# US 5,349,425 A · Combined cleaner and toner magazine for an image forming apparatus

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- Number: US 5,349,425 A
- Document ID: US5349425A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/010,876
- Filed: 1993-01-29
- Granted: 1994-09-20
- Earliest claimed: 1992-01-31
- Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
- Inventors: Masahiko Kamijo; Hiroshi Saitoh; Yozo Matsuura; Shiro Kondo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5349425A

## CPC

- G03G 21/0005: {for removing solid developer or debris from the electrographic recording medium}
- G03G 21/10: Collecting or recycling waste developer
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY

## Abstract

A combined cleaner and toner magazine (CTM) applicable to an image forming apparatus and implemented as a single unit made up of a device for supplying a toner to a developing unit and a cleaning device for removing and storing part of the toner which remains on a photoconductive element after image transfer. The CTM has an electromagnetic shutter or a permanent magnet for preventing the toner left on the photoconductive element without being collected by the cleaning device from being scattered around in the apparatus. When a toner reservoir included in the toner supply device is emptied and, at the same time, a waste toner tank in the cleaning device is filled up, a supplementary toner is filled in the toner reservoir via a predetermined opening and the waste toner is discharged from the waste toner tank via another predetermined opening.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A combined cleaner and toner magazine (CTM) for an image forming apparatus, comprising:
toner supplying means for supplying a toner to a developing unit;
cleaning means constructed integrally with said toner supplying means for removing and storing the toner remaining on a photoconductive element after image transfer; and
preventing means for preventing part of the toner left on the photoconductive element without being stored in said cleaning means from being scattered around in said image forming apparatus;
wherein:
said preventing means comprises an openable electromagnet shutter; and
said electromagnet shutter comprises an openable shutter member, and control means for selectively opening or closing said shutter member.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A CTM as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cleaning means comprises:
a raking brush for collecting and storing said part of the toner; and
a flicker for beating said raking brush to remove the toner deposited on said raking brush;
said preventing means comprising attracting means located in the vicinity of said flicker for attracting said part of the toner left on the photoconductive element.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A CTM as claimed in claim 2, wherein said attracting means comprises a sheet-like magnet.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A CTM as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cleaning means comprises:
a waste toner tank for storing and discarding the toner removed by said cleaning means; and
an opening formed through said waste toner tank for discharging the toner filling said waste toner tank.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A CTM as claimed in claim 4, wherein said toner supplying means comprises a toner reservoir storing the toner to be supplied to the developing unit; and
an opening formed through said toner reservoir for filling said toner reservoir with a supplementary toner when said toner reservoir is emptied.

### Claim 6

A combined cleaner and toner magazine (CTM) for an image forming apparatus, comprising:
toner supplying means for supplying a toner to a developing unit;
cleaning means constructed integrally with said toner supplying means for removing said storing the toner remaining on a photoconductive element after image transfer; and
preventing means for preventing part of the toner left on the photoconductive element without being stored in said cleaning means from being scattered around in said image forming apparatus;
wherein:
said preventing means comprises an openable permanent magnet shutter;
said permanent magnet shutter comprises an openable shutter member and a sheet-like permanent magnet affixed to said shutter member; and
said sheet-like permanent magnet is 1 millimeter to 3 millimeters thick.

### Claim 7

A combined cleaner and toner magazine (CTM) for an image forming apparatus, comprising:
toner supplying means for supplying a toner to a developing unit;
cleaning means constructed integrally with said toner supplying means for removing and storing the toner remaining on a photoconductive element after image transfer; and
preventing means for preventing part of the toner left on the photoconductive element without being stored in said cleaning means from being scattered around in said image forming apparatus;
wherein:
said preventing means comprises an openable permanent magnet shutter;
said permanent magnet shutter comprises an openable shutter member and a sheet-like permanent magnet affixed to said shutter member; and
said sheet-like permanent magnet protrudes 1 millimeter to 6 millimeters from an edge of said shutter member.