Powder conveyance unit and image forming apparatus including same

A powder conveyance unit, comprising:

• powder conveyance path means for forming a powder conveyance path including an inner wall to convey powder therethrough,
• the powder conveyance path means connecting a first powder container and a second powder container to pass the powder from the first powder container to the second powder container through the powder conveyance path;
• powder removal means for removing the powder adhering to the inner wall of the powder conveyance path;
• and
• drive means for moving the powder removal means immediately after completion of conveyance of the powder from the first powder container to the powder conveyance path,
• the powder removal means supported along a width direction of the powder conveyance path perpendicular to a powder conveyance direction of the powder conveyance path such that opposed lateral edges of the powder removal means contact or nearly contact the inner wall of the powder conveyance path in the width direction of the powder removal means,
• opposed surfaces of the powder removal means moving reciprocally between opposed surfaces of the inner wall of the powder conveyance path to remove powder adhering to the surfaces of the inner wall of the powder conveyance path.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an image carrier configured to carry an image on a surface thereof;
• a developing unit configured to develop a latent image formed on the surface of the image carrier into a toner image with toner;
• a transfer unit configured to transfer the toner image on the surface of the image carrier onto a transfer member;
• a cleaning unit configured to remove residual toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier after transfer;
• a toner bottle to store toner used to form the image, the toner bottle including multiple projections;
• a path to convey toner from the toner bottle;
• and
• a powder remover having a contact surface, the powder remover at least partially disposed in the path, to remove toner which is in the path, the powder remover operating by movement when the contact surface contacts the projections of the toner bottle.