# US 7,043,172 B2 · Image forming apparatus

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- Number: US 7,043,172 B2
- Document ID: US7043172B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/830,269
- Filed: 2004-04-21
- Published: 2005-02-10
- Granted: 2006-05-09
- Earliest claimed: 2003-08-05
- Assignees: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Yasushi Koshimura; Junichi Koiso; Kanehiro Watanabe
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7043172B2

## CPC

- G03G 21/0052: {using an air flow; Details thereof, e.g. nozzle structure}
- G03G 15/0898: {for preventing toner scattering during operation, e.g. seals (sealing the donor member G03G15/0817; sealing the magnetic brush G03G15/0942)}
- G03G 2221/0005: Cleaning of residual toner
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY

## Abstract

An image forming apparatus may comprise a suction section, fitted onto the air vent, for sucking toner particles scattered in the image forming apparatus, including an intermediate duct in which the toner particles accumulate and which is detachable from the suction section, and an exhaust fan for sucking air including the toner particles, through the intermediate air duct, and discharging air outside the image forming apparatus.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image forming apparatus, comprising:
an image carrier;
a charging device for evenly charging the image carrier;
an image writing device for forming latent images on the image carrier which is charged by the charging device;
a developing device for forming toner images on the image carrier by developing the latent images formed on the image carrier, including:
a developing roller on which toner is formed by magnetic power,
a housing to house toner agitating screws and the developing roller, and
an air vent, mounted onto the housing near a gap between the developing roller and the image carrier,
a transfer section for transferring the toner images onto a transfer material;
a fixing device for fixing the toner images on the transfer material; and
a suction section, having one end fitted onto the air vent, wherein air including toner particles flows through the suction section, and toner particles scattered in the image forming apparatus accumulate in the suction section, including:
an upstream side duct having one end fitted onto the air vent;
an intermediate duct having one end fitted onto a second end of the upstream side duct comprising:
an upper intermediate duct for guiding air including the toner particles,
and a lower intermediate duct in which the toner particles accumulate;
a downstream side duct having one end fitted onto a second end of the intermediate duct; and
an exhaust fan which is connected to a second end of the downstream side duct for sucking air including the toner particles from the air vent through the suction section, and discharging air outside the image forming apparatus.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the intermediate duct is formed in an elbow shape.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lower intermediate duct is concave in which the toner particles accumulate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lower intermediate duct is removable from the intermediate duct for recycling the accumulated toner particles.