Patents Examined by Crystal L. Wagner
  • Image forming apparatus and toner stirring method
    Patent number: 7024151
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus has a communicating portion from the first chamber 24 to the second chamber 25, and a communicating portion from the first chamber 24 to the third chamber 26, which are separated from each other. With this structure, an active flow of fresh toner into the third chamber 26, where a developer having a low toner ratio and low toner concentration is stirred together with recycle toner during an image forming operation is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuo Katoh, Takafumi Amano