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:
Mar. 23, 1999
Filed:
May. 23, 1997
Haruji Mizuishi, Tokyo, JP;
Masaru Tanaka, Yokohama, JP;
Shigeru Watanabe, Yokohama, JP;
Kenzo Tatsumi, Yokohama, JP;
Toshitaka Yamaguchi, Ohmiya, JP;
Takeo Suda, Tokyo, JP;
Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Ichikawa, JP;
Ken Amemiya, Tokyo, JP;
Mayumi Yoshida, Kawasaki, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
There is provided an image forming device capable of preventing smudges on the background of an image due to excess toner replenishment caused by a failure in stirring developer and toner enough to charge the toner or scattering of replenished toner without being charged. A toner conveying member for conveying replenished toner from a toner replenishing portion through a toner replenishing port to a developer stirring and conveying member is constructed by a screw member unitarily formed with the developer stirring and conveying member. The screw member has a spiral conveying fin capable of conveying the replenished toner at relatively high speed. The replenished toner is delivered to a toner replenishing portion provided in the upstream of a developer receiving portion of the screw member.