# US 11,868,065 B2 · Toner conveying device, cleaning device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,868,065 B2 - Document ID: US11868065B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/772,871 - Filed: 2021-01-22 - Published: 2022-12-15 - Granted: 2024-01-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-29 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Kuniyori Takano - Inventors: Kuniyori Takano - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11868065B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/0891: {for conveying or circulating developer, e.g. augers} - G03G 21/0011: {using a blade; Details of cleaning blades, e.g. blade shape, layer forming} - G03G 21/105: {Arrangements for conveying toner waste} - G03G 15/0889: {for agitation or stirring} - G03G 21/0076: {Plural or sequential cleaning devices} - G03G 2221/001: Plural sequential cleaning devices - G03G 2221/0089: Mechanical - G03G 2221/1624: transporting cleaned toner into separate vessels, e.g. photoreceptors, external containers - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract A toner conveying device includes a conveying screw and a swinging member. The conveying screw includes a shaft portion and a screw portion spirally wound around the shaft portion. The swinging member has a substantially comb shape and swings between the shaft portion and the screw portion with rotation of the conveying screw, and includes a plurality of overhanging portions arranged side by side at intervals in an axial direction of the conveying screw and a plurality of tip portions, each one of which is bent at a predetermined angle from a free end side of a corresponding one of the plurality of overhanging portions in a direction away from the shaft portion. A width of each one of the plurality of tip portions gradually increases at least from a portion to contact the screw portion toward a free end side of each one of the plurality of tip portions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A toner conveying device comprising: a conveying screw configured to rotate and convey toner, the conveying screw including: a shaft portion; and a screw portion spirally wound around the shaft portion; and a swinging member having a comb shape, the swinging member configured to swing between the shaft portion and the screw portion with rotation of the conveying screw, the swinging member including: a plurality of overhanging portions arranged side by side at intervals in an axial direction of the conveying screw; and a plurality of tip portions, each tip portion of the plurality of tip portions being bent at an angle from a free end side of a corresponding one of the plurality of overhanging portions in a direction away from the shaft portion, wherein each tip portion of the plurality of tip portions includes side edges on an upstream side and downstream side in the toner conveying direction, a width of the side edges gradually increasing least from a portion contacting the screw portion toward a free end side of each of the plurality of tip portions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The toner conveying device according to claim 1, wherein each tip portion includes a boundary portion with the corresponding one of the plurality of overhanging portions, and wherein the width of each tip portion gradually increases from the boundary portion toward the free end side of each one of the plurality of tip portions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The toner conveying device according to claim 2, wherein the side edges are configured to contact the screw portion at a 90 degree angle between the side edges and the screw portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The toner conveying device according to claim 1, wherein each tip portion is bent at 90 degrees from the free end side of the corresponding one of the plurality of overhanging portions in the direction away from the shaft portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The toner conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the swinging member is configured to contact the conveying screw along the axial direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A cleaning device comprising the toner conveying device according to claim 1. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The cleaning device according to claim 6, further comprising: a cleaning blade configured to contact an image bearer configured to rotate in a rotation direction; and a seal configured to contact the image bearer on an upstream side from the cleaning blade in the rotation direction, wherein tip portions, of the plurality of tip portions, when at a position closest to the image bearer are configured to be substantially parallel to a virtual line passing through a center of the shaft portion in the axial direction and a center of a virtual line segment connecting a contact position between the image bearer and the cleaning blade and a contact position between the image bearer and the seal, when viewed along the axial direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) A process cartridge configured to be detachably installed in an image forming apparatus, the process cartridge comprising: the cleaning device according to claim 6; and an image bearer integrated with the cleaning device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The toner conveying device according to claim 1, further comprising: a cleaning blade configured to contact an image bearer configured to rotate in a rotation direction, wherein the swinging member is a flexible sheet-shaped member, and wherein a supporting face of the cleaning blade is substantially parallel to a supporting face of the swinging member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An image forming apparatus comprising the toner conveying device according to claim 1. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The toner conveying device according to claim 1, wherein a pitch between the plurality of overhanging portions and the plurality of tip portions is different from a screw pitch of the conveying screw. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The toner conveying device according to claim 1, wherein a pitch between the plurality of overhanging portions and the plurality of tip portions is greater than a screw pitch of the conveying screw. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The toner conveying device according to claim 1, wherein a length of the plurality of overhanging portions is greater than a span from a supporting portion of the conveying screw to the shaft portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The toner conveying device according to claim 1, wherein a width of the plurality of overhanging portions is less than a screw pitch of the conveying screw. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The toner conveying device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of tip portions is symmetrical with a corresponding overhanging portion, of the plurality of overhanging portions, in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the swinging member. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The toner conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the swinging member extends along an entire range of the conveying screw in the axial direction.