar 17, 2014
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

A powder container for an image forming apparatus includes: a rotatable powder storage storing powder; an opening on one end of the powder storage, through which a nozzle can be inserted; and a scooping portion to scoop up powder on an opening side, and supply the powder to a powder receiving hole of the nozzle when the powder storage rotates. The scooping portion includes a scooping surface extending inwardly from an inner wall surface of the powder storage and an inner end portion extending in a rotation axis direction of the powder storage, with an edge approximately parallel to the rotation axis. In a cross-section perpendicular to the rotation axis, the scooping surface is inclined toward an upstream side in a rotation direction of the powder storage with respect to a virtual line that passes through the rotation axis and is tangent to the edge of the inner end portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A powder container used in an image forming apparatus, the powder container comprising:
a rotatable powder storage that stores therein a powder for image formation, the rotatable powder storage to rotate about a rotation axis;
an opening on one end of the powder storage, through which a nozzle of the image forming apparatus is to be inserted;
a scooping portion to scoop up powder on an opening side, and to supply the powder to a powder receiving hole of the nozzle when the powder storage rotates; and
a conveying portion that conveys the powder toward the opening side,
wherein:
the scooping portion includes a scooping surface that extends inwardly from an inner wall surface of the powder storage,
an inner end portion of the scooping surface extends in a rotation axis direction of the powder storage,
an edge of the inner end portion is approximately parallel to the rotation axis,
in a cross-section perpendicular to the rotation axis, the scooping surface is inclined toward an upstream side in a rotation direction of the powder storage with respect to a virtual line that passes through the rotation axis and is tangent to the edge of the inner end portion,
the conveying portion is directly connected to the scooping surface at a position corresponding to the powder receiving hole in the rotation axis direction.

2. The powder container according to claim 1 , wherein:
the scooping surface is inclined toward the upstream side in the rotation direction of the powder storage with respect to the virtual line that passes through the rotation axis and is tangent to the edge of the inner end portion by an inclined angle in a predetermined range, and
the inclined angle of the scooping surface is in a range of 25±5 degrees.

3. The powder container according to claim 1 , wherein:
the powder container is to be rotated at a rotation frequency in a predetermined range, and
the predetermined range of the rotation frequency of the powder container is a range of 110±15 revolutions per minute.

4. The powder container according to claim 1 , wherein the powder is toner with an apparent density of 0.41 to 0.48 g/cm 3 .

5. The powder container according to claim 1 , wherein when the powder storage rotates and the scooping surface is located above the powder receiving hole, the edge of the inner end portion of the scooping surface is located in an opening range of the powder receiving hole in a rotation direction.

6. The powder container according to claim 5 , wherein when the powder storage rotates and the scooping surface is located above the powder receiving hole, the edge of the inner end portion overlaps with at least a part of the powder receiving hole in the rotation axis direction.

7. The powder container according to claim 5 , wherein when the scooping surface faces upward, the scooping surface is located above a virtual line that passes through the rotation axis and extends in a horizontal direction.

8. The powder container according to claim 1 , further comprising a rotary conveyor that conveys the powder in the powder storage to the opening side.

9. The powder container according to claim 1 , wherein
the scooping portion includes a wall connected to the scooping surface at an opening side of the scooping surface, and that extends along the rotation direction,
the wall defines a holding space of the powder in the rotation axis direction,
the scooping surface defines an upstream side of the holding space in the rotation direction, and
the wall is located in an opening range of the powder receiving hole in the rotation axis direction.

10. The powder container according to claim 9 , wherein the holding space is narrowed toward the opening in the rotation axis direction.

11. The powder container according to claim 9 ,
wherein the scooping portion is located on the opening side relative to an end of the conveying portion furthest from the opening in the rotation axis direction.

12. The powder container according to claim 9 , wherein:
the conveying portion is a spiral rib protruding to an inside of the powder storage, and
the spiral rib extends in the rotation axis direction and a part of the spiral rib is located in the scooping portion.

13. The powder container according to claim 12 ,
wherein a length of the spiral rib from the inner wall surface of the powder storage is the same as a length of the scooping surface from the inner wall surface of the powder storage.

14. The powder container according to claim 12 , wherein an angle between the spiral rib and the scooping surface is equal to or greater than a repose angle of the powder.

15. The powder container according to claim 1 , wherein the scooping portion is located on the opening side relative to an end of the conveying portion furthest from the opening in the rotation axis direction.

16. The powder container according to claim 1 , wherein:
the conveying portion is a spiral rib protruding to an inside of the powder storage, and
the spiral rib extends in the rotation axis direction and a part of the spiral rib is located in the scooping portion.

17. The powder container according to claim 16 , wherein a length of the spiral rib from the inner wall surface of the powder storage is the same as a length of the scooping surface from the inner wall surface of the powder storage.

18. The powder container according to claim 16 , wherein an angle between the spiral rib and the scooping surface is equal to or greater than a repose angle of the powder.

19. The powder container according to claim 1 , wherein the scooping portion includes a triangular protrusion extending along the rotation axis direction.

20. The powder container according to claim 19 , wherein the edge of the scooping surface serves as an apex of the triangular protrusion.

21. The powder container according to claim 19 , wherein an angle between two surfaces of the triangular protrusion is an acute angle.

22. The powder container according to claim 1 , wherein the powder stored inside of the powder storage includes toner.

23. The powder container according to claim 22 , wherein the powder further includes carrier particles.

24. An image forming apparatus comprising the powder container according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Kuboki Shingo
• Shiori Jun
• Yoshizawa Hideo
• Matsue Natsumi
• Hamada Daisuke
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kuboki Shingo
• Shiori Jun
• Yoshizawa Hideo
• Matsue Natsumi
• Hamada Daisuke

Classifications

• G03G15/08

  using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer · CPC title

• G03G15/0872 Primary

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

• G03G2215/0872

  Housing of developing device · CPC title