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:
May. 07, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 29, 2000
Yasuyuki Ishiguro, Higashiosaka, JP;
Tsutomu Nagata, Hirakata, JP;
Masatoshi Kaneshige, Ikoma, JP;
Toshio Nishino, Yamatokoriyama, JP;
Hiroshi Tanisawa, Nara, JP;
Jun Yamaguchi, Ikoma, JP;
Yoshinori Otsuka, Tenri, JP;
Hiroshige Araki, Yamatokoriyama, JP;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A developing unit includes a developing hopper, a toner reserve container that incorporates a replenishing roller and a replenishing port forming a toner replenishing portion, arranged adjacent to the developing hopper in order to supply the toner to the developing hopper. The toner reserve container further includes an agitator rotatable about a rotary shaft and a conveying sheet attached to the agitator for conveying the toner to the replenishing roller. The conveying sheet has a bent portion where the conveying sheet is bent in the rotational direction of the agitator at a halfway point thereof with a predetermined angle &agr;. Deformation of the conveying sheet during rotation is absorbed around the position of the bent portion, so that the conveying sheet will not be plastically deformed at the attached part of the conveying sheet joined to the attachment edge of the agitator, whereby long stable toner conveyance by the conveying sheet can be maintained.