Oki Data Corporation

Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.

Tatsuhiko Shimomura

Junichi Ushikubo

Masashi Fujii

Shun Hatanaka

Atsushi Ota

Osamu Teramura

Hiroshi Kikuchi

Tatsuya Koyama

Hirokazu Andou

Jiro Tanuma

Yoichi Hayakawa

Katsuya Kamimura

Masahiro Tatsukami

Masahiro Hatano

Image drum cartridge

Toner cartridge

An image forming apparatus includes a development unit having a first wireless communication part, a developer cartridge having a second wireless communication part and an antenna part that communicates with the first and second wireless communication parts. When the first and second wireless communication parts are respectively accommodated in holding parts, the first wireless communication part is closer to the antenna part than the second wireless communication part is, and the second wireless communication part and the first wireless communication part oppose each other.

Image forming apparatus

A development device includes a developer carrier, a restriction member to control a layer thickness of the developer on the developer carrier, first and second developer supply members being in contact with the developer carrier. Each of the developer supply members is configured to rotate at a speed having a constant ratio to a rotation speed of the developer carrier. The second developer supply member and the restriction member are arranged in this order downstream of the first developer supply member in a rotating direction of the developer carrier. A peripheral speed (a speed of the outer peripheral surface) of the second developer supply member is set to be slower than that of the first developer supply member.

Development device and image formation apparatus

A developer holding apparatus holds a developer material therein. A rotatable member is disposed within the developer holding apparatus. The rotatable member includes a rotational shaft and an agitating portion. The agitator is offset relative to the rotational shaft and extends in a first direction parallel to the rotational shaft. The agitating portion includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion includes a first dimension in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and the second portion includes a second dimension in a third direction substantially parallel to the second direction. The second dimension is smaller in width than first dimension.

Developer holding apparatus, developing unit that incorporates the developer holding apparatus, and image forming apparatus that employs the developer holding apparatus

A developer holding apparatus holds developer therein. The developer is discharged through a discharging opening. An agitator includes shaft portions and an agitating portion. A bearing member includes a bearing hole formed therein. One of the shaft portions is rotatably received in the bearing hole. The bearing hole has a larger diameter than the shaft portions. A hollow body is rotatable in the developer holding apparatus and the agitator rotates in the hollow body.

Developer holding apparatus, developing apparatus, and image forming apparatus

An image forming unit includes an image forming unit main body; and a developer storage unit detachably attached to the image forming unit main body. The image forming unit main body includes a developer retaining space for retaining developer and a supply opening for supplying developer to the developer retaining space. The developer storage unit includes a discharge opening for discharging developer to the developer retaining space. The image forming unit main body further includes a movable member moving relative to the discharge opening and the supply opening.

Image forming unit with movable member and image forming apparatus

A toner cartridge is detachably attached to an image forming apparatus and supplies toner to the image forming apparatus. The locking mechanism is positioned either at a locking position or at a non-locking position. Shortly after the toner cartridge has been attached to the image forming apparatus, the locking mechanism is at a non-locking position. When a user operates a driving member of the toner cartridge after the toner cartridge has been attached to the image forming apparatus, the operating lever engages the locking mechanism to cause the locking mechanism to move to a locking position. When the locking mechanism is at the locking position, the locking mechanism limits the driving member to move relative to the engagement portion, so that the toner cartridge is not allowed to be detached from the image forming apparatus.

Image forming apparatus and toner cartridge

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Tatsuhiko Shimomura