Patent · US Active

Image forming apparatus, powder transporting apparatus and waste-powder transporting method

US7965972B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
1References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 18, 2009
Grant dateJun 21, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 16, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03G21/105
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section forming an image on a recording medium; first and second storage parts storing waste powder discarded from the image forming section; a transport path of the waste powder; first and second discharging parts provided on the transport path and discharging the waste powder to the first and second storage parts, respectively; a transporting section provided along the transport path between both discharging parts, and transporting the waste powder toward the second and first discharging parts in first and second operating states, respectively; a feeding section feeding the waste powder from the image forming section to the transport path between both discharging parts; and a controller making the transporting section operate in both operating states, and stopping the feeding section or reducing its output when switching a transporting direction of the waste powder by switching from the first to second operating state.

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