Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Yuzuru Ozawa

Junichi Matsumoto

Hiroshi Hosokawa

Makoto Komatsu

Tadashi Hayakawa

Tsukuru Kai

Kenji Kikuchi

Shinji Tamaki

Yuki Oshikawa

A circuit board unit includes a plurality of circuit boards disposed side by side with a gap in a direction substantially perpendicular to a predetermined direction in which the circuit board unit is detachably mounted to a body of an apparatus. At least one of the plurality of circuit boards includes an end-face terminal on an end face facing an adjacent one of the plurality of circuit boards. The end-face terminal is attachable to and detachable from a terminal of the apparatus that is inserted between an adjacent pair of the plurality of circuit boards in conjunction with a mounting operation of the circuit board unit to the body of the apparatus.

Circuit board unit, detachable unit, and image forming apparatus

Provided is a powder container having a new structure capable of stable discharge and transport of a powder contained in a container by enabling the powder to be reliably discharged to the outside of the package while preventing the powder from spilling and flying out of the container. The powder container has a container body () for transporting powder contained therein from a first end side () to a second end side () thereof by self-rotating; a nozzle receiver () having a nozzle receiving hole (insertion section) () arranged inside the second end side of the container body and configured to allow a transport nozzle () having a powder receiving inlet () to be inserted therein, and a supply portarranged in at least a part of the nozzle receiver () and configured to supply the powder in the container body () to the powder receiving inlet (): and a shutter () supported by the nozzle receiverand configured to open and close the nozzle receiving hole (insertion section)by sliding in response to insertion of the transport nozzleinto the nozzle receiver ().

Powder container, powder supply device and image forming apparatus

The powder container includes a container body containing a powder for image formation, the powder being to be supplied to a powder replenishing device; a conveyor configured to convey the powder from one end in a longitudinal direction to the other end at which a cylindrical container opening is formed, the conveyor being provided inside the container body; a gear configured to rotate the conveyor with an external driving force; a container cover configured to cover the gear, the container cover having a gear exposing hole for partially exposing a gear tooth; and a nozzle receiver configured to guide the conveying nozzle inside of the container body, the nozzle receiver being provided on the container opening. The container cover includes a container engaged portion provided outer than the tooth of the gear in a radial direction.

Powder container and image forming apparatus

Powder container including a container portion to be engaged with a powder replenishing device

A powder container includes a rotatable powder chamber for containing powder used for forming images, having an opening on a first side in an axial direction of the powder container, a conveyor to transport powder contained in the powder chamber to the first side from a second side in the axial direction, a protrusion radially projecting from an outer circumferential surface of the powder chamber, disposed in a circumferential area of the powder chamber, and a facing member disposed facing the outer circumferential surface of the powder chamber. The protrusion contacts the facing member as the powder chamber rotates.

Growing community of inventors

Ashigarakami-gun, Japan

Yuzuru Ozawa