| US 7,542,704 B2 | ||
| Toner carrier apparatus, toner feeding apparatus, and image forming apparatus | ||
| Takeshi Okuda, Kizugawa (Japan); Yasuyuki Ishiguro, Higashiosaka (Japan); Takeshi Wakabayashi, Kizugawa (Japan); Jun Yamaguchi, Ikoma (Japan); and Hiroshi Kawahito, Kitakatsuragi-gun (Japan) | ||
| Assigned to Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka (Japan) | ||
| Filed on Jul. 16, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/826,426. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 2006-211370 (JP), filed on Aug. 02, 2006. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2008/0031657 A1, Feb. 07, 2008 | ||
| This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer. | ||
| Int. Cl. G03G 15/08 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 399—258 | 14 Claims |
| 1. A toner carrier apparatus, comprising:
a toner carrier member which includes therein a toner carrying path through which toner is carried, the toner carrier member
being disposed so that the toner carrying path extends vertically;
a supporting member which supports the toner carrier member in such a way as to allow the toner carrier member to be vertically
movable;
a drive mechanism configured to vertically move the toner carrier member and to intermittently provide a vertical force to
the toner carrier member, the toner carrier member entirely moving vertically due to the force provided by the drive mechanism,
without transforming itself; and
a vibration mechanism is configured to vibrate the toner carrier member.
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