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:
Dec. 28, 2010
Filed:
Aug. 27, 2008
Yasuyuki Ishiguro, Higashiosaka, JP;
Takeshi Okuda, Kizugawa, JP;
Takeshi Wakabayashi, Kyoto, JP;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A toner conveyance unit is provided that can reliably prevent a toner from leaking and scattering. And an image forming apparatus is also provided having the toner conveyance unit. When a circular arc-shaped shutter member and a rotary shutter member are closed, a first conveyance part and a second conveyance part are adapted to separate from each other. When the circular arc-shaped shutter member and the rotary shutter member are open, the circular arc-shaped shutter member and the rotary shutter member rotate integrally so as to be enclosed in the tubular cylinder part, and to move a through hole to a position such as to constitute a portion of a second toner conveyance path, whereby the first conveyance part and the second conveyance part are adapted to be connected to each other so that a first toner conveyance path and the second toner conveyance path communicate with each other.