Image forming apparatus having particle modulator
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorMasataka Madea
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image forming apparatus is low priced and has a compact size. The apparatus is further capable of easily controlling toner particles such that the toner particles pass through individual apertures without a high-priced high-voltage A.C. power supply and a high-priced compressor. A driving roller and a shaft-type steel support preferably having a diameter of about 3 mm are arranged in a toner case so as to be parallel to each other. The driving roller and the support are bound by a belt preferably made of silicone rubber so as to be under tension. The belt is preferably formed about 200 mm thick, and a piezoelectric vibrator for vibrating the support is provided on the one end of the support.
Claims21
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- toner supply means for supplying toner to a support member to form an image thereon;
- and
- a particle modulator means disposed adjacent to said toner supply means for controlling the supply to toner particles from said toner supply means to the support member,
- wherein said toner supply means comprises a toner supply for supplying charged toner particles, a toner carrying member for carrying the toner particles supplied from said toner supply and vibration means for vibrating said toner carrying member to release the toner particles carried thereon, said vibration means including a support in contact with said toner carrying member and a vibrator coupled to said support.
A toner supply assembly for supplying toner to a support member in an image forming apparatus, comprising:
- a toner carrying member for carrying charged toner particles;
- a toner supply adjacent said toner carrying member for supplying the charged toner particles to said toner carrying member;
- and
- a vibration mechanism including a support coupled to said toner carrying member and including a vibrator coupled to said support that vibrates said toner carrying member to release the toner particles carried thereon.
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a toner particle supply means for supplying charged toner particles, including a belt driving roller and a toner carrying belt bound on said belt driving roller;
- a particle modulating means having a plurality of apertures for controlling flow of the charged toner particles supplied by said toner particle supply means through said apertures in order to form an image on a supporting member from the toner particles which flow through said apertures;
- a supporting bar disposed opposite to said apertures of said particle modulating means, extending parallel to said belt driving roller and being bound to said belt driving roller by said toner carrying belt;
- and
- vibrating means for vibrating said supporting bar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.