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US 6,118,951 AGranted
Image forming apparatus and toner replenishing device therefor
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorsShunji Kato, Masasumi Yahata, Yuji Kitajima, Noboru Kusunose
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus including a developing unit operable with a one- or two-ingredient type developer and a device for replenishing toner to the developing unit included in the apparatus are disclosed. A plurality of toner bottles are accommodated in the toner replenishing device, so that the toner is replenished from one toner bottle to the developing unit. A rotating mechanism causes all the toner bottles to rotate during toner replenishment. A device is provided for determining the frequency of use of the individual toner bottle. The toner discharged from each toner bottle is fed to a toner transport portion via a respective passageway.
Claims40
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- developing means for feeding toner to a latent image electrostatically formed on an image carrier;
- toner conveying means for conveying the toner toward said developing means;
- a toner bank accommodating at least two toner bottles each storing the toner to be fed to said toner conveying means;
- and
- detecting means for detecting a frequency of use of an individual toner bottle;
- wherein the toner is fed from one of said plurality of toner bottles selected to feed toner to said toner conveying means.
3 more elements
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- developing means for feeding toner to a latent image electrostatically formed on an image carrier;
- toner conveying means for conveying the toner toward said developing means;
- a toner bank accommodating at least two toner bottles each storing the toner to be fed to said toner conveying means;
- and
- detecting means for detecting a frequency of use of an individual toner bottle;
- wherein the toner is fed from one of said plurality of toner bottles selected to feed toner to said toner conveying means, and when the toner bottle selected is emptied, another toner bottle is selectable.
3 more elements
An image forming apparatus, comprising:
- developing means for feeding toner to a latent image electrostatically formed on an image carrier;
- toner conveying means for conveying the toner toward said developing means;
- a toner bank accommodating at least two replaceable toner bottles each storing the toner to be fed to said toner conveying means;
- and
- counting means for determining a frequency of replacement of an individual toner bottle;
- wherein the toner is fed from any one of said plurality of toner bottles selected to feed toner to said toner conveying means.
3 more elements
An image forming apparatus, comprising:
- developing means for feeding toner to a latent image electrostatically formed on an image carrier;
- toner conveying means for conveying the toner toward said developing means;
- a toner bank accommodating at least two replaceable toner bottles each storing toner to be fed to said toner conveying means;
- and
- counting means for determining a frequency of replacement of an individual toner bottle;
- wherein the toner is fed from one of said plurality of toner bottles selected to feed toner to said toner conveying means, and when the toner bottle selected is emptied, another toner bottle is selectable.
3 more elements
An image forming apparatus for developing a latent image electrostatically formed on an image carrier to a toner image with a developing unit, and transferring the toner image to a recording medium, said image forming apparatus comprising:
- a toner bank for storing toner to be replenished to said developing device;
- toner conveying means for conveying the toner accumulated in a toner transport portion formed in said toner bank;
- a plurality of toner containers set in said toner bank, each of said toner containers discharging toner from a respective mouth thereof to said toner transport portion;
- and
- a detector connected to said toner bank for detecting a frequency of use of an individual container of said plurality of containers and for determining the level of toner in said toner containers;
- and
- a passageway for feeding the toner from each of said plurality of toner containers to said toner transport portion.
4 more elements
A device for replenishing toner to a developing unit, comprising:
- a plurality of toner containers;
- and
- rotating means for rotating one of said plurality of toner containers to thereby replenish the toner to the developing unit;
- said rotating means rotates all of said plurality of toner containers during replenishment;
- and
- detector means connected to said toner bank for detecting a frequency of use of an individual container of said plurality of containers and for determining the level of toner in said toner containers.
3 more elements
A device for replenishing toner to a developing unit, comprising:
- a plurality of toner containers;
- and
- rotating means for rotating one of said plurality of toner containers to thereby replenish the toner to the developing unit;
- wherein the toner container for replenishing toner and the toner container other than said toner container comprises a first and a second toner container, respectively, and said rotating means prevents said second toner container from rotating while toner replenishment from said first container is under way, but causes said second toner container to rotate for a preselected per od of time while the toner replenishment is not under way.
1 more element
An image forming device comprising:
- a developing mechanism feeding toner to a latent image electrostatically formed on an image carrier;
- a toner conveyor conveying the toner towards said developing mechanism;
- a toner bank accommodating at least two toner bottles each storing the toner to be fed to said toner conveyer;
- and
- a detecting mechanism detecting a frequency of use of an individual toner bottle wherein the toner is fed from one of said plurality of toner bottles selected to be fed to said toner conveyor.
2 more elements
An image forming apparatus, comprising:
- a developing mechanism feeding toner to a latent image electrostatically formed on an image carrier;
- a toner conveyor conveying the toner towards said developing mechanism;
- a toner bank accommodating at least two toner bottles each storing the toner to be fed to said toner conveyor;
- and
- a detecting mechanism detecting a frequency of use of an individual toner bottle wherein the toner is fed from one of said plurality of toner bottles selected to be fed to said toner conveyor, and when the toner bottle selected is emptied, another toner bottle is selectable.
2 more elements
An image forming apparatus, comprising:
- a developing mechanism feeding toner to a latent image electrostatically formed on an image carrier;
- a toner conveyor conveying the toner towards said developing mechanism;
- a toner bank accommodating at least two replaceable toner bottles each storing the toner to be fed to said toner conveyor;
- and
- a counting mechanism determining a frequency of replacement of an individual toner bottle wherein the toner is fed from anyone of said plurality of toner bottles selected to feed toner to said toner conveyor.
2 more elements
An image forming apparatus, comprising:
- a developing mechanism feeding toner to a latent image electrostatically formed on an image carrier;
- a toner conveyor conveying the toner towards said developing mechanism;
- a toner bank accommodating at least two replaceable to Her bottles each storing the toner to be fed to said toner conveyor;
- and
- a counting mechanism determining a frequency of replacement of an individual toner bottle wherein the toner is fed from one of said plurality of toner bottles selected to feed toner to said toner conveyor, and when the toner bottle selected is emptied, another toner bottle is selectable.
2 more elements
An image forming apparatus for developing a latent image electrostatically formed on an image carrier to a toner image with a developing unit, and transferring the toner image to a recording medium, said image forming apparatus comprising:
- a toner bank storing toner to be replenished to said developing device;
- a toner conveyor conveying the toner accumulated in a toner transport portion formed in the toner bank;
- a plurality of toner containers set in said toner bank, each of said containers discharging toner from a respective mouth thereof to said toner transport portion;
- and
- a passageway feeding toner from each of said plurality of toner containers to said toner transport portion.
2 more elements
A device for replenishing toner to a developing u nit, comprising:
- a plurality of toner containers;
- and
- a rotating mechanism rotating one of said plurality of toner containers to thereby replenish the toner to the developing unit;
- a detector connected to said toner bank for detecting a frequency of use of an individual container of said plurality of containers and for determining the level of toner in said toner containers;
- and
- said rotating mechanism rotating all of said plurality of toner containers during replenishment.
3 more elements
A device for replenishing toner to a developing unit, comprising:
- a plurality of toner containers;
- a detector connected to said toner bank detecting a frequency of use of an individual container of said plurality of containers and for determining the level of toner in said toner containers;
- and
- a rotating mechanism rotating one of said plurality of toner containers to thereby replenish the toner to the developing unit wherein the toner container for replenishing the toner and a toner container other than said toner container comprise a first and second toner container, respectively, and a rotating mechanism for preventing said second toner container from rotating while toner replenishment from said first container is underway, but causes said second toner container to rotate for a preselected period of time while the toner replenishment is not underway.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.