Abstract: Between a cleaner frame and a reinforced frame of an image forming unit, a junction duct is formed to flow a airflow from a inlet port to a exhaust port of a main body of an apparatus, a space between a fixing unit and the image forming unit is blocked by the airflow, heating of the image forming unit by radiant heat of a fixing unit is prevented, and by blocking a space between the image forming unit and the image quality is improved and the recycle use of recovered toner is realized.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a cleaning member for cleaning an image carrier after a toner image on the image carrier has been transferred; a toner recycling device for conveying toner removed by the cleaning member to a developing device; a collection section where the toner removed by the cleaning member is collected; a branch conveyance path, branched from the toner recycling device, for conveying the toner to the collection section; and an air pump, provided on the branch conveyance path, for sucking air with the toner; wherein, whether the toner is conveyed from the cleaning member to the collection section or to the developing device is switched corresponding to whether the air pump operates or does not operate.

Abstract: Embodiments of a device to move waste toner within an image forming device. In one embodiment, waste toner is formed during the image formation process. The waste toner is captured and moved through a first conduit. The conduit includes an outlet for passing the waste toner to a second conduit. The door is positionable between an open orientation to allow the waste toner to discharge into the second conduit, and a closed orientation. The second conduit includes an inlet for receiving the waste toner. The interface between the first and second conduits allows for the door to move between the open and closed orientations. The interface also greatly reduces or prevents the waste toner from leaking as it passes from the first conduit into the second conduit.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes image forming units, an intermediate transfer body, and cleaning units. The image forming units form toner images of different colors. Each image forming units includes a developing unit supplying toner of each color. The toner images of the respective colors formed by the image forming units are primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer body in a superposed manner. A toner image having been transferred onto the intermediate transfer body is secondarily transferred onto a recording medium. The cleaning units remove a residual toner on the intermediate transfer body. The cleaning units include first and second cleaning units. The first cleaning unit removes from the intermediate transfer body the largest amount of foreign matters, among all the cleaning units. A residual toner removed by at least the second cleaning unit is returned to one of developing units that supplies a black toner.

Abstract: A developing cartridge of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a housing, a photosensitive medium disposed in the housing, a developing unit which mixes a bi-component developing agent including carrier and toner and supplies the bi-component developing agent to form a toner image onto a surface of the photosensitive medium, and a recycle pipe which transports the discarded toner that was not transferred from the photosensitive medium to a medium to a toner container for reuse, wherein a magnet is attached onto the recycle pipe to prevent the back flow of the bi-component developing agent when a user carries the developing cartridge. A photosensitive medium cover protects the photosensitive medium of the developing cartridge and includes a sheet which is detachably attached to the housing and prevents the exposure of the photosensitive medium, and a magnet which is detachably attached to the recycle pipe to prevent the back flow of the bi-component developing agent.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent-image carrier, a developing unit, a transfer unit, a cleaning unit, a recovered-toner supply unit, and a foreign-matter collecting unit. The developing unit carries a developer containing a toner and develops an electrostatic latent image on the latent-image carrier with the toner. The transfer unit transfers the toner developed on the latent-image carrier to a recording material directly or via an intermediate transfer body. The cleaning unit removes a toner remaining on at least one of the latent-image carrier and the intermediate transfer medium after the transfer. The recovered-toner supply unit supplies a toner removed by the cleaning unit to the developing unit again. The foreign-matter collecting unit collects a foreign matter, which is mixed into the toner supplied from the recovered-toner supply unit and moved onto the latent-image carrier by the developing unit, before the transfer by the transfer unit.

Abstract: It is intended to provide an image forming apparatus capable of conducting charge adjustment of post-transfer residual toner appropriately by securing a contact area of a temporarily-collecting member and an electrode, without applying excessive deformation load to the temporarily-collecting member. There are arranged a brush roller for temporarily collecting post-transfer residual toner, and an electrode of which inwardly-curved face being in contact with the brush roller in a toner charge apparatus. Thereby, charged-in-opposite-polarity toner, out of post-transfer residual toner, is collected by the brush roller, polarity of the toner is reversed to original polarity, and then, returned to a photosensitive drum. The inner face of the electrode, i.e., a contact face of the electrode and the brush roller is formed in an inwardly-curved face. Thereby, a large contact area and light pushing force of the electrode to the brush roller can go together.

Abstract: Liquid toner which remains on the surface of a photosensitive drum 2 after transfer of a toner image to an intermediate transfer member 1 is collected in a collection pot 6a. The collected liquid toner is led to a carrier pot 20, and is stored there. In response to an instruction, the stored liquid toner is fed to a toner concentration adjustment apparatus 10. Liquid toner which remains on the surface of a development roller 3 after supply of liquid toner from the development roller 3 to the photosensitive drum 2 is collected in a collection pot 6b. The collected liquid toner is fed directly to the toner concentration adjustment apparatus 10. Liquid toner having undergone concentration adjustment in the toner concentration adjustment apparatus 10 is fed to a supply pot 7, from which the liquid toner is supplied to the development roller 3 via a supply roller 4, whereby the liquid toner is used for development of electrostatic latent images.

Abstract: A conveyor mechanism for moving waste toner within an interior of a waste toner reservoir. The conveyor mechanism has a first end positioned in proximity to an inlet into the waste toner reservoir, and a second end positioned vertically above the first end. The conveyor mechanism operates to move the toner from a lower position within the waste toner reservoir to the vertically elevated position. The conveyor device may allow for the capacity of the waste toner reservoir to be more fully utilized. In use, the conveyor device is activated and waste toner is moved into the upper reaches of the waste toner reservoir.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention, comprising: a cleaner portion adapted for recovering toner remaining on an image carrying surface of an image carrier after a toner image formed on the carrying surface of the image carrier has been transferred onto a transfer material; a recovered-toner transporting portion adapted for transporting the toner recovered by the cleaner portion to a developing portion adapted for supplying the toner onto the image carrying surface; a temperature detecting portion adapted for detecting a temperature relative to the cleaner portion; and a controlling portion adapted for additionally operating the recovered-toner transporting portion over a predetermined period of time beyond a predetermined operation termination timing when the temperature detected by the temperature detecting portion exceeds a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, in which carrying paths for carrying the toner discharged from image forming portion are mutally connected, is capable of stable operation with satisfactory toner carrying at the connecting portion and not causing toner clogging. Preferably the image forming apparatus is low in cost and capable of smooth toner carrying even in case a toner carrying direction is an upward carrying direction. The image forming apparatus includes a plurality of toner carrying paths incorporating toner carrying screws, wherein an aperture is formed on a lateral face of each of the carrying paths, and, an aperture of an upstream carrying path and an aperture of a downstream carrying path are mutually opposed to connect the plurality of carrying paths.

Abstract: An image forming method including a charging step, a latent image forming step, a developing step, a transfer step, and a cleaning step, wherein remaining toner recovered in the cleaning step is used as recycled toner, and a ratio of the recycled toner to a total amount of supply toner supplied to a developer is 15% by weight or greater.

Abstract: A multi color image forming apparatus includes a plurality of stations arranged side by side for forming unique mono-color toner images using mono-color developers each having a different mono-color toner. Each of the plurality of stations includes an image bearing member for bearing a latent image, and a developing device for visualizing the latent image into the mono-color toner image. A conveying device is provided to convey a transfer medium. A transfer device is provided to transfer the mono-color toner images from the image bearing members to the transfer medium. Charge ability of prescribed mono-color toner included in the mono-color developer used in the upstream station is smaller than that used in the downstream station.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a belt for sequentially transferring toner images of different colors to a sheet one above the other. A plurality of image forming units face the belt, and each includes an image carrier and a developing device and a cleaning device arranged around the image carrier. The belt is inclined such that one of opposite runs thereof adjoining the image forming units has opposite ends positioned at different levels from each other. The cleaning device of each image forming units is positioned at a higher level than the developing device.

Abstract: A color toner composition including at least toner particles including at least a binder resin; a colorant and a release agent dispersed in the binder resin; and a titania as an external additive, wherein the colorant has an average dispersion particle diameter not greater than 0.5 ?m; the release agent and the binder resin are insoluble to each other; the toner particles satisfy the relationship: 0.05?Dw/D4?0.4, wherein Dw represents an average dispersion particle diameter of the release agent and D4 represents a weight-average particle diameter of the toner particles; and the titania has a segregation rate of from 0.5 to 5%.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for dampening annoying resonance noise in auger systems. The dampening effect is accomplished by an insert placed within an inner bore of an auger. The insert itself may be continuous or in segments and be comprised of material capable of absorbing vibrational energy. One embodiment of an insert is a tube that is purposefully cut longer than the auger itself in order to induce bending of the tube and contact with the sides of the auger bore.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus having a toner recycle mechanism employing a two-components developing system, rotational torque of a stirring screw disposed within a developing device and capacity of a recycle toner within the developing device are detected. Where the rotational torque of stirring screw is elevated and the capacity of the recycle toner is increased, control operation for not changing a development bias voltage and lowering rotational speed of the stirring screw is executed. Where the rotational torque of the stirring screw is elevated and the capacity of the recycle toner is not increased, control operation for not changing rotational speed of the stirring screw is executed.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, the level of the rotational axis of a third mixer 26a that conveys and stirs recycle toner is set to be lower than the level of the rotational axis of a second mixer 25a at a communicating region with a second chamber 25 that is located on a downstream side of a recycle toner supply section 29.

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.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, the distance of stirring and conveyance of recycle toner that is recovered from a photosensitive drum is made greater than the distance of stirring and conveyance of fresh toner. It is thus possible to prevent non-charged toner from being supplied to the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming an image that can stably provide an image for a long period of time is provided by using an electrophotographic photoreceptor having, as the outermost layer, a hard film containing one or more of a charge transporting organic silicon compound. It is an apparatus for forming an image containing a photoreceptor having, as an outermost layer, a hard film containing one or more of a charge transporting organic silicon compound represented by the following general formula (I), the outermost layer having a wear rate of about from 5 to 30 nm per 1,000 revolutions of the photoreceptor: F-[D-A]b.

Abstract: A recovered toner classifier includes a rotatable cylindrical-shaped filter and a fur brush having a brush spirally provided on an outer peripheral surface of a rotation shaft. A non-brush region is continuously formed from the inlet of the filter for the recovered toner through the outlet of the filter for discharging the disposal toner along the axis line of the rotation shaft. The fur brush integrally rotates with the rotation shaft with a tip portion of the brush is in press-contact with an inner peripheral surface of the filter. A screw conveyer having a screw on a portion of the rotation shaft on a side of the inlet of the filter for the recovered toner is provided to convey the recovered toner to the inlet of the filter for the recovered toner.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image forming apparatus which employs a recycling scheme of recovering and reusing transfer residue toner, and a convey control method for recycle toner. In order to prevent a phenomenon such as fogging or character thickening, a toner recycle mechanism shares one driving source with a photosensitive body or fixing unit, and includes an electromagnetic clutch for switching driving force transmission to the recycling means when driving the photosensitive body or fixing unit, and a controller which controls power supply to the electromagnetic clutch. The convey control method for recycle toner includes the steps of starting copying, measuring a printing ratio of an image pattern per image, and suppressing a return amount of the recycle toner when the printing ratio of the image pattern is low.

Abstract: A system and method for recycling used hydrocarbon-based carrier liquid removes contaminants from the used carrier liquid and monitors an electrical property of the output carrier liquid so that the carrier liquid can be reused in a predefined application, such as an electrostatic imaging process. The system and method may be integrated into an electrostatic imaging machine.

Abstract: A developing device has a rotary developer carrier, a rotary developer supply and collection member, a first and second rotary developer stirring members for stirring the developer while conveying and circulating the developer between them in the direction opposite to each other and having the same developer conveyance power, and a third rotary developer stirring member having a zero conveyance power in the rotary axis direction, which are provided in a housing in parallel with each other in this order in the direction to leave a latent image carrier. A toner replenishment inlet is provided at an upper part where the second and third stirring members face each other, and on an upstream side of the second stirring member in the developer conveyance direction, and the second and third stirring members are rotated downwardly at the position where both developer stirring members face each other.

Abstract: A recovered toner classifier includes a rotatable cylindrical-shaped filter and a fur brush having a brush spirally provided on an outer peripheral surface of a rotation shaft. A non-brush region is continuously formed from the inlet of the filter for the recovered toner through the outlet of the filter for discharging the disposal toner along the axis line of the rotation shaft. The fur brush integrally rotates with the rotation shaft with a tip portion of the brush is in press-contact with an inner peripheral surface of the filter. A screw conveyer having a screw on a portion of the rotation shaft on a side of the inlet of the filter for the recovered toner is provided to convey the recovered toner to the inlet of the filter for the recovered toner.

Abstract: An image forming method including a charging step, a latent image forming step, a developing step, a transfer step, and a cleaning step, wherein remaining toner recovered in the cleaning step is used as recycled toner, and a ratio of the recycled toner to a total amount of supply toner supplied to a developer is 15% by weight or greater.

Abstract: A development apparatus has: a housing in which a developer supplying/collecting unit and a developer stirring unit are arranged with a circular passage for carrying developer; a developer carrying member placed at a front side of the developer supplying/collecting unit; a developer supplying/collecting section for carrying the developer; and two developer stirring sections arranged in the front-and-rear direction so as to face, wherein, a toner supplying opening is formed above a position where the two developer stirring sections face and at an upstream side in a developer carrying direction, the two developer stirring sections are rotated at the facing position to move peripheries in a forward direction, the developer carrying direction by the two developer stirring sections is substantially opposite to one by the developer supplying/collecting section, and developer carrying capability of the two developer stirring sections is set to be made equal to that of the developer supplying/collecting section.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a recycle toner conveying device for returning toner collected in a cleaning step to a developing device as recycled toner. A waste toner conveying device conveys the collected toner to a waste toner container as waste toner. A switching device selects either one of the recycle toner conveying device and waste toner conveying device. Toner can therefore be efficiently recycled in accordance with the degree of color mixture of the collected toner. In addition, It is possible to estimate the amount of toner to enter due to reverse transfer and therefore to increase the proportion of toner recycling while reducing the influence of color mixture on the toner to be recycled.

Abstract: Disclosed is a toner recycle device for supplying recovered toner into a developing device again and reusing it. The ratio of the amount of the recovered toner to be supplied into the developing device to the amount of new toner is arbitrarily increased or reduced. Further, as the remaining amount of the new toner reduces, one or a plurality of the following three processing steps of a toner save mode are executed: (1) to increase the ratio of the amount of the recovered toner, which is supplied into the developing device, to the amount of the new toner; (2) to reduce the total amount of the recovered toner and the new toner to be supplied; and (3) to stop the new toner to be supplied into the developing device and to supply only the recovered toner. Furthermore, an ordinary mode and the toner save mode are automatically switched or arbitrarily switched manually.

Abstract: Toners resided after transferring toner images on a photosensitive member are collected and reused as recycled toners once returned to developing devices. A mixture ratio of the recycled toner to a specific color toner in each of the developing devices is controlled below a limiting color mixture ratio to suppress reduction in image quality due to the toner collected from an image carrier and reused as the recycled toner. The limiting color mixture ratio is defined as a color mixture ratio of a recycled toner to a color toner when a tone variation in another image reaches to a permissible limitation level.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a set-up method for the image forming apparatus for reusing recovered toner collected after toner is used in a developing device of the image forming apparatus by mixing the recovered toner with new toner. Before the image forming apparatus is initially set up, the developing device is in an evacuated state, and a transfer path of the recovered toner is filled with an initial developing agent. Then, when the image forming apparatus is initially set up, the initial developing agent is supplied into the developing device. It is preferable that a recovered toner sub-hopper be filled with the initial developing agent. When the image forming apparatus is initially set up, the initial developing agent is promptly supplied into the developing device by increasing an operation speed.

Abstract: A component for an electrophotographic device having an intermediate transfer device includes a hopper configured for association with a toner cartridge. The hopper is configured to store residual toner collected from the intermediate transfer device. The hopper includes an opening configured to receive the residual toner.

Abstract: An image apparatus includes a cartridge with two separate accommodating portions. The first accommodating portion for accommodating unused developer and is formed in a housing. A second accommodating portion for accommodating transfer residual developer is arranged adjacent to the first accommodating portion. A conveying member extending over the first and second accommodating portions, when an amount of transfer residual developer to be stored in the second accommodating portion exceeds a predetermined level, conveys the transfer residual developer from the second accommodating portion to the first accommodating portion. Each one of the accommodating portions includes an agitator.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image forming apparatus which employs a recycling scheme of recovering and reusing transfer residue toner, and a convey control method for recycle toner. In order to prevent a phenomenon such as fogging or character thickening, a toner recycle mechanism shares one driving source with a photosensitive body or fixing unit, and includes an electromagnetic clutch for switching driving force transmission to the recycling means when driving the photosensitive body or fixing unit, and a controller which controls power supply to the electromagnetic clutch. The convey control method for recycle toner includes the steps of starting copying, measuring a printing ratio of an image pattern per image, and suppressing a return amount of the recycle toner when the printing ratio of the image pattern is low.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a belt for sequentially transferring toner images of different colors to a sheet one above the other. A plurality of image forming units face the belt, and each includes an image carrier and a developing device and a cleaning device arranged around the image carrier. The belt is inclined such that one of opposite runs thereof adjoining the image forming units has opposite ends positioned at different levels from each other. The cleaning device of each image forming units is positioned at a higher level than the developing device.

Abstract: A toner suitable for use in electrophotography, etc., is composed of toner particles each containing a binder resin, a colorant and a wax component. The toner has a number-average particle size of 2-6 &mgr;m and a standard deviation in particle size of below 2.6 based on a number-basis distribution of circle-equivalent diameters, an average circularity of 0.970-0.995 and a standard deviation in circularity of below 0.030 based on a circularity frequency distribution, and a residual monomer content of at most 500 ppm. The toner particles have such a microtexture as to provide a particle cross section as observed through a transmission electron microscope (TEM) exhibiting a matrix of the binder resin and a particle of the wax dispersed in a discrete form in the matrix of the binder resin.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes developing units of a plurality of colors, at a developing position, to develop electrostatic latent images, a rotation member for retaining the developing units of the plurality of colors along a rotating direction, and rotating to sequentially move the developing units to the developing position, an intermediate transfer member for sequentially superposing and transferring the developer images formed on an image carrier, and transferring the superposed and transferred developer images together to an image-transferred member, and a plurality of recovery devices retained on the rotation member, between the developing units of the plurality of colors, for recovering developers after the transfer of the developer images to the intermediate transfer member, and making the recovered developers return to the developing units of the same colors as the colors of the developers.

Abstract: A powder classifying device that classifies powder includes a mesh member having meshes, and a brush roller formed with hair-like members and configured to rotate in sliding contact with the mesh member at a predetermined portion in a circumferential direction of the brush roller to push the powder conveyed in a radial direction of the brush roller against the meshes so that the powder is classified into powder passing through the meshes and powder not passing through the meshes.

Abstract: Monocolor image forming unit includes a developing device and an image carrier cleaning device arranged around an image carrier. A plurality of such the monocolor image forming unit is arrayed laterally along the rotary transport direction of an intermediate transfer member of the belt type to configure a tandem image forming device. In the tandem image forming device, a synthesized toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer member and transferred to a recording medium to form a multicolor image thereon. Among the plurality of monocolor image forming unit contained in the tandem image forming device, at least two monocolor image forming unit each include a toner recycling device for conveying toner collected at the image carrier cleaning device to the developing device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method causes a connecting/conveying device to convey a recovered toner from a cleaner part to a recovered toner housing unit to house therein the recovered toner. A controller controls a recovered toner supply unit and new toner supply unit in accordance with a toner concentration ratio in a developing device, which is detected by toner concentration ratio detecting unit, to supply the recovered toner, which is stored in the recovered toner housing unit, and a new toner, which is stored in new toner housing unit, to the developing device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises developing units of a plurality of colors, at a developing position, to develop the electrostatic latent images, a rotation member for retaining the developing units of the plurality of colors along a rotating direction, and rotating to sequentially move the developing units to the developing position, an intermediate transfer member for sequentially superposing and transferring the developer images formed on the image carrier, and transferring the superposed and transferred developer images together to an image-transferred member, and a plurality of recovery devices retained on the rotation member, between the developing units of the plurality of colors, for recovering developers after the transfer of the developer images to the intermediate transfer member, and making the recovered developers return to the developers of the same colors as the colors of the developers.

Abstract: A powder pump includes a stator having a through hole that includes two spirally extended grooves, and a rotor, which is rotatably provided to the through hole of the stator and is spirally extended such that a cavity to convey a powder is formed between an outer peripheral surface of the rotor and an inner peripheral surface of the through hole of the stator. The rotor is configured to convey the powder enclosed in the cavity while moving the cavity. The expressions ((RA−SN)≧0.45) and ((RB−(SN+SX)/2)≧0.45) are satisfied when a diameter of a cross section of the rotor, an outer diameter of the rotor, a minimum inner diameter of the through hole of the stator, and a maximum inner diameter of the through hole are in millimeters and represented by RA, RB, SN, and SX, respectively.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus structured with an image carrier; a developing device for making a toner image by using a toner having resin particles, which are obtained through particle formation in an aqueous medium; a transfer device for transferring the toner image onto a transfer material; and a cleaning device for removing residual toner remaining on the image carrier after transferring, wherein the cleaning device has: a cleaning roller having a conductive or semi-conductive resilient body; a cleaning blade made of a resilient material and provided downstream the cleaning roller; a power source to apply a bias voltage on the cleaning roller; and a collecting member to collect the toner removed by the cleaning roller; and wherein the absolute value of the charge amount of the toner used in the image forming apparatus is between 20-50 &mgr;C/g.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus comprising an intermediate transfer belt onto which the toner image formed on a photosensitive drum by a developing device is temporarily transferred, a drum cleaner for removing the residual toner remaining on the photosensitive drum after transfer of the toner image onto the intermediate transfer belt, a transfer roller for transferring the toner image transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt onto a paper sheet, a belt cleaner for removing the residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt after transfer of the toner image performed by the transfer roller, a first recovery device for recovering the toner removed by the drum cleaner in the developing device, and a second recovery device for recovering the toner removed by the belt cleaner in a recovery container.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method cause a connecting/conveying device to convey a recovered toner from a cleaner part to a recovered toner housing to house therein the recovered toner, and cause a control device to separately control a recovered toner supply device and a new toner supply device to supply the recovered toner, which is stored in the recovered toner housing, and/or a new toner, which is stored in a new toner housing, to a developing device. The control device restricts the supply of the recovered toner from the recovered toner housing to the developing device when a no-residual-amount detecting device detects no residual amount of the new toner in the new toner housing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for electrophotographic image forming are provided incorporating an improved toner recycling unit. This recycling unit is devised such that the selectable switching between toner recycling and non-recycling modes be continually carried out according to the decision based on the present amount of paper dusts measured by a paper dust measuring unit provided in a paper dust removal unit. The image forming apparatus incorporating the toner recycling unit is therefore capable of efficiently recycling the toner recovered from a cleaning unit without removing contaminants such as paper dusts and toner aggregates included in the recycled toner, thereby preventing the emergence of undesirable picture image anomalies such as whisker images and black dots.

Abstract: A toner replenishing device includes a toner conveyance path for connecting a toner storing device with a developing device, a toner conveying device for conveying the toner from the toner storing device to the developing device along the toner conveyance path, and an air supplying device connected to the toner conveyance path vie an air supply path for supplying the toner storing device with air from a bottom of the toner storing device so as to agitate the toner pooling in the toner storing device.

Abstract: A toner cartridge includes: a toner storage chamber; a toner collecting chamber; a partitioning wall for separating these chambers; a cylindrical return pipe penetrating through the partitioning wall with a conveyer screw arranged therein and is configured so that when the amount of untransferred toner collected into the toner collecting chamber exceeds the height of the return pipe, the untransferred toner is conveyed by the rotation of the conveyer screw to be returned into the toner storage chamber.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printer has a toner recycling transporting mechanism with a belt conveyor that transports toner from a toner collection chamber, in which toner removed from the photosensitive drum of the printer is collected, to a toner delivery chamber, from which toner is returned to the developing unit of the printer . The belt conveyor is disposed in a channel that loops around the ends of roller shafts in the printer, and does not increase the width of the printer. The toner recycling transporting mechanism is easily assembled, and can be driven without motion irregularities.