The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 03, 1991
Filed:
Sep. 10, 1990
Kazuhito Takaoka, Kadoma, JP;
Kazushige Inoue, Takatsuki, JP;
Masatoshi Uehara, Hirakata, JP;
Yumiko Sano, Osaka, JP;
Mita Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
Disclosed is an image forming apparatus in which photosensitive toner remaining on an electrically-conductive drum after the formation of an image is collected and then used again for the subsequent process of forming an image. The apparatus comprises a toner storage unit including a toner feed system and a toner collecting system both disposed within a single housing. The toner feed system feeds toner onto an electrically-conductive drum for the formation of an image. The toner collecting system includes a blade for removing the toner remaining on the conductive drum after the formation of the image, and also includes a transporting paddle or a feeder for delivering the removed toner back to the toner feed system, the toner then being supplied again onto the electrically-conductive drum for the subsequent image-forming process.