POWDER CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME

摘要

A powder container includes a rotatable powder storage to store powder for image formation, a conveyor to transport the powder inside the powder storage, and a scooping portion to scoop the powder inside the powder storage. The conveyor transports the powder in a powder conveyance direction parallel to a rotation axis of the powder storage toward an opening at one end of the powder storage. The scooping portion causes the powder to flow to the opening. The scooping portion includes a scooping face extending from an inner face of the powder storage toward the rotation axis of the powder storage, and a rim disposed along an inner end of the scooping face in a diameter direction of the powder storage, and at least a portion of the rim protruding downstream beyond the scooping face in a rotation direction of the powder storage.

主权项

1. A powder container comprising:
a rotatable powder storage to store powder for image formation, the powder storage having an opening at one end of the powder storage; a conveyor to transport the powder inside the powder storage toward the one end in a powder conveyance direction parallel to a rotation axis of the powder storage; and a scooping portion to scoop the powder and cause the powder to flow to the opening, the scooping portion including:
a scooping face extending from an inner face of the powder storage toward the rotation axis of the powder storage; anda rim disposed along an inner end of the scooping face in a diameter direction of the powder storage, wherein, on a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis of the powder storage, at least a portion of the rim protrudes downstream beyond the scooping face in a rotation direction of the powder storage.