(19)
(11) EP 2 626 748 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
12.04.2017 Bulletin 2017/15

(43) Date of publication A2:
14.08.2013 Bulletin 2013/33

(21) Application number: 13153574.2

(22) Date of filing: 01.02.2013
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
G03G 15/08(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR
Designated Extension States:
BA ME

(30) Priority: 07.02.2012 JP 2012024082

(71) Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • Kamihara, Kazuaki
    Tokyo, 143-8555 (JP)
  • Yura, Jun
    Tokyo, 143-8555 (JP)
  • Iwasaki, Yukiko
    Tokyo, 143-8555 (JP)
  • Shiori, Jun
    Tokyo, 143-8555 (JP)
  • Sukesako, Masaki
    Tokyo, 143-8555 (JP)
  • Suganuma, Takuya
    Tokyo, 143-8555 (JP)
  • Sugiyama, Hiroyuki
    Tokyo, 143-8555 (JP)
  • Takeshita, Hironobu
    Tokyo, 143-8555 (JP)

(74) Representative: Schwabe - Sandmair - Marx 
Patentanwälte Rechtsanwalt Partnerschaft mbB Joseph-Wild-Straße 20
81829 München
81829 München (DE)

   


(54) Toner supplying unit and image forming apparatus


(57) In the present invention, a toner supplying unit (130) includes a powder pump (131) and houses therein toner transferred by the powder pump (131). The powder pump (131) includes a stator (132) having a through hole (106) formed of a groove extending helically and a rotor (135) having a helical groove formed on the outer circumferential surface thereof such that a gap (G) for transferring the toner is formed between the helical groove and the inner circumferential surface of the through hole (106), and transfers the toner entering the gap (G) by rotating the rotor (135) and moving the gap (G). To the toner, inorganic fine particles with a volume-average particle diameter of equal to or larger than 30 nm are externally added.







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