US 7,321,744 B2 | ||
Developer container, developer supplying device, and image forming apparatus | ||
Hiroshi Hosokawa, Kanagawa (Japan); Kiyonori Tsuda, Kanagawa (Japan); Satoshi Narumi, Kanagawa (Japan); Ryuta Takeichi, Kanagawa (Japan); Yuji Arai, Kanagawa (Japan); Masanori Kawasumi, Kanagawa (Japan); Kazuhiko Umemura, Shizuoka (Japan); Hiroshi Ishii, Kanagawa (Japan); Yutaka Fukuchi, Kanagawa (Japan); Kazuki Suzuki, Saitama (Japan); Yuusuke Noguchi, Kanagawa (Japan); Kazuosa Kuma, Kanagawa (Japan); and Makoto Kikura, Kanagawa (Japan) | ||
Assigned to Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo (Japan) | ||
Filed on Jun. 10, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/864,672. | ||
Application 10/864672 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP04/02025, filed on Feb. 20, 2004. | ||
Claims priority of application No. 2003-052658 (JP), filed on Feb. 28, 2003; application No. 2003-054478 (JP), filed on Feb. 28, 2003; and application No. 2004-004668 (JP), filed on Jan. 09, 2004. | ||
Prior Publication US 2004/0223790 A1, Nov. 11, 2004 | ||
Int. Cl. G03G 15/08 (2006.01) |
U.S. Cl. 399—258 [399/262] | 49 Claims |
1. A toner container configured to hold toner for use in an image forming apparatus, comprising:
a main part detachably attached to the image forming apparatus, the main part having a longitudinal axis and being configured
to be rotated about said axis in order to deliver the toner contained therein to the image forming apparatus;
an outlet configured to discharge the toner from the toner container in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal
axis of the main part, the outlet being located on a portion of the toner container which is connected to the main part, said
portion is rotatable relative to the main part such that when the main part is rotated about said axis in order to dispense
toner, said portion having the outlet remains stationary;
an input unit adjacent to the outlet, configured to rotate the toner container via engagement with a drive unit of the image
forming apparatus;
a small-diameter portion internal to the toner container and adjacent to the input unit, the small-diameter portion having
a diameter which is smaller than an inside diameter of the main part; and
a toner guiding unit configured to move the toner inside the toner container to the outlet beyond the small-diameter portion
of the input unit by rotation of the toner container.
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