Patent · US Expired

Toner recycling mechanism detachably connected to a cartridge

US5079593A · kind A · utility

8Cited by
8References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 8, 1990
Grant dateJan 7, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 8, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03G2221/183
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An image forming apparatus having a photosensitive member unit, a development unit, and a toner recycling mechanism including a toner feed device. The photosensitive member unit includes a photosensitive member, and an electrostatic latent image forming device and a cleaning device disposed around the photosensitive member. The photosensitive member unit and the development unit are separately mounted in a main body of the apparatus to form an image forming section. The toner feed device is detachably connected between the front sides of the photosensitive member unit and the development unit, the toner collected by the cleaning means is transported to the development unit to perform recycling when the toner feed device is connected, and the photosensitive member unit and the development unit can be independently dismounted from the apparatus body when the toner feed device is detached. The toner feed device is automatically detached when the development unit is dismounted from the apparatus body.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.