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US 9,335,658 B2Granted
Developer supply device with wall between chambers having two heights
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorTakanori Uno
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A developer supply device including a developer carrying body, extending in a width direction, configured to carry developer and a casing including an wall, extending in the width direction, disposed between a first room on which the developer carrying body is disposed and a second room configured to store the developer is provided. The first room and the second room communicate each other through an opening formed above the wall. The wall includes end portions having a first height and a central portion. The central portion is disposed between the end portions and has a second height which is higher than the first height.
Claims18
A developer supply device, comprising:
- a roller configured to carry developer, extending in a first direction the first direction being in a direction of a rotation axis of the roller and horizontal when the developer supply device is in use;
- a casing in which a first room and a second room are defined, the roller being disposed in the first room, the second room being configured to store the developer;
- a wall extending over a length of the casing in the first direction, the first room and the second room being partitioned by the wall, an opening being formed above the wall over the length of the wall when the developer supply device is in use;
- and
- an agitator configured to convey the developer from the second room to the first room, the agitator including a shaft and a rotating member fixed to the shaft, the shaft being rotatably supported by the casing and configured to rotate in the second room;
- wherein the wall is divided into:
- end portions which are both end portions, in the first direction, of the wall and having a first height at upper ends of the end portions;
- and
- a central portion defined as a portion, between the end portions, having a predetermined length in the first direction and having a second height which is higher than the first height, the central portion having an upper end that is continuous with the upper ends of the end portions,
- wherein the agitator is configured to convey the developer from the second room to the first room through at least a portion of the opening which is formed above at least the central portion of the wall,
- wherein the developer conveyed over the wall accumulates in the first room,
- wherein the roller is configured to collect the developer accumulated in the first room, and
- wherein the rotating member of the agitator includes a central conveyance portion corresponding to the central portions of the wall and end conveyance portions respectively corresponding to the end portions of the wall, each of the end conveyance portions including a mesh part,
- wherein the central conveyance portion has a different shape than the end conveyance portions so that a force to convey the developer from the second room to the first room is stronger by the central conveyance portion than by the each end conveyance portion,
- wherein superfluous developer accumulated in the first room returns to the second room through at least portions of the opening which are formed above the end portions of the wall.
12 more elements
A developer supply device, comprising:
- a roller configured to carry developer, extending in a first direction the first direction being in a direction of a rotation axis of the roller and horizontal when the developer supply device is in use;
- a casing in which a first room and a second room are defined, the roller being disposed in the first room, the second room being configured to store the developer;
- a wall extending over a length of the casing in the first direction, the first room and the second room being partitioned by the wall, an opening being formed above the wall over the length of the wall when the developer supply device is in use;
- and
- an agitator configured to convey the developer from the second room to the first room, the agitator including a shaft and a rotating member fixed to the shaft, the shaft being rotatably supported by the casing and configured to rotate in the second room;
- wherein the wall is divided into:
- end portions which are both end portions, in the first direction, of the wall and having a first height at upper ends of the end portions;
- and
- a central portion defined as a portion, between the end portions, having a predetermined length in the first direction and having a second height which is higher than the first height, the central portion having an upper end that is continuous with the upper ends of the end portions,
- wherein the agitator is configured to convey the developer from the second room to the first room through at least a portion of the opening which is formed above at least the central portion of the wall,
- wherein the developer conveyed over the wall accumulates in the first room,
- wherein the roller is configured to collect the developer accumulated in the first room, and
- wherein the rotating member of the agitator includes a central conveyance portion corresponding to the central portions of the wall and end conveyance portions respectively corresponding to the end portions of the wall, each of the end conveyance portions including a plurality of penetrating holes,
- wherein the central conveyance portion has a different shape than the end conveyance portions so that a force to convey the developer from the second room to the first room is stronger by the central conveyance portion than by the each end conveyance portion,
- wherein superfluous developer accumulated in the first room returns to the second room through at least portions of the opening which are formed above the end portions of the wall.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.