IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,195,070
Granted Patent B2
US 8,195,070 · App. 13/166,407 · Granted Jun 5, 2012

Developer container, developer supplying device, and image forming apparatus

Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,195,070
App. No.
13/166,407
Granted
Jun 5, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A toner bottle includes: a bottle main part to contain toner therein and having a rotational axis; an outlet at an end of the bottle main part; a spiral raised ridge in an inner wall of the bottle main part and arranged to deliver the toner contained in the bottle main part to the outlet by rotation of the bottle main part around the rotational axis; a plurality of toner guiding portions on a side of the spiral raised ridge adjacent to the outlet and arranged to move the toner to the outlet beyond the spiral raised ridge; and a gear adjacent to the outlet to rotate the bottle main part around the rotational axis. The bottle main part has a diameter larger than a diameter of the outlet, and the gear is formed integrally with the bottle main part between the outlet and the plurality of toner guiding portions.

Claims (25)

1. A toner bottle comprising:

a bottle main part to contain toner therein and having a rotational axis;

an outlet at an end of the bottle main part;

a spiral raised ridge in an inner wall of the bottle main part and arranged to deliver the toner contained in the bottle main part to the outlet by rotation of the bottle main part around the rotational axis;

a plurality of toner guiding portions on a side of the spiral raised ridge adjacent to the outlet and arranged to move the toner to the outlet beyond the spiral raised ridge; and

a gear adjacent to the outlet to rotate the bottle main part around the rotational axis,

wherein the bottle main part has a diameter larger than a diameter of the outlet, and the gear is integral with the bottle main part between the outlet and the plurality of toner guiding portions.

2. The toner bottle according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of toner guiding portions projects inward of the outlet and is closer to a center of the rotational axis of the bottle main part than the outlet.

3. The toner bottle according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a plurality of shoulders adjacent to a portion of the toner bottle where the gear is disposed, each of the plurality of shoulders being raised outward and having a straight outline and a curved outline extending from the straight outline.

4. The toner bottle according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of toner guiding portions includes an acute angle relative to the rotational axis which is smaller than an acute angle of the spiral raised ridge relative to the rotational axis.

5. The toner bottle according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of toner guiding portions include only two toner guiding portions.

6. The toner bottle according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of shoulders include only two shoulders.

7. A toner bottle comprising:

a bottle main part to contain toner therein and having a rotational axis;

an outlet at an end of the bottle main part;

a spiral raised ridge in an inner wall of the bottle main part and arranged to deliver the toner contained in the bottle main part to a location adjacent to the outlet by rotation of the bottle main part around the rotational axis;

a plurality of toner guiding portions on a side of the spiral raised ridge adjacent to the outlet and arranged to forward the toner, which is delivered to the location by the spiral raised ridge, to the outlet by rotation of the bottle main part around the rotational axis; and

a gear adjacent to the outlet to rotate the bottle main part around the rotational axis,

wherein the bottle main part has a diameter larger than a diameter of the outlet, and the gear is formed integrally with the bottle main part between the outlet and the plurality of toner guiding portions.

8. The toner bottle according to claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of toner guiding portions projects inward of the outlet and is closer to a center of the rotational axis of the bottle main part than the outlet.

9. The toner bottle according to claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of shoulders adjacent to a portion of the toner bottle where the gear is disposed, each of the plurality of shoulders being raised outward and having a straight outline and a curved outline extending from the straight outline.

10. The toner bottle according to claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of toner guiding portions includes an acute angle relative to the rotational axis which is smaller than an acute angle of the spiral raised ridge relative to the rotational axis.

11. The toner bottle according to claim 7 , wherein the plurality of toner guiding portions include only two toner guiding portions.

12. The toner bottle according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of shoulders include only two shoulders.

Priority Claims (3)
JP 2003-052658 · Feb 28, 2003 · national
JP 2003-054478 · Feb 28, 2003 · national
JP 2004-004668 · Jan 9, 2004 · national
Continuity (6)
Continuation 12898995 · Oct 6, 2010
Division 12140361 · Jun 17, 2008
Division 11730280 · Mar 30, 2007
Division 10864672 · Jun 10, 2004
Continuation PCTJP2004002025 · Feb 20, 2004
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