# US 10,503,100 B2 · Powder supply device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,503,100 B2 - Document ID: US10503100B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/845,024 - Filed: 2017-12-18 - Published: 2018-06-21 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-19 - Assignees: Konica Minolta, Inc. - Applicants: Konica Minolta, Inc. - Inventors: Toru Toda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10503100B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/0894: {Reconditioning of the developer unit, i.e. reusing or recycling parts of the unit, e.g. resealing of the unit before refilling with toner} - B65B 1/16: by pneumatic means, e.g. by suction - B65B 1/34: Adjusting weight by trickle feed - B65B 39/007: {Guides or funnels for introducing articles into containers or wrappers} - G03G 15/0877: {Arrangements for metering and dispensing developer from a developer cartridge into the development unit} - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) ## Abstract A powder supply device including: a powder fluidizing unit which blows air into the powder in the tank to fluidize the powder; a powder supply path forming member which forms a powder supply path in which one end is the ejection port and the other end is an inflow port connected to the tank, wherein the fluidized powder flows into the inflow port so as to be ejected from the ejection port through the powder supply path; an air blower which blows air toward the powder that is about to flow into the inflow port; and a hardware processor, wherein the hardware processor is capable of executing supply flow rate control of controlling a powder ejection amount from the ejection port according to an air blowing amount by the air blower by controlling the air blowing amount. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A powder supply device which ejects a powder stored in a tank from a predetermined ejection port to supply the powder, the powder supply device comprising: a powder fluidizing unit which blows air into the powder in the tank to fluidize the powder; a powder supply path forming member which forms a powder supply path in which one end is the ejection port and the other end is an inflow port connected to the tank, wherein the powder in the tank which is fluidized by the powder fluidizing unit flows into the inflow port so as to be ejected from the ejection port through the powder supply path; an air blower which blows air toward the powder that is about to flow into the inflow port; and a hardware processor, wherein the hardware processor is capable of executing supply flow rate control of controlling a powder ejection amount from the ejection port according to an air blowing amount by the air blower by controlling the air blowing amount, and the air blowing amount by the air blower is increased to reduce or stop a powder ejection. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The powder supply device according to claim 1, wherein the air blower is capable of blowing an air blowing amount which makes the powder ejection amount from the ejection port be zero, and the hardware processor is capable of executing supply stop control of stopping powder supply by controlling the air blowing amount by the air blower to make the powder ejection amount from the ejection port be zero after the powder is supplied by the supply flow rate control. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The powder supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a supply path opening/closing unit which closes the powder supply path by sucking air from a mixture of the powder and air in the powder supply path through a filter to temporarily aggregate the residual powder, the filter being impermeable to the powder and permeable to air. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The powder supply device according to claim 3, wherein the hardware processor is capable of executing supply stop control of stopping powder supply by controlling the supply path opening/closing unit to make an opening degree of the powder supply path be zero after the powder is supplied by the supply flow rate control. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The powder supply device according to claim 3, wherein the hardware processor is capable of executing supply stop control of stopping powder supply by controlling the supply path opening/closing unit to make an opening degree of the powder supply path be zero after the powder is supplied by controlling the supply path opening/closing unit to control the opening degree of the powder supply path. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The powder supply device according to claim 2, further comprising a measure which measures the powder ejected from the ejection port and inputs a measurement value to the hardware processor, wherein the hardware processor controls a timing of stopping the powder supply based on the measurement value of the measure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The powder supply device according to claim 6, wherein the hardware processor is capable of setting a target value of a supply amount of the powder and executing deceleration stop control of decelerating the powder ejection amount as the measurement value of the measure approaches the target value and stopping the powder supply. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The powder supply device according to claim 1, wherein the powder supply path is a horizontal path or a rising slope path from the inflow port to a predetermined dimension.