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:
Feb. 22, 1994
Filed:
Jan. 21, 1992
Toshihiro Sugiyama, Yokohama, JP;
Toshihiko Takaya, Tokyo, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A developing unit incorporated in an image forming apparatus and having a waste toner container for collecting a waste toner and a fresh toner container containing a fresh toner and adjoining the waste toner container. When the waste toner container is filled with the waste toner, the developing unit causes the waste toner to enter the fresh toner container while preventing the fresh toner from entering the waste toner container. A wall separates the waste toner and fresh toner containers from each other and is formed with an opening. A shutter is associated with the opening and opens when the pressure inside the waste toner container increases due to the waste toner. The waste toner which enters the fresh toner container via the opening is agitated together with the fresh toner as far as possible and then fed to a developing roller or is collected in a container whose volume is variable.