Color image forming apparatus
US4622916A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 30, 1985 |
| Grant date | Nov 18, 1986 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 30, 2005 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G15/0879
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A toner supplying system for use in combination with a developing device (100) of the type having a conveyor means (300) carrying a plurality of developing units (101) such as to bring the desired developing unit to the developing position for the development of a latent image on an image carrying member (1). The toner supplying system comprises a hopper (201) disposed outside the developing device, a shaft (310) provided in the toner conveyor means, a toner transportation means (202) for transporting the toner from the hopper to the shaft, and a toner passage means (310, 350) through which the toner is supplied from the shaft to respective developing units. The toner passage means includes annular chambers (351) formed between the hollow shaft (310) and an intermediate pipe (350). The annular chambers are separated axially by partition sealing means (354). Toner passage means (225, 450), switchable between open and shut-off states and adapted to take the open state only when their associated developing unit is in a toner supplying position, are also provided. The system further comprises a toner density detecting means (50) for detecting the toner density in the developing agent o…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.