Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.

Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.

Kyocera Mita Corporation

Naoki Mizutani

Koji Murata

Naoki Yamane

Tatsuhiko Yoshii

Takeshi Fujimura

Mitsuhiro Goda

Koji Izumi

Hiroshi Inui

Teruhiko Nagashima

Kazuya Yamashita

Arihiro Tsunoda

Toshinobu Katafuchi

Syuji Yamada

Koshiro Tomimori

Toshiyuki Osaka

Akinari Takahashi

Atsushi Kanou

Kohshiroh Tomimori

An image forming apparatus () includes a casing () having a toner conveyance path (); a screw () conveying a toner in the toner conveyance path () in a predetermined conveyance direction; and a downstream side bearing () rotatably supporting a downstream side end portion of the screw () in the conveyance direction, wherein the screw () includes: a shaft () extending in the conveyance direction; and a spiral fin () provided around an outer circumferential face of the shaft (), the shaft () has a downstream side insertion part () inserted into the downstream side bearing (), and the downstream side insertion part () has an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of a downstream side end portion of the fin () in the conveyance direction.

Toner conveyance device including conveyance screw and image forming apparatus

A toner conveying device that conveys toner. The toner conveying device includes a housing, a toner guide portion, and at least two vibration motors. The housing has, in its inside, a toner conveyance path. The toner guide portion is provided in the housing and includes an opening through which toner flows in or out, and a guide passage communicating between the opening and the toner conveyance path. The at least two vibration motors apply vibrations to the toner guide portion. The vibration motors are started at different timings, and driven and controlled by drive signals in which a first pulse and a second pulse of different pulse widths alternately continue.

Toner conveying device, and image forming apparatus including toner conveying device

A toner collection device includes a casing, a fan unit and a filter. The casing has a suction port and an exhaust port. The fan unit is supported by the casing in a swingable manner and generates an air flow from the suction port to the exhaust port inside the casing. The filter is disposed inside the casing and supported by the casing or the fan unit, and collects a toner contained in the air flow flowed into the casing through the suction port. When the fan unit is driven to generate the air flow, a swinging of the fan unit is transmitted to the filter to vibrate the filter.

Toner collection device including fan unit and image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus includes a toner conveyance device and a controller. The toner conveyance device includes a casing, a screw and a film. The casing has a toner conveyance path. The screw rotates in a first rotational direction to convey a toner stored in the toner conveyance path in a predetermined conveyance direction. The film is attached to the screw and rotating together with the screw while coming into contact with an inner face of the toner conveyance path to be elastically deformed. The controller executes a toner conveyance control to rotate the screw and the film in a first rotational direction and a reverse rotation control to rotate the screw and the film in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction.

Image forming apparatus

A developer supplying device has a storage container, a detection sensor, and a cleaning member. The storage container stores developer. The detection sensor has a detection face making contact with the developer in the storage container and detects the amount of developer in the storage container. The cleaning member cleans the detection face by making contact with the detection face. The storage container has a sensor movement face formed arc-shaped about a predetermined center as seen in a sectional view. The detection sensor is configured to be movable in the up/down direction along the sensor movement face. The cleaning member rotates about the predetermined center as a rotation axis.

Developer supplying device and image forming apparatus therewith

An image forming apparatus includes: an apparatus body; a body cover: photoreceptor drums; developing devices; toner containers; container covers; lock release mechanisms; pressing units; latching parts; and interlocking mechanisms. Each of the plurality of pressing units presses the toner container toward the container cover within the apparatus body. Each of the plurality of latching parts latches the toner container against pressing force of the pressing unit at a replenishment position where the toner is replenishable to the developing device within the apparatus body. Each of the plurality of interlocking mechanisms moves the toner container from the replenishment position to a side of the container cover by the pressing force of the pressing unit by releasing the latch of the latching part to the toner container in conjunction with lock release of the container cover by the lock release mechanism.

A developer container includes a container body, a rotating member, and a position regulating portion. The rotating member includes both end portions in axial direction rotatably supported by a pair of sidewalls. The position regulating portion is located in the container body so as to cover a part of the rotating member. The rotating member includes a large-diameter portion and a small-diameter portion. The large-diameter portion is formed to have an outer diameter rotatable around a shaft inside the position regulating portion. The small-diameter portion is formed to have an outer diameter smaller than the large-diameter portion. The position regulating portion includes a cut-out portion that regulates passing of the large-diameter portion and permits passing of the small-diameter portion. The small-diameter portion is arranged by being displaced in the axial direction from an inside of the position regulating portion, and the large-diameter portion is arranged inside the position regulating portion.

Developer container that reduces coming-off of rotating member and image forming apparatus that includes the same

An image forming apparatus includes a storage container, a detection portion, a determination portion, a first calculation portion, and a first notification processing portion. The storage container stores waste toner collected. The detection portion detects that an amount of waste toner stored in the storage container has reached a predetermined reference amount. The determination portion determines, after the detection portion detects that the amount of waste toner has reached the predetermined reference amount, whether the storage container is in a full state. The first calculation portion calculates a set time based on a waste toner increase speed at which the waste toner increases up to a point of time of the detection by the detection portion. The first notification processing portion, when the set time has elapsed since the point of time of the detection by the detection portion, makes a notification regarding a pre-full state.

Image forming apparatus including storage container for storing collected waste toner

An image forming apparatus of the present disclosure includes a developing device and a toner storage container. The toner storage container is detachable and attachable with respect to an apparatus main body. The toner storage container includes a supply screw which conveys toner by rotating forward, and a first engagement unit coupled via a gear train to a rotation shaft of the supply screw. The apparatus main body includes a second engagement unit which engages with the first engagement unit to restrain detachment/attachment of the toner storage container by engaging with the first engagement unit. In a case where an amount of toner in the toner storage unit has become equal to or less than a predetermined amount, a control unit makes the supply screw rotate backward to thereby release engagement between the first and second engagement units.

A waste toner storing container includes a container main body, a first conveyance portion, and a second conveyance portion. The container main body includes a plurality of reception ports, and stores the waste toner carried in from the reception ports. The first conveyance portion, by being rotated when an image forming operation is performed, conveys the waste toner toward one side in a rotation axis line direction. The second conveyance portion, by being rotated when the image forming operation is performed, conveys the waste toner toward another side that is opposite to the one side. The second conveyance portion does not have a conveyance force with regard to waste toner stored in a side-end storage portion, the side-end storage portion corresponding to a side-end reception port among the plurality of reception ports that is located closest to the one side in the rotation axis line direction.

Waste toner storing container, and image forming apparatus including waste toner storing container

A waste toner storing container includes a container main body, a first conveyance portion, and a second conveyance portion. The container main body stores waste toner discharged from a plurality of image-carrying members provided in an image forming apparatus. The first conveyance portion is rotatably provided in the container main body and configured to, by being rotated, convey the waste toner toward one side in a direction along a rotation axis line. The second conveyance portion is rotatably provided below and parallel to the first conveyance portion in the container main body and configured to, by being rotated, convey the waste toner toward another side that is opposite to the one side.

A waste toner storing container includes a container main body, a conveyance guide portion, a conveyance portion, a conversion portion, a moving member, and a restriction member. The container main body stores waste toner. The conveyance guide portion has an inclined guide surface that guides the waste toner diagonally downward from a reception port. The conveyance portion is rotatably provided in the inside of the container main body. The conversion portion converts a rotational motion of the rotation shaft to a reciprocating motion in conjunction. The moving member reciprocally moves in a direction along the inclined guide surface by a force of the reciprocating motion received from the conversion portion. The restriction member restricts the moving member from being displaced upward from the inclined guide surface by pressing the moving member toward the inclined guide surface.

In an image forming apparatus, a dust collecting unit is disposed in the front side of image forming units. The dust collecting unit includes a dust collecting box and a fan. The dust collecting box is communicated with developer cases. The fan sucks air in the dust collecting box and discharges the air. The fan sucks air that has passed through a filter in the dust collecting box and discharges the air to an exhaust duct. The exhaust duct is disposed between a toner container and a fixing device and forms an air passage that extends in a front-rear direction to reach an opening portion provided in the rear side. The air is discharged to an outside of the apparatus from the opening portion.

Image forming apparatus, and toner collecting case for use in image forming apparatus

Image forming apparatus includes conveyance portion, discharge portion, opening/closing portion, and toner storing portion. Conveyance portion conveys toner along axis direction of image carrier. In discharge portion, discharge outlet is formed such that toner conveyed by conveyance portion is dropped from discharge outlet. Opening/closing portion is provided on discharge portion and moves in axis direction in such way as to open and close discharge outlet. Toner storing portion includes opening portion, restriction portion, and cover portion. Opening portion has insertion opening into which discharge portion is inserted in conveyance direction in which toner is conveyed. Restriction portion contacts part of opening/closing portion and restricts movement of opening/closing portion when discharge portion is inserted into insertion opening. Cover portion is provided at predetermined position that corresponds to area under insertion area of opening/closing portion that is inserted in conveyance direction exceeding position at which opening/closing portion contacts restriction portion.

Image forming apparatus, toner storing container

A toner conveying device includes a common conveyance path, toner input paths and blades. A screw for conveying a toner is installed in the common conveyance path. The toner input paths extend in an up-down direction and have lower ends connected to the common conveyance path. The blades are installed so as to make contact with a shaft of the screw and are configured to scrape off a toner adhering to the shaft of the screw. The blades are arranged immediately below the toner input paths so as to make contact with the shaft of the screw. The blades are disposed at a pitch of an integer multiple of a pitch of the fin of the screw.

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Osaka, Japan

Naoki Mizutani