摘要:
A toner cartridge employed in an electrophotographic printer and capable of attachment to or detachment from the electrophotographic printer. The toner cartridge includes a stirring member (4) which touches the inner wall of the cartridge (100) to reliably stir the toner contained in the cartridge (100). The stirring member (4) is rotatable and is interlocked with a gear (5) which is rotated by an external drive force.
摘要:
A developing apparatus includes restriction member disposed midway of a route through which developer is delivered from a hopper to a supply roller. The restriction member restricts the amount of the developer to be supplied to the supply roller. The amount of developer supplied from the supply roller to a developing roller is limited by the provision of the restriction member. The developer on the surface of the developing roller is thinned or doctored by a developing blade and develops an electrostatic latent image on a carrier.
摘要:
A toner residual amount detecting mechanism comprises a stirring device and a photosensor. The photosensor has a protrusion, and rotates together with a stirring shaft while the protrusion contacts with a pin planted on the stirring shaft. The stirring device rotates by its gravity when it reaches a top dead point thereof. The stirring device also includes a magnetic rotor attracted by a permanent magnet in a sensor lever to thereby turn the sensor lever about the fulcrum of the sensor lever to a predetermined position. The sensor lever is stopped by a stopper when the stirring device reaches the bottom dead point thereof. The photosensor cannot detect light when the sensor lever is positioned at the bottom dead point since the light is intercepted by the sensor lever but can detect the light when the sensor lever reaches the predetermined position. The mechanism can inform an operator of a toner supply time since the photosensor operates depending on the resistance of toner against the stirring device.