Powder conveyance device, toner conveyance device, process cartridge and image forming apparatus

A toner conveyance device for conveying toner using a powder conveyance device, said powder conveyance device comprising:

• a powder conveyor belt having a plurality of concavo-convex portions formed continuously on a conveyance surface thereof;
• driving means for driving said conveyor belt;
• and
• a scraping member that contacts said conveyor belt, and a modulus of elasticity of said scraping member is set at a lower limit of 1 GPa and an upper limit of 10 GPa,
• wherein at least one of said scraping member and a convex portion of said conveyor belt deforms elastically such that a tip end of said scraping member enters a concave portion and scrapes away a powder stuck to said conveyor belt, and
• wherein said scraping member contacts said convex portion of said conveyor belt but does not contact a bottom surface of said concave portion.

A process cartridge that can be attached to and detached from an image forming apparatus main body, having a cleaning device for removing residual toner from an image carrier and a toner conveyance device for conveying said residual toner removed by said cleaning device, in which said toner conveyance device conveys said toner using a powder conveyance device, and said powder conveyance device comprises:

• a powder conveyor belt having a plurality of concavo-convex portions formed continuously on a conveyance surface thereof;
• driving means for driving said conveyor belt;
• and
• a scraping member that contacts said conveyor belt, and a modulus of elasticity of said scraping member is set at a lower limit of 1 GPa and an upper limit of 10 GPa,
• wherein at least one of said scraping member and a convex portion of said conveyor belt deforms elastically such that a tip end of said scraping member enters a concave portion and scrapes away a powder stuck to said conveyor belt, and
• wherein said scraping member contacts said convex portion of said conveyor belt but does not contact a bottom surface of said concave portion.

An image forming apparatus having a cleaning device for removing residual toner from an image carrier and a toner conveyance device for conveying said residual toner removed by said cleaning device, in which said toner conveyance device conveys said toner using a powder conveyance device, and said powder conveyance device comprises:

• a powder conveyor belt having a plurality of concavo-convex portions formed continuously on a conveyance surface thereof;
• driving means for driving said conveyor belt;
• and
• a scraping member that contacts said conveyor belt, and a modulus of elasticity of said scraping member is set at a lower limit of 1 GPa and an upper limit of 10 GPa,
• wherein at least one of said scraping member and a convex portion of said conveyor belt deforms elastically such that a tip end of said scraping member enters a concave portion and scrapes away a powder stuck to said conveyor belt, and
• wherein said scraping member contacts said convex portion of said conveyor belt but does not contact a bottom surface of said concave portion.