US 2022/0066355 A1Published application

Conveyance unit, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus

AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsHiroshi Takarada, Masaaki Sato, Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa

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Abstract

A conveyance mechanism which includes a rotation shaft extending in a direction along a first direction connecting first and second discharge ports that is rotatable with a rotation axis extending in the first direction. Wherein, a first rotation conveyance unit is disposed on the rotation shaft, and is rotatable together with the rotation shaft, conveys developer toward the first discharge port, and a second rotation conveyance unit is disposed on the rotation shaft, and is rotatable together with the rotation shaft, conveys developer toward the second discharge port. The second rotation conveyance unit is configured to provide a larger amount of conveyance than the first rotation conveyance unit.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A conveyance unit comprising:

a developer container including:
a storage chamber configured to store developer,
a replenishing port disposed on one longitudinal side of the storage chamber, and configured to supply developer from outside to the storage chamber,
a first discharge port disposed on the one longitudinal side of the storage chamber, and configured to discharge the developer from the storage chamber, and
a second discharge port disposed on the other longitudinal side and disposed at a position further from the replenishing port than the first discharge port, and configured to discharge the developer from the storage chamber, the replenishing port, the first discharge port and the second discharge port being not aligned in a straight line;
and
a conveyance mechanism disposed in the developer container, and configured to convey the developer stored in the storage chamber from the replenishing port to the first and the second discharge ports,
wherein the conveyance mechanism comprises:
a first conveyance member including:
a first rotation conveyance unit configured to convey the developer toward the first discharge port in a first direction connecting the first and second discharge ports;
and
a second rotation conveyance unit configured to convey the developer toward the second discharge port in the first direction;
a second conveyance member extending in a direction along the first direction, and configured to convey the developer from the replenishing port;
and
a third conveyance member disposed between the first and second conveyance members in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and configured to convey the developer from the second conveyance member to the first conveyance member along the second direction,
wherein the second rotation conveyance unit is configured to provide a larger conveyance capacity than the first rotation conveyance unit.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/523,742Filed 10 Nov 2021
Priority: JP 2019-17802727 Sep 2019
Published: 3 Mar 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G03G 15/0891
Arrangements for conveying and conditioning developer in the developing unit, e.g. agitating, removing impurities or humidity: for conveying or…
G03G 15/0874
Arrangements for supplying new developer: non-rigid containers, e.g. foldable cartridges, bags
G03G 21/1814
Arrangements or disposition of the complete process cartridge or parts thereof: details of parts of process cartridge, e.g. for charging,…
G03G 2215/083
Augers: with two opposed pitches on one shaft

Family

Application17/026,553Continuation · filed 21 Sep 2020
Application17/523,742Continuation
US 11,199,794 B2Related patent
US 11,506,996 B2Related patent
US 2021/0096483 A1Published application
US 2022/0066355 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.