Abstract: A toner guide member includes a toner discharge port that is located above and faces a toner introduction port of a waste toner container, and the toner guide member forms, in its inside, a passage of waste toner from an end portion of a drum cleaning device to a toner discharge port. A first paddle conveyance member including a plurality of first blade portions rotates in a first rotation direction in the toner guide member. A second paddle conveyance member including a plurality of second blade portions rotates in a second rotation direction that is opposite to the first rotation direction, at a position lower than the first paddle conveyance member. A pivotal trajectory of the plurality of first blade portions partially overlaps with a pivotal trajectory of the plurality of second blade portions.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a cleaning device includes a conveying member and a plurality of scraping pieces. The conveying member has a rotating shaft and a spiral blade formed around the rotating shaft. The conveying member is configured to be rotated around an axis to convey a toner removed from an image carrier in a direction of the axis. The plurality of scraping pieces are arranged in the direction of the axis. The plurality of scraping pieces are configured to be turnable so as to alternately come into contact with the rotating shaft and the spiral blade to scrape the toner adhered on the rotating shaft. A width of the scraping piece in the direction of the axis is equal to or below ½ of a gap between the adjacently arranged scraping pieces in the direction of the axis.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly; a door; a discharging portion provided in the main assembly and provided with a first opening for discharging toner; and a toner receptor detachably mounted to the door to accommodate the toner, the toner receptor being provided with a second opening cooperative with the first opening to form a toner flow passage, wherein the receptor is movable, in a state that it is mounted on the door, between a contacting position in which the receptor contacts the discharging portion such that the second opening is in fluid communication with the first opening and a spacing position in which the receptor is spaced from the discharging portion, and wherein the receptor mounted on the door is movable between the contacting and the spacing positions in a direction inclined with respect to a contact plane of the discharging portion relative to the receptor.

Abstract: A toner conveyance device includes a downward passage, a reciprocating member disposed in the downward passage, to move in a vertical direction in which the downward passage extends, a conveyance passage communicating with a lower end of the downward passage and extending in a direction crossing the vertical direction, a conveyor to rotate in the conveyance passage around an axis extending along the conveyance passage to transport the toner, and a flexible member projecting from a bottom of the reciprocating member toward the conveyance passage. The flexible member extends in the axial direction of the conveyor and moves together with the reciprocating member. When the reciprocating member is at a lowest position, a lower end of the flexible member opposes a portion of the conveyor downstream from an upper end thereof in a rotation direction thereof.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a body casing, a drum unit movable between an inside position and an outside position, and a waste toner storage unit. The drum unit includes a photosensitive drum, a cleaning unit configured to remove toner remaining on a surface of the photosensitive drum, a conveying unit including a conveying member to convey the toner in a moving direction of the drum unit, and a conveying tube that can accommodate the conveying member and having a discharging outlet through which the toner is discharged to the waste toner storage unit. Moreover, the conveying tube includes a first conveying tube extending in the moving direction and accommodating the conveying member, and a second conveying tube connectable to the first conveying tube and extending in a direction intersecting with a direction in which the first conveying tube extends.

Abstract: Provided is a powder transporting device including: a powder transport path through which a powder loading port, from which powder is loaded in the path, communicates with a powder unloading port disposed with being shifted in a horizontal direction from a position perpendicularly below the powder loading port, and which has a lateral direction transport path and a longitudinal-direction transport path, is disposed to be bent with respect to the lateral direction transport path; a powder transport member that includes a lateral direction transport member, which is movable along the lateral direction transport path, and a longitudinal-direction transport member and that transports powder along the lateral direction transport path and the longitudinal-direction transport path; a drive input portion that leaves a rotational track; and a regulation member that regulates the behavior of the powder transport member.

Abstract: A toner agitation system according to one example embodiment includes a toner agitator movable in a reciprocating manner. A cam follower is operatively connected to the toner agitator. A rotatable cam has a cam surface that contacts the cam follower. A biasing member biases the cam follower into contact with the cam surface. Contact between the cam surface and the cam follower during rotation of the cam causes the toner agitator to move in the reciprocating manner.

Abstract: A toner conveying device includes a toner replenishing tube extended upwardly/downwardly, a loosening member reciprocating upwardly/downwardly inside the replenishing tube, a toner conveying tube, a conveying member and a converting part. The conveying tube is extended in a crossing direction with the replenishing tube and communicates the replenishing tube and a toner containing part. The conveying member is arranged rotatably inside the conveying tube to convey a toner from the toner containing part to the replenishing tube. The converting part converts rotating movement of the conveying member to reciprocating movement of the loosening member. The loosening member includes a straight line portion and a protruded portion. The straight line portion is engaged with the conveying member via the converting part and extended downwardly along the replenishing tube. The protruded portion is continued from a lower end of the straight line portion, and bent and protruded in the crossing direction.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a toner detection unit that detects whether there is toner that is stored; a stirring unit that stirs toner in a toner container; a calculation unit that calculates an output duty by comparing an output voltage of the toner detection unit representing whether there is toner after the stirring, with a predetermined voltage value; and a remaining amount detection unit that detects an amount of remaining toner at the output duty from a correspondence relationship between the output duty and an amount of remaining toner that is previously set.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body casing, a waste toner container, and a drum unit configured to move between a first position inside the main body casing and a second position outside the main body casing, the drum unit including a photoconductive drum, a cleaner, and a transporter including a first transportation member, and a transportation tube including a first frame including a first half-tubular section and a tubular section, and a second frame including a second half-tubular section. The first half-tubular section and the second half-tubular section define a first space configured to allow toner removed by the cleaner to pass therethrough. The tubular section of the first frame defines a second space configured to allow the toner passed through the first space to pass therethrough.

Abstract: A toner conveyance device includes a toner conveyance path through which toner is transported. The toner conveyance path includes a flexible portion, a toner conveyor inside the conveyance path to convey the toner, and a restrictor outside the toner conveyance path to restrict deformation of the toner conveyance path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, comprising: a body casing, a drum unit movable between an inside position and an outside position, and a waste toner storage unit, and wherein the drum unit comprises a photosensitive drum, a cleaning unit to remove toner remaining on a surface of the photosensitive drum, and a conveying unit including a conveying member to convey the toner in a moving direction of the drum unit, and a conveying tube to accommodate the conveying member and to have a discharging outlet through which the toner is discharged to the waste toner storage unit, and wherein the conveying tube comprises: a first conveying tube to extend in the moving direction and to accommodate the conveying member, and a second conveying tube to be connected to the first conveying tube and to extend in a direction intersecting with a direction in which the first conveying tube extends.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a drum unit, an intermediate transfer unit, a waste toner container, and a first guide portion. The drum unit includes a photoconductor drum. The intermediate transfer unit includes a transfer belt and a belt cleaning portion. The belt cleaning portion removes waste toner remaining on the transfer belt and conveys the waste toner toward one side in a width direction of the transfer belt. The waste toner container is provided below an end of the drum unit on the one side and includes an introduction port that introduces waste toner to an inside of the waste toner container. The first guide portion guides the waste toner conveyed by the belt cleaning portion to the one side, from the introduction port to the inside of the waste toner container.

Abstract: Provided is a toner recycling device for an image forming apparatus, including a waste toner conveying screw which conveys waste toner collected out of a surface of a photosensitive drum to one side; a toner recycling means which is connected with the waste toner conveying screw to be rotated by rotation of waste toner conveying screw, filters a foreign substance out of the waste toner conveyed by the waste toner conveying screw, supplies the recycled toner from which the foreign substance is removed toward a developing unit, and discharges the foreign substance filtered out of the waste toner to an outside of a drum unit; and a collecting case which is integrally formed with the drum unit at one side of the drum unit to collect the foreign substance filtered by the toner recycling means, wherein the foreign substance like paper dust contained in the waste toner is filtered, and then the recycled toner is supplied again toward the developing unit, thus it is possible to prevent the quality of a printed image

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a displacement member supported so as to be displaceable; and a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism is a mechanism configured to displace the displacement member between a first position away from a fall path of a movement path for a powdery developer and a second position at which at least a part of the displacement member enters the fall path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge-supporting body, a belt, a belt cleaning unit, a waste toner cartridge, and a collective conveying unit. The cartridge-supporting unit supports a plurality of process cartridges. Each process cartridge includes a photosensitive drum and a drum-cleaning unit for collecting waste toner on the photosensitive drum. The belt confronts the plurality of process cartridges when the cartridge-supporting body is in an internal position. The belt cleaning unit collects waste toner on the belt. The waste toner cartridge accommodates both waste toner collected from the plurality of photosensitive drums by the plurality of drum-cleaning units and waste toner collected from the belt by the belt cleaning unit. The collective conveying unit aggregates waste toner collected from the plurality of photosensitive drums by the plurality of drum-cleaning units and conveys collectively the aggregated waste toner to the waste toner cartridge.

Abstract: An auger assembly according to one example embodiment includes an auger having a helical flight extending along a longitudinal axis. The auger has a central opening running along the longitudinal axis. The auger has an end that includes at least a portion of a turn having substantially zero pitch. A retaining member has a body including a groove on an outer surface of the body. The groove has a shape complementary to the helical flight at the end of the auger. At least a portion of the end of the auger is retained within the groove. A rotatable coupling member extends along the longitudinal axis. At least a portion of the rotatable coupling member is positioned within the central opening of the auger and presses the outer surface of the retaining member against an inner diameter of the end of the auger.

Abstract: A waste toner storing container includes a container main body, a conveyance guide portion, a conveyance portion, a conversion portion, a moving member, and a restriction member. The container main body stores waste toner. The conveyance guide portion has an inclined guide surface that guides the waste toner diagonally downward from a reception port. The conveyance portion is rotatably provided in the inside of the container main body. The conversion portion converts a rotational motion of the rotation shaft to a reciprocating motion in conjunction. The moving member reciprocally moves in a direction along the inclined guide surface by a force of the reciprocating motion received from the conversion portion. The restriction member restricts the moving member from being displaced upward from the inclined guide surface by pressing the moving member toward the inclined guide surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer; a developing device; a transfer device; a waste-developer container; a developer collecting device including a collected-developer conveyor, a waste channel, a reuse channel, and a channel switching member to switch a route between the waste channel and the reuse channel; a switching determiner to determine whether to dispose or reuse collected developer; an operating condition data collector to collect and store operating condition data used as a degradation speed index of developer in the developing device; a determination type selector to select, according to the degradation speed index, one of a first determination type based on an operating amount and a second determination type based on developer replacement data indicating an amount of developer replaced with supplied developer in the developing device; and a switching controller to control the channel switching member according to determination made by the switching determiner.

Abstract: A cleaning device comprises: a to-be-cleaned member; a cleaning member that cleans the surface of the to-be-cleaned member; a conveying member that conveys a substance removed from the surface of the to-be-cleaned member to outside of the device; a rotatable collecting member that conveys with its surface the substance toward the conveying member; and a partitioning member that guides the substance from the collecting member to the conveying member. The collecting member comprises a conveying portion that carries and conveys the substance; and a protrusion that protrudes toward an upstream side of the conveying portion in a rotating direction of the collecting member. One end of the partitioning member faces the rotating collecting member, and the other end faces the conveying member. The conveying portion and the protrusion are brought into contact with the partitioning member by the rotation of the collecting member.

Abstract: A toner container and system for mounting and/or securing the toner container includes a toner container having a toner dispensing hole, a shutter, a protrusion. The shutter is movable relative to the toner dispensing hole, and is to selectively close the toner dispensing hole. The protrusion is connected to the shutter and movement of the protrusion causes the shutter to move relative to the toner dispensing hole to cover the toner dispensing hole. There is a receiver including a movable catch, the movable catch being in a first position when the toner container is initially inserted into the receiver, and the movable catch moving to a second position upon insertion of the toner container into the receiver.

Abstract: In an image-forming device, a waste developer material accommodating part is provided integrally with a developer material accommodating part and is configured to accommodate waste developer material collected by a recovering unit. A waste developer material conveying mechanism is connected to both of the recovering unit and the waste developer material accommodating part and conveys the waste developer material from the recovering unit to the waste developer material accommodating part. The waste developer material conveying mechanism includes a conveying member that is disposed outside the waste developer material accommodating part and that is coupled to a center region of the waste developer material accommodating part along an axial direction of the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first feeding path configured to feed toner collected from an image forming station, a collection container detachably mountable to the image forming apparatus and configured to accommodate the collected toner fed through the first feeding path, and a shutter unit including a second feeding path movably connected with the first feeding path and capable of connecting with the collection container. A shutter is configured to open and close a connecting portion between the second feeding path and the collection container by sliding in a direction crossing with the second feeding path in response to mounting and demounting of the collection container.

Abstract: It is enabled to prevent packing of toner and supply toner stably. A toner supplying device has a toner cartridge attached to an upper part thereof a storage tank in which toner supplied from the toner cartridge is stored temporarily and discharges the toner from a toner discharge port provided in a lower end of the storage tank. A conveyance screw for discharging the toner from the toner discharge port is provided inside the storage tank and the storage tank has a shaft support hole for supporting a shaft of the conveyance screw that coincides with a rotational center axis of the conveyance screw. The shaft support hole is formed as along hole in which the shaft is able to be displaced in one direction or a direction opposite to the one direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier; an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on the image carrier by using toner, based on image information; a transfer unit configured to transfer the toner image formed on the image carrier to a sheet; a cleaning unit configured to clean toner on the image carrier; a collected toner box in which the toner cleaned by the cleaning unit is collected; a rotating member configured to be rotated for moving the toner in the collected toner box; and a controller configured to control, based on the image information, whether or not to rotate the rotating member.

Abstract: The intermediate transfer belt cleaning device includes a cleaning blade for removing residual toner on the intermediate transfer belt, a waste toner conveying screw that conveys the removed toner, and a vibrating part with multiple vanes, arranged between the cleaning blade and the waste toner conveying screw, each vane partly coming into contact with the waste toner conveying screw and vibrating in linkage with the motion of the waste toner conveying screw. Each vane has a projected part that is positioned close to, and projects toward, the intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that includes an image bearer, a developing device to develop a latent image, a transfer device to transfer a developed image from the image bearer, a developer collecting device to collect developer remaining on the image bearer, and a waste-developer container to contain developer to be disposed. The apparatus also includes a switching determiner to perform a determination of a preferred transfer amount of developer in a target period, an estimation of an accumulative consumption of developer in the target period, a determination of whether to dispose or reuse collected developer, and a determination of whether to perform switching between disposal and reuse of the collected developer based on comparison between the preferred transfer amount and the estimated accumulative consumption of developer. The apparatus also includes a switching controller to cause the developer collecting device to perform the switching between disposal and reuse.

Abstract: A developing device includes a case, an agitating member, a moving mechanism and a detecting device. The case contains a developer inside. The agitating member is rotated in the case to agitate the developer while conveying the developer in a rotation axis direction. The moving mechanism reciprocates the agitating member in the rotation axis direction in accordance with the rotation of the agitating member. The detecting device detects a developer amount contained in the case.

Abstract: In an initial recovery stage of untransferred toner, a conveying stirring screw is rotated at a high speed by using a second driving path. When the amount of collected untransferred toner increases and the rotating torque of the conveying stirring screw reaches a setting torque value of a second torque limiter, a driving path is switched to a first driving path, so that the conveying stirring screw is rotated at a low speed. When the amount of the collected untransferred toner further increases and the rotating torque of the conveying stirring screw reaches a setting torque value of a first torque limiter, the first driving path is also disconnected to block torque transfer to the conveying stirring screw.

Abstract: Toner conveying device includes cylindrical member, shutter member, and shutter opening/closing mechanism. Cylindrical member is provided at end of toner conveyance path in which toner is conveyed, cylindrical member having first opening from which toner is discharged, end of toner conveyance path being on downstream side in toner conveyance direction. Shutter member is formed in shape of cylinder with bottom and configured to be externally fitted with cylindrical member and open and close first opening. Shutter opening/closing mechanism is configured to cause shutter member to pivot between open position at which first opening is opened and closed position at which first opening is closed, while moving shutter member in direction along axis around which shutter member pivots such that at closed position, bottom surface of shutter member and side edge of cylindrical member are pressed against each other.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis having an opening, a cover, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt, a primary-transfer member, a secondary-transfer roller, a cleaner device, a waste toner container, which is movable along a predetermined direction to be removably installed in the chassis through the opening and stores residual toner, a connector, and a feed roller, which is arranged within the feeding path to feed the recording sheet in the feeding path. The feed roller is arranged in a position to at least partially fall within a vertical range of the waste toner container and to be aligned with the waste toner container along an axial direction of the second feed roller.

Abstract: A developer container includes a casing having a developer accommodating chamber and a waste-developer accommodating chamber, conveying member, a conveying-member accommodating unit, and a supporting member. The conveying member conveys waste developer in a longitudinal direction of the waste-developer accommodating chamber. The conveying-member accommodating unit accommodates the conveying member therein and has a first opening and a second opening. The first opening is provided in an upstream end portion and allows the waste developer to move from outside of the conveying-member accommodating unit to the inside of the conveying-member accommodating unit. The second opening allows the waste-developer to move from the inside of the conveying-member accommodating unit to the waste-developer accommodating chamber. The supporting member is provided on the casing.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus includes a blade, a screw, a toner crushing member, and a casing. The toner crushing member is located in contact with the screw. The toner crushing member is provided in association with the screw and configured to crush toner accumulated between the screw and the blade, by being swung by the screw rotating. The casing houses the screw and the toner crushing member. The screw rotates in the direction reverse to the rotational direction of the photoreceptor drum. The toner crushing member is configured having a first part and a second part, with a base-end side of the first part being secured to the casing, and the second part being folded back along a distal-end side of the first part, such that a distal-end side of the second part swings between the blade and the screw, in association with the rotation of the screw.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus in which an image forming speed is changed in a state where toner is provided between a photosensitive drum and an intermediate transfer member. Therefore, even if a speed difference between the photosensitive drum and the intermediate transfer member is generated, a drive torque can be suppressed, and deterioration caused by abrasion of the photosensitive drum and the intermediate transfer member can be reduced.

Abstract: A waste toner bottle for an imaging device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. A tube defines an auger path about the housing. The tube is in fluid communication with a plurality of inlets of the housing and has a transfer auger disposed along the auger path to move toner into the reservoir. The tube extends upward into the upper region of the housing above the plurality of inlets. The tube extends from a first end of the reservoir to a second end of the reservoir in the upper region of the housing. The tube includes perforations in a bottom of the tube between the first end of the reservoir and the second end of the reservoir in the upper region of the housing to drop toner from the auger path into the reservoir.

Abstract: A customer replaceable unit for a printer includes a toner reclaim system that has a spring-like wire attached to and surrounding the bottom half of a toner agitator. As the agitator is rotated by a cleaner auger through a crankshaft connection, the spring compresses and relaxes with every revolution. This creates small vibrations which help move toner in a downward direction with the assistance of gravity into a developer sump.

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: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis having a first opening on a first side, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt arranged to have a surface thereof facing the photosensitive members, primary-transfer members, a secondary-transfer roller, a first feed roller, a cleaner device, a waste toner container, which is removably installed in the chassis through the first opening and settled in a position opposite from the photosensitive members across the intermediate transfer belt, a connector, a first feeding path extending in a range between the first feed roller and the secondary-transfer roller, and a second feeding path being formed in clearance between the intermediate transfer belt and the waste toner container to convey a recording sheet being inserted through a sheet inlet and merging into the first feeding path in the vicinity of the first feed roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis having an opening, a cover, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt, a primary-transfer member, a secondary-transfer roller, a cleaner device, a waste toner container, which is movable along a predetermined direction to be removably installed in the chassis through the opening and stores residual toner, a connector, and a feed roller, which is arranged within the feeding path to feed the recording sheet in the feeding path. The feed roller is arranged in a position to at least partially fall within a vertical range of the waste toner container and to be aligned with the waste toner container along an axial direction of the second feed roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main frame, a plurality of process cartridges, a cartridge-supporting body, a belt, a waste toner cartridge, a contact-separation mechanism, and a collective conveying unit. Each process cartridge includes a photosensitive drum and a drum cleaning unit collecting waste toner on the drum. The cartridge-supporting body is movable between an internal position inside the frame and an external position outside the frame. The belt confronts the process cartridges in the internal position. The waste toner cartridge accommodates the waste toner collected from the drums. The contact-separation mechanism moves the cartridge-supporting body between a contact position where the drums are in contact with the belt and a separated position where the drums are out of contact with the belt. The collective conveying unit aggregates waste toner collected from drums and conveys collectively the aggregated waste toner to the waste toner cartridge.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main frame, a plurality of process cartridges, a cartridge-supporting body, a belt, a belt cleaning unit, a waste toner cartridge, and a collective conveying unit. Each drum-cleaning unit collects waste toner on a corresponding photosensitive drum. The cartridge-supporting body supports the process cartridges and is movable between an internal position inside the main frame and an external position outside of the main frame. The belt cleaning unit collects waste toner on the belt. The waste toner cartridge accommodates both waste toner collected from the photosensitive drums by the drum-cleaning units and waste toner collected from the belt by the belt cleaning unit. The collective conveying unit aggregates both waste toner collected from the photosensitive drums by the drum-cleaning units and waste toner collected from the belt by the belt cleaning unit and conveys the aggregated waste toner to the waste toner cartridge.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge-supporting body, a belt, a belt cleaning unit, a waste toner cartridge, and a collective conveying unit. The cartridge-supporting unit supports a plurality of process cartridges. Each process cartridge includes a photosensitive drum and a drum-cleaning unit for collecting waste toner on the photosensitive drum. The belt confronts the plurality of process cartridges when the cartridge-supporting body is in an internal position. The belt cleaning unit collects waste toner on the belt. The waste toner cartridge accommodates both waste toner collected from the plurality of photosensitive drums by the plurality of drum-cleaning units and waste toner collected from the belt by the belt cleaning unit. The collective conveying unit aggregates waste toner collected from the plurality of photosensitive drums by the plurality of drum-cleaning units and conveys collectively the aggregated waste toner to the waste toner cartridge.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first feeding path configured to feed the toner collected from an image forming station; a collection container detachably mountable to the image forming apparatus and configured to accommodate the collected toner fed through the first feeding path; and a shutter unit including a second feeding path movably connected with the first feeding path and capable of connecting with the collection container, and a shutter configured to open and close a connecting portion between the second feeding path and the collection container by slide in a direction crossing with the second feeding path in response to mounting and demounting of the collection container.

Abstract: The intermediate transfer belt cleaning device includes a cleaning blade for removing residual toner on the intermediate transfer belt, a waste toner conveying screw that conveys the removed toner, and a vibrating part with multiple vanes, arranged between the cleaning blade and the waste toner conveying screw, each vane partly coming into contact with the waste toner conveying screw and vibrating in linkage with the motion of the waste toner conveying screw. Each vane has a projected part that is positioned close to, and projects toward, the intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a first conveying unit provided within a developing agent storage chamber and that is configured to convey a developing agent from one end of the developing agent storage chamber to another end of the developing agent storage chamber in a longitudinal direction of a developing agent carrier that is disposed with in a developing chamber and to supply the developing agent from the developing agent storage chamber to the developing chamber; a second conveying unit provided within the developing chamber and that is configured to convey the developing agent from the other end of the developing chamber to the one end of the developing chamber in the longitudinal direction and to supply the developing agent toward a developing agent carrier; and a third conveying unit provided between the one end of the developing agent storage chamber and the one end of the developing chamber.

Abstract: A toner conveying device includes a common conveyance path, toner input paths and blades. A screw for conveying a toner is installed in the common conveyance path. The toner input paths extend in an up-down direction and have lower ends connected to the common conveyance path. The blades are installed so as to make contact with a shaft of the screw and are configured to scrape off a toner adhering to the shaft of the screw. The blades are arranged immediately below the toner input paths so as to make contact with the shaft of the screw. The blades are disposed at a pitch of an integer multiple of a pitch of the fin of the screw.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit that forms an image by using a first toner having a first average particle diameter, a second image forming unit that forms an image by using a second toner having a second average particle diameter that is greater than the first average particle diameter, and a transport path through which the first and second toners collected from the first and second image forming units, respectively, are transported. The transport path is configured such that a position at which the second toner is collected from the second image forming unit is located upstream of a position at which the first toner is collected from the first image forming unit in a transporting direction of the transport path.

Abstract: A toner recovery device includes a toner recovery container that recovers toner; and a toner conveying shaft member that is provided inside the toner recovery container and conveys toner in a axial direction of the toner conveying shaft member by the rotation around a rotational axis of the toner conveying shaft member and that has a spiral groove formed around the rotational axis and an outer peripheral surface whose distance from the rotational axis is variable.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis having a first opening on a first side, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt arranged to have a surface thereof facing the photosensitive members, primary-transfer members, a secondary-transfer roller, a first feed roller, a cleaner device, a waste toner container, which is removably installed in the chassis through the first opening and settled in a position opposite from the photosensitive members across the intermediate transfer belt, a connector, a first feeding path extending in a range between the first feed roller and the secondary-transfer roller, and a second feeding path being formed in clearance between the intermediate transfer belt and the waste toner container to convey a recording sheet being inserted through a sheet inlet and merging into the first feeding path in the vicinity of the first feed roller.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a rotary member, a sheet member, and a toner conveying member. The rotary member is held in contact with a cylindrical surface of an image carrier above a rotation axis of the image carrier. The sheet member is in contact at a distal end thereof with the cylindrical surface of the image carrier above the rotation axis of the image carrier and upstream of a contact position of the rotary member with the cylindrical surface of the image carrier in a direction of rotation of the image carrier. The toner conveying member is disposed above the sheet member and facing the peripheral surface of the rotary member.