Image forming apparatus including system for recycling toner
US6405009B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 5, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jun 11, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 5, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G21/105
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
In image forming apparatuses producing recycled toner from residual toner and recycling the recycled toner, the toner composition changes, and the toner properties worsen, because the external additive contained in the collected residual toner that is collected with a cleaning portion decreases during the image formation. The residual toner that has been collected with the cleaning portion is conveyed through a conveyance path to a collected residual toner storage, and external additive is supplemented from an external additive cartridge, and mixed with being stirred to produce recycled toner. In a fresh toner storage, fresh toner and recycled toner are stirred, and when the amount of toner in a developing portion drops below a predetermined amount, toner is conveyed from the fresh toner storage through a conveyance path to the developing portion. The toner that has been conveyed to the developing portion is supplied to a photosensitive drum.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.