Abstract: A powder transport device includes a transport unit, a spiral first transport member, and a first driving unit. The transport unit has a transport path. The first transport member is rotatably disposed in the transport path and rotates forward to transport powder. The first driving unit drives the first transport member to rotate. The first driving unit rotates the first transport member in reverse when both (i) a non-operation time during which the first transport member is not rotated and (ii) detection information on a temperature satisfy a condition.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a housing that contains a developing agent; a vibrator that vibrates the housing; and a hardware processor that controls the vibrator at a time when no image is being formed, with the housing mounted on an image forming apparatus, to vibrate the housing such that toner adhered inside the housing is dropped.

Abstract: A toner supply device includes a toner storage, a supply opening, a toner conveyer, a toner supply opening, and an air passage. The toner storage stores toner. Through the supply opening, the toner is supplied to a developing device. The toner conveyer includes an area of space different from an area of space of the toner storage. The toner conveyer conveys the toner stored in the toner storage to supply the toner from the supply opening to the developing device. Through the toner supply opening, the toner is supplied from the toner storage to the toner conveyer. The air passage is at a position different from the toner supply opening. The air passage connects the toner storage to the toner conveyer so as to allow air flowing through the supply opening into the toner conveyer to be supplied to the toner storage through the air passage.

Abstract: An elastically deformable region of an elastic layer in a developer supplying roller is near an agitator. In a state where the agitator agitates a predetermined region or where the agitator is in contact with the developer supplying roller, the agitator is rotated in the same direction as the developer supplying roller.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for improving powder material dispensing from containers, including toner dispensing from rotating toner cartridge components. The disclosed systems and methods separately agitate a rotating toner bottle, including an apparently, or indicated, expended toner bottle, in an image forming device to dislodge residual toner in the toner bottle without the need to remove the toner bottle from the image forming device to perform manual agitation by modifying a physical configuration of the rotating toner bottle in a manner that improves the performance of the rotating toner bottle by improving the flow of the toner material within the toner bottle. The disclosed physical configurations of the rotating toner bottle impart agitating pulses or disturbances onto rotating toner bottles to disturb any layers of residual toner material formed within the rotating toner bottle that may inhibit flow of the toner material in the rotating toner bottle.

Abstract: A nozzle is provided. The nozzle includes a gas injection unit, a sieve body, and a derivation unit. The gas injection unit is adapted to inject a gas into a powder container containing a powder. The sieve body includes a cylinder, a filter, and a blade. The cylinder has a communication aperture for communicating the cylinder with the powder container. The filter is disposed at a bottom of the cylinder. The blade is adapted to agitate the powder introduced into the cylinder from the powder container through the communication aperture upon injection of the gas into the powder container to allow the powder to pass through the filter. The blade is rotatable about a rotation axis that intersects with the filter in proximity to the filter. The derivation unit is adapted to derive the powder passed through the filter out of the powder container.

Abstract: Provided is a powder transport device including a guide tube that guides a falling powder, a guide member that guides transport of the fallen powder, a transport member that is disposed in the guide member, has a helical member extending in a transport direction of the powder, and transports the fallen powder through rotation, and a swing member that is disposed at a lower end portion of the guide tube, and has a portion which is folded or bent in a direction of enclosing inner wall surfaces of the guide tube and a convex portion which intermittently contacts with the helical member so as to swing the portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a toner supply section that supplies toner to a plurality of developing sections; a carrier supply section that supplies carrier to the plurality of developing sections; and a control section that controls an operation of the carrier supply section. The carrier supply section includes: a carrier housing section; a carrier distributing section that receives a predetermined amount of carrier that has freely fallen from the carrier housing section and guides the predetermined amount of carrier to each of the plurality of developing sections; a support frame section that slidably supports the carrier distributing section; and a vibration exciter section that vibrates the carrier distributing section.

Abstract: A toner container for accommodating toner, includes a first opening through which the toner is passable; a toner feeding member for feeding the toner to the first opening by reciprocating motion toward and away from the first opening; an urging member for urging the toner feeding member; a movable member movable between a position for moving the toner feeding member against an urging force of the urging member and a position for permitting the toner feeding member to move by the urging force of the urging member; a second opening for permitting the urging member and the toner feeding member to pass into the toner container to install them in the toner container; and a cap for closing the second opening.

Abstract: A toner conveying device includes a toner containing part, a conveying member, and a vibration mechanism. The toner containing part contains a toner. The conveying member rotates around a rotation axis so as to convey the toner in the toner containing part. The vibration mechanism vibrates the conveying member in directions of the rotation axis.

Abstract: A developer supply apparatus includes a buffer portion for storing a developer supplied from a developer container, a feeding device for feeding the developer, stored in the buffer portion, toward a developing device, and a pair of light transmitting members which permit light transmission for detecting the developer in the buffer portion. In addition, a vibrating device vibrates the pair of light transmitting members in an optical axis direction.

Abstract: A toner replenishing device includes a toner container that stores toner, a toner replenishing device that supplies toner from the toner container to a developing device, and a toner condition detector that detects an aggregated condition of the toner stored in the toner container. A toner softening device is provided to soften toner stored in the toner container. A controller is also provided to drive the toner softening device for a prescribed time period in accordance with a detection result obtained by the toner condition detector.

Abstract: A developing device for supplying a developer to an image bearing member is provided with a housing configured to define a passage for movement of the developer and a replenishment path configured to communicate with the passage and supply the developer to the passage; a conveyor configured to move the developer in the passage and the replenishment path; and a switching device configured to switch one moving direction to another moving direction of the developer by the conveyor to selectively move the developer toward the replenishment path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a light emission element, a lighting signal generation section, a storage section, a communication line, a control section and an electromagnetic noise generation source. The storage section stores data used when the lighting signal generation section generates a lighting signal. The lighting signal generation section and the storage section transmit and receive the data therebetween through the communication line. The control section that controls the transmitting and receiving of the data between the lighting signal generation section and the storage section. The control section controls so as to start the transmitting and receiving of the data between the storage section and the lighting signal generation section in a state where a magnitude of the electromagnetic noise, at a position where the lighting signal generation section is disposed, generated by the electromagnetic noise generation source is smaller than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A developer supply apparatus includes a buffer portion for storing a developer supplied from a developer container; a feeding device for feeding the developer, stored in the buffer portion, toward a developing device; a pair of light transmitting members, which permit light transmission, for detecting the developer in the buffer portion; and a vibrating device for vibrating the pair of light transmitting members in an optical axis direction.

Abstract: A toner supply container according to this invention includes a toner containing portion, a support member and a container holding member. The toner containing portion is a cylindrical container having a magnet at an outer periphery thereof and configured to discharge fluid contained therein. The support member supports the toner containing portion for rotation. The container holding member has a counterpart magnet at a position opposed to the former magnet and is configured to hold the toner containing portion supported by the support member.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming device, comprising: an image holding unit configured to hold an image formed by developing material; a developing material case configured to accommodate the developing material and to have a supplying opening facing the image holding unit; a carrying unit having a plurality of carrying electrodes, the carrying unit being configured to carry the developing material accommodated in the developing material case toward the image holding unit by generating a traveling electric field through the plurality of carrying electrodes; a vibrator that vibrates the carrying unit; and a controller that controls the vibrator to change a frequency of vibration.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming device, including an image holding unit configured to hold an image formed by developing material, a developing material case configured to accommodate the developing material and to have a supplying opening facing the image holding unit, a carrying unit having a plurality of carrying electrodes, the carrying unit being configured to carry the developing material accommodated in the developing material case toward the image holding unit by generating a traveling electric field through the plurality of carrying electrodes, at least one vibrator that vibrates the carrying unit, and a vibrating region moving unit configured to move a vibrating region vibrated by the at least one vibrator along the carrying unit in accordance with an amount of the developing material in the developing material case.

Abstract: A toner container includes a container body that contains toner therein, and a cap portion that is held by a toner-container holding unit and includes a toner discharge opening to discharge the toner contained in the container body. A gear portion is detachably attached to the container body so that a rotational force is transmitted to the container body.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing housing that supports a developer carrier, and a developer cartridge. The developer cartridge includes a cartridge housing that is configured to accommodate developer, an agitator that is provided in the cartridge housing and is configured to agitate the developer by a driving force, and a transmission gear that is configured to transmit the driving force to the agitator. The developing housing comprises a moving gear that is movable between a meshing position in which the moving gear meshes with the transmission gear and a spaced-apart position in which the moving gear is spaced apart from the meshing position. The moving gear is configured to transmit the driving force from the transmission gear to the agitator.

Abstract: A developer supply container (1) detachably mountable to a hollow portion of a rotatable photosensitive member (100) provided in a electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the container including a rotatable container body having an inner space for containing a developer; a feeding portion (5) for feeding the developer in the container body with a rotation of the container body to discharge the developer out of the container body; and a engageable portion (3a) which is engageable with the photosensitive member so that container body is rotated integrally with the photosensitive member by a rotational driving force received from a driving member (104) provided in the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A powder conveying device and an image forming apparatus having the same are disclosed. The powder conveying device to convey powder such as toner, includes a conveying plate to carry powder thereon, a vibration generating device to vibrate the conveying plate, and a plurality of conveying protrusions provided on a surface of the conveying plate to convey the powder loaded on the conveying plate. Each of the conveying protrusions has an incline of an upstream side and an incline of a downstream side on a powder conveying path. The incline of the upstream side is smaller than the incline of the downstream side. The powder conveying device can realized with smaller size and/or with lower cost.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit having an image carrier, a developing agent container for holding a developing agent, and a developing agent supplier for supplying the developing agent from the developing agent container to the image carrier. A controller determines the amount of use of the image forming unit. A shaking mechanism shakes the image forming unit from time to time, at intervals determined by the controller according to the amount of use of the image forming unit. The shaking loosens the developing agent so as to maintain its fluidity, thereby avoiding faint image formation.

Abstract: A transfer apparatus comprises a toner image supporting body and a corona transfer means, which are oppositely disposed, and a vibrating unit for exerting vibration force to the rear face of a toner supporting body, disposed opposite to the corona transfer means, wherein the vibrating unit has a cantilever structure for holding an end of a piezoelectric bimorph element in which a pair of piezoelectric bodies each having an electrode, are bonded to both sides of a conductive elastic member (a shim member). A protrusion portion is provided on the other end of the piezoelectric bimorph element.

Abstract: A printer includes a toner cartridge coupling section. A toner agitation member is located adjacent the toner cartridge coupling section and is operable to engage a surface of a toner cartridge when the toner cartridge is located in the toner cartridge coupling section. An actuator is operable to actuate the toner agitation member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to which a developer container is detachably mountable includes a receiving unit configured to receive, via wireless communication, temperature information detected by a temperature detecting unit, which is disposed in a developer container, from the developer container in a state not mounted to the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus further includes a determining unit configured to determine, based on the temperature information received by the receiving unit, whether an oscillating unit disposed in the developer container is to be oscillated, and a transmitting unit configured to transmit a signal for oscillating the oscillating unit to the developer container via wireless communication based on a determination result of the determining unit indicating that the oscillating unit is to be oscillated.

Abstract: An embodiment may be an image forming method, which comprises forming a latent image on an image carrier; developing the latent image with a toner to form a toner image on the image carrier; transferring the toner image; and applying ultrasonic vibration at one of the developing step and the transferring step. The toner comprises a resin particle and a release agent particle having a melting point in a range of 40 to 75° C. and the toner has Dp50 of 3.0 to 5.0 ?m.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer storage tank which stores a developer therein and has a developer discharger to discharge the developer therethrough, a developer receiver which receives the developer, a delivery member which is connected with the developer discharger and delivers the developer to the developer receiver through a delivery path, and a vibrator which vibrates the delivery member.

Abstract: An agent containing unit for use in an image forming apparatus includes a container, a discharge port unit, and a support plate. The container stores an agent and has an opening on one end portion of the container. The discharge port unit is attached to the opening of the container, and covers the opening of the container and has a first discharge port, through which the agent is discharged from the container. The support plate supports the container, fixed detachably on the support plate, and has a second discharge port, which is aligned with the first discharge port.

Abstract: Device for helping toner cartridge recharging for printers is presented. The device includes a supporting cable, perpendicularly engaged to a supporting structure having in one of its ends a vibration head, having inside and being stuck by a clamp a motor in which axis there is a nylon circular part that has an eccentric pin. The structure includes on the other end a part having a universal nozzle, the supporting cable internally running the energy wire that connects to a converter.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer containing casing, a developer transport body, transport electrodes, and a developer vibrating section. The developer containing casing is a box-like member in which a developer is contained. The developer transport body has a developer transport surface, and is disposed within the developer containing casing. The plurality of transport electrodes are provided along the developer transport surface. These transport electrodes are configured such that they can transport the developer in a predetermined developer transport direction on the developer transport surface upon application of traveling-wave voltages. The developer vibrating section is configured to be able to vibrate the developer which is to be transported on the developer transport surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member, a charging device for charging the image carrying member, an exposure device for writing a latent image on the image carrying member, a development device for developing the latent image into a visible image, a transfer device for transferring the visible image to a recording medium, a cleaning device for cleaning the image carrying member, and a fixing device for fixing the visible image on the recording medium. The development device includes a development unit, a toner cartridge, and a control mechanism. The toner cartridge supplies toner to the development unit which develops the latent image into the visible image. The control mechanism controls supply and discharge of the toner between the development unit and the toner cartridge. The development device moves at an acceleration of approximately 1 m/s2 in directions of supplying and discharging the toner for a predetermined time.

Abstract: A multi-function peripheral includes an image forming unit having an image forming device, and an image reading unit having an image reading device and located above the image forming unit. The image forming device forms an image on a recording sheet with moving a carriage reciprocally in a predetermined horizontal direction. The image reading device reads an image of an object by moving an image capturing element in the predetermined horizontal direction when the image forming unit operates. Spring elements are provided between the image forming unit and the image reading unit to apply an urging force therebetween in a direction parallel to the predetermined horizontal direction. The spring elements satisfy the following condition: f f n > 2 , where, f and fn are characteristic frequencies of the image forming unit and the image reading unit, respectively, in the predetermined horizontal direction.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a toner ejection mode whereby toner stored in a black developing container is completely removed from the developing container by rotating a rotary developing unit at a specific timing and using gravity and the centrifugal force that acts on the toner stored in the black developing container due to this rotation, or using the vibration that acts on the black developing container when the rotation is stopped. In this toner ejection mode, the toner is ejected from the developing container of the rotary developing unit, an image for a single sheet of recording paper is formed on the surface of a photoreceptor drum, and the toner constituting the image transferred onto the surface of an intermediate transfer belt by the photoreceptor drum is then recovered by a belt-cleaning unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit having an image carrier, a developing agent container for holding a developing agent, and a developing agent supplier for supplying the developing agent from the developing agent container to the image carrier. A controller determines the amount of use of the image forming unit. A shaking mechanism shakes the image forming unit from time to time, at intervals determined by the controller according to the amount of use of the image forming unit. The shaking loosens the developing agent so as to maintain its fluidity, thereby avoiding faint image formation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer storage tank which stores a developer therein and has a developer discharger to discharge the developer therethrough, a developer receiver which receives the developer, a delivery member which is connected with the developer discharger and delivers the developer to the developer receiver through a delivery path, and a vibrator which vibrates the delivery member.

Abstract: The toner transport device of the present invention includes a toner transport pipe, internally having a toner transport path for allowing toner to pass therethrough, which is disposed so that the toner transport path extends in an up-and-down direction and which vibrates in upward and downward directions. Further, on an upper joint section and a lower joint section of the toner transport pipe are provided an upper foamed elastic member and a lower foamed elastic member which internally has a toner passage for allowing the toner transported to/from the toner transport path to pass therethrough, wherein a wall surface of the toner passage is coated with a resin layer which does not allow the toner to pass therethrough. As a result, it is possible to properly prevent retention and solidification of toner in the toner transport path by the upward-and-downward vibration of the toner transport member and it is possible to properly prevent toner from leaking from the toner transport device.

Abstract: The present invention provides toner supplying devices, toner supplying processes, and the like that control bulk density of a mixture of toner and gas efficiently thereby enhancing the fluidity of the mixture, and maintaining the high fluidity for a long period. The invention includes a toner supplying device that has a toner containing portion configured to store a toner, a toner outlet configured to discharge the toner from the toner containing portion, a conveying pipe configured to convey the toner, and a gas feeding unit configured to feed a gas. The toner supplying device supplies the toner from the toner containing portion to an image forming unit of an image forming apparatus. A porous member is disposed near the toner outlet, and the gas is fed into the toner containing portion through the porous member.

Abstract: A printer control CPU of the image forming apparatus controls the normal toner replenishing rotation after rotating a toner bottle in the normal rotating direction by about ¾ turn and then immediately in the direction reverse to the normal rotating direction by about ¾ turn. These operations are performed twice as the process to separate residual toners adhered on the inner surface of a toner bottle.

Abstract: A photocopier includes a toner bottle that discharges toner from an opening by a rotation, a motor that rotates the toner bottle and a contacting section provided at a position through which a protrusion of the toner bottle passes when the protrusion comes down by the rotation of the toner bottle. When the weight of the toner bottle is more than or equal to a predetermined value, the contacting section descends by the weight of the toner bottle when the protrusion passes through the contacting section, and the contacting section ascend when the protrusion passes away from the contacting section. When the weight of the toner bottle is less than a predetermined value, the contacting section doesn't descend by the weight of the toner bottle.

Abstract: An ultrasonic vibration tool is made of a block of substantially rectangular parallelepiped form, and has its one end face formed as an output end face, and has its other end face opposite the output end face formed as an input end face. An ultrasonic oscillator is connected to the input end face for transmitting a longitudinal standing wave to the output end face. Peripheries of the input and output end faces of the block constitute mass portions. Between the mass portions are formed slits at a pitch less than a half of an oscillation wavelength, whereby a plurality of elastic portions are obtained. The mass portion on the input end face side has a protrusion having a height equal to or less than a quarter of the oscillation wavelength, thereby obtaining a mass distribution. Hence, a uniform amplitude distribution is achieved in the output end face.

Abstract: The powder container includes a powder discharging outlet at one end portion of one side wall of the powder container. The powder replenishing device further includes a reciprocating motion device that reciprocates the powder container between forward and backward directions with respect to a moving direction of the powder toward the powder discharging outlet so as to move the powder in the powder container toward the powder discharging outlet in a state that the powder discharging outlet is directed downward in substantially a vertical direction.

Abstract: A novel toner dispensing apparatus without any moving parts is provided. The toner dispensing apparatus, includes a toner hopper for containing a quantity of finely divided toner, said hopper having an elongated opening formed by the cooperation of the walls thereof through which toner is capable of being dispensed from said hopper, and a dispensing electrode array on a surface of one of said wall, for transporting toner in a direction of movement toward said an elongated opening formed at a dispensing rate; and a wave generator for generating a travel wave pattern for transporting toner in said direction of movement.

Abstract: A toner container for containing toner has a container main body portion, a container end portion, an aperture portion, and an extendable portion connecting the container main body portion and the container end portion. The extendable portion renders the portion capable of a relative rocking motion. The toner is discharged from the aperture portion by the relative rocking motion of the container main body portion and the container end portion.

Abstract: A mechanism for replenishing particulate material from a receptacle to a remote reservoir. The replenisher mechanism includes a housing having a sensor for sensing the level of particulate material within the housing, pair of spaced end walls, and a pair of spaced side walls. At least a portion of the side walls are flexible. An interface provides flow communication of particulate material between a particulate material receptacle and the housing, and a delivery assembly provides flow communication of particulate material between the housing and a remote reservoir. At least one paddle assembly is operatively associated with at least one of the flexible side walls for moving such side wall in a manner to substantially prevent agglomeration and flake production in the particulate material within the housing. The paddle assembly includes a first pivot rod mounted in fixed spatial relation to the housing, a paddle supported on the first pivot rod, a second pivot rod carried by the paddle.

Abstract: A developing apparatus for supplying toner includes a toner hopper configured to hold unused toner, a developing tub, and a toner hopper mounting part provided between the developing tub and the toner hopper. The toner hopper is adapted to be mounted to and removed from the toner hopper mounting part. The toner hopper mounting part includes a vibration apparatus for vibrating the toner hopper mounting part to loosen the unused toner stored in the toner hopper.

Abstract: An electrostatic sonic toner release (electrostatic STORE) development apparatus, and a multicolor image reproduction machine including such a development apparatus are provided for creating toner images with reduced development fields. The electrostatic sonic toner release (electrostatic STORE) development apparatus includes a development housing defining a sump for holding developer material containing the toner particles; developer moving assembly mounted within the sump for transporting developer material within the sump; and a donor assembly mounted partially within the sump for receiving toner particles from the developer moving assembly, and for transporting the toner particles through a development nip of the reproduction machine.

Abstract: A direct electrostatic printing method and apparatus decrease the adhesion force of toner particles on a toner particle source. The method includes the steps of coating the toner particle source with a plurality of layers of toner particles and vibrating the toner particle source so that the toner particles break up to form one fluidised layer of toner. The toner particle supply apparatus includes a toner feed source supplying toner particles to a rotating developer sleeve to form a multilayer coating of toner particles on the developer sleeve. A vibration generating device is arranged adjacent to, or on a surface of the developer sleeve to break up the toner particles to form one fluidised layer of toner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is loaded with a toner housing container which houses toner and has an opening. A lower portion of the toner housing container is knocked with rotation of the toner housing container so that toner on an interior wall of the toner housing container is moved.

Abstract: A convex-concave member with a plurality of protruding portions is provided on the inner surface of a toner holding body. A hitting member for hitting the protruding portions with rotation of the toner holding body is provided inside the toner holding body. As the toner holding body rotates, the hitting member hits an adjacent protruding portion on the upstream side of the protruding portion with which the hitting member have been in contact with respect to the rotation direction of the toner holding body. This vibrates the surface of the toner holding body, and weakens adhesive forces of the toner to the toner holding body. If the hitting member is disposed so as to hit the protruding portion opposing an opposite electrode, the adhesive forces of the toner are weakened only in a toner projection area, while an enough toner transport amount is ensured outside the toner projection area.