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. 05, 2017
Filed:
Jun. 14, 2016
Masayuki Yamane, Kanagawa, JP;
Takeroh Kurenuma, Kanagawa, JP;
Masahiro Watanabe, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A powder container includes a rotatable powder storage to store powder for image formation, a conveyor to transport the powder inside the powder storage, and a scooping portion to scoop the powder inside the powder storage. The conveyor transports the powder in a powder conveyance direction parallel to a rotation axis of the powder storage toward an opening at one end of the powder storage. The scooping portion causes the powder to flow to the opening. The scooping portion includes a scooping face extending from an inner face of the powder storage toward the rotation axis of the powder storage, and a rim disposed along an inner end of the scooping face in a diameter direction of the powder storage, and at least a portion of the rim protruding downstream beyond the scooping face in a rotation direction of the powder storage.