(19)
(11) EP 1 475 672 A8

(12) CORRECTED EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(48) Corrigendum issued on:
12.01.2005 Bulletin 2005/02

(43) Date of publication:
10.11.2004 Bulletin 2004/46

(21) Application number: 04010611.4

(22) Date of filing: 04.05.2004
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: G03G 15/08
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
Designated Extension States:
AL HR LT LV MK

(30) Priority: 06.05.2003 JP 2003128128

(71) Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd
Ohta-ku Tokyo 143 (JP)

(72) Inventor:
  • Hattori, Yoshio, Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Ohta-ku Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)

(74) Representative: Schwabe - Sandmair - Marx 
Stuntzstrasse 16
81677 München
81677 München (DE)

   


(54) A method and apparatus for image forming capable of efficiently replenishing toner from a soft toner container


(57) An image forming apparatus includes a toner container, a toner transportation tube and a nozzle. The toner container contains toner and includes a connecting cap having an opening which has a first lateral cross-sectional area and through which the toner is discharged. The nozzle includes an inner passage having a second lateral cross-sectional area greater than sixty percent of the first lateral cross-sectional area and first and second ends arranged opposite in an axial direction. The first and second ends have openings in communication with each other through the inner passage. The first end is securely connected to the connecting cap of the toner container by an insertion of the toner container with the connecting cap facing the first end and the second end is securely connected to the toner transportation tube. The nozzle is arranged in an approximately vertical direction with the first end facing upward.