US 12,135,514 B2
Toner conveying device that conveys waste toner removed from a surface of an image carrier or toner to be replenished to a developing device, and cleaning device and image forming apparatus provided therewith
Maki Somete, Osaka (JP)
Assigned to KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc., Osaka (JP)
Appl. No. 18/248,564
Filed by KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc., Osaka (JP)
PCT Filed Oct. 5, 2021, PCT No. PCT/JP2021/036781
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 11, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/080181, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 21, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-171628 (JP), filed on Oct. 12, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0408953 A1, Dec. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. G03G 15/08 (2006.01); G03G 21/00 (2006.01); G03G 21/10 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/0891 (2013.01) [G03G 21/0005 (2013.01); G03G 21/105 (2013.01); G03G 2215/0827 (2013.01); G03G 2221/1624 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A toner conveying device, comprising:
a toner conveying path in which toner is conveyed;
a conveying screw that includes a rotation shaft rotatably arranged inside the toner conveying path, and a helical blade formed on an outer circumferential surface of the rotation shaft; and
a flicker in which a large number of contact pieces are formed at predetermined intervals along an axial direction of the conveying screw, the contact pieces being swingable in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the conveying screw,
wherein
the flicker includes
a plurality of first contact pieces that contact the conveying screw and press the conveying screw in a first direction toward a bottom of the toner conveying path, and
a plurality of second contact pieces that contact the conveying screw from a side opposite to the first contact pieces and press the conveying screw in a second direction opposite to the first direction;
the first contact pieces and the second contact pieces are alternately disposed in the axial direction;
a side end part of each of the first contact pieces on one side in the axial direction is opposite to a side end part of one of the second contact pieces on an other side in the axial direction, on a one-to-one basis, with the rotation shaft interposed therebetween; and
a force with which the first contact pieces press the conveying screw is greater than a force with which the second contact pieces press the conveying screw.