US 11,835,919 B2
Toner classification apparatus and a toner production method
Daisuke Yamashita, Chiba (JP); Junichi Tamura, Ibaraki (JP); Ran Wakayama, Kanagawa (JP); Katsuyuki Katoh, Kanagawa (JP); and Yuichi Mizo, Ibaraki (JP)
Assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Nov. 23, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/533,905.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-200999 (JP), filed on Dec. 3, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0179332 A1, Jun. 9, 2022
Int. Cl. G03G 15/08 (2006.01); G03G 9/08 (2006.01); G03G 9/087 (2006.01); G03G 9/09 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 9/0817 (2013.01) [G03G 9/0819 (2013.01); G03G 9/08755 (2013.01); G03G 9/08782 (2013.01); G03G 9/0912 (2013.01); G03G 2215/00898 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A toner classification apparatus comprising a classification rotor, wherein
the classification rotor comprises a plurality of vanes extending from a side of a center of rotation of the classification rotor to an outer circumference side of the classification rotor;
the plurality of vanes are disposed with prescribed gaps established between the vanes;
the gaps form an opening connecting a region of the center of rotation of the classification rotor;
the plurality of vanes comprise a first vane group containing first vanes and a second vane group containing second vanes, the second vanes have a length shorter than the first vanes;
the first vanes have substantially the same vane length, and are disposed with gaps established between the first vanes,
each of the first vanes draws first trajectory when the classification rotor rotates, first trajectories drawn by the first vanes are substantially same;
the second vanes have substantially the same vane length, and are disposed with gaps established between the second vanes,
each of the second vanes draws second trajectory when the classification rotor rotates, second trajectories drawn by the second vanes are substantially same;
the number of second vanes, which are disposed between two adjacent first vanes, is 1 to 2, independently;
a distance from the center of rotation to an outer circumference side end of the first trajectory is defined as L1 for the first trajectory, and
a distance from the center of rotation to the center side end of the first trajectory is defined as L2,
a distance from the center of rotation to an outer circumference side end of the second trajectory is defined as L3 for the second trajectory, and
a distance from the center of rotation to the center side end of the second trajectory is defined as L4,
L1 to L4 satisfy the following relationships:
0.25≤(L3−L4)/(L1−L2)≤0.50
0.95≤L3/L1≤1.05.