Toner feeder
US7162190B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 18, 2006 |
| Grant date | Jan 9, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 18, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G2215/0663
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The toner feeder is removably mounted in an image forming apparatus including a rotation driver for rotating a toner container and a rotation controller for controlling the rotation driver. The toner feeder comprises a toner container for containing toner, and a support holder which holds the toner container in an axially rotatable manner. The toner container has a toner outlet port and a magnetic member provided on an outer peripheral surface thereof. The support holder includes magnetism detection means which detects passage of the magnetic member and outputs a detection signal to the rotation controller. The rotation controller controls the rotation driver so as to stop the toner container with the toner outlet port oriented upward with respect to a gravity direction on the basis of the output of the magnetism detection means after the toner container is rotated by the rotation driver to feed out a predetermined amount of toner from the toner outlet port.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.