Image forming apparatus having toner handling units which are alternatively usable as a developing device or a cleaning device
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorsTakashi Hodoshima, Shunji Katoh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Image forming apparatus having two identical toner handling units each functioning as a developing device when located in a developing position or as a cleaning device when located in a cleaning position. The image forming devices are alternately and repetitively set in the developing position and cleaning position.
Claims3
In an image forming apparatus having an area for electrostatically forming a latent image on an image carrier, an area for developing said latent image to produce a toner image, an area for transferring said toner image to a recording medium, and an area for cleaning said image carrier to remove a residual toner remaining on said image carrier after the transfer of said toner image, a first toner handling unit comprising:
- a magnet brush roller;
- a toner storing section storing a toner therein;
- toner collecting means for collecting said toner in said toner storing section;
- toner supplying means for supplying said toner from said toner storing section to said magnet brush roller;
- toner sensing means for sensing the toner stored in said toner storing section;
- and
- means for inhibiting said first toner handling unit from being located in said area for forming a toner image in response to an output of said toner sensing means which indicates that the toner does not exist in said toner storing means;
- wherein said toner handling unit is constructed so as to be selectively set in either of said area for forming a toner image and said area for cleaning said image carrier;
- wherein said toner handling unit functions as a developing device when said unit is set in said area for forming a toner image;
- and
- wherein said toner handling unit functions as a cleaning device when said unit is set in said area for cleaning said image carrier.
In an image forming apparatus having an area for electrostatically forming a latent image on an image carrier, an area for developing said latent image to produce a toner image, an area for transferring said toner image to a recording medium, and an area for cleaning said image carrier to remove a residual toner remaining on said image carrier after the transfer of said toner image, a first toner handling unit comprising:
- a magnet brush roller;
- a toner storing section storing a toner therein;
- toner collecting means for collecting said toner in said toner storing section;
- and
- toner supplying means for supplying said toner from said toner storing section to said magnet brush roller;
- wherein said toner handling unit is constructed so as to be selectively set in either of said area for forming a toner image and said area for cleaning said image carrier;
- wherein said toner handling unit functions as a developing device when said unit is set in said area for forming a toner image;
- wherein said toner handling unit functions as a cleaning device when said unit is set in said area for cleaning said image carrier;
- and
- wherein said first toner handling unit further comprises a net interposed between said toner collecting means and said toner storing section for collecting impurities.
In an image forming apparatus having an area for electrostatically forming a latent image on an image carrier, an area for developing said latent image to produce a toner image, an area for transferring said toner image to a recording medium, and an area for cleaning said image carrier to remove a residual toner remaining on said image carrier after the transfer of said toner image, a first toner handling unit comprising:
- a magnet brush roller;
- a toner storing section storing a toner therein;
- toner collecting means for collecting said toner in said toner storing section;
- and
- toner supplying means for supplying said toner from said toner storing section to said magnet brush roller;
- wherein said toner handling unit is constructed so as to be selectively set in either of said area for forming a toner image and said area for cleaning said image carrier;
- wherein said toner handling unit functions as a developing device when said unit is set in said area for forming a toner image;
- wherein toner handling unit functions as a cleaning device when said unit is set in said area for cleaning said image carrier;
- wherein said toner collecting means includes a toner collecting roller and said toner supplying means includes a toner supply roller;
- and
- wherein said first toner handling unit further comprises an elastic member contacting said toner collecting roller and an elastic member contacting said toner supply roller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.