Image forming apparatus having a suction device and a duct with ports having ventilation areas dependent on proximity to the suction device

摘要

The present application discloses an image forming apparatus for forming an image by means of toner. The image forming apparatus includes an image carrier including an image carrying surface to form an electrostatic latent image; a developing device which supplies the toner to the image carrying surface to form a toner image; and a suction device configured to create airflow for suctioning the toner scattered from the developing device. The developing device includes a duct configured to guide the airflow to the suction device. The duct includes a connection surface, to which the suction device is connected, and a suction surface provided with suction ports into which the toner flows. The suction ports aligned in a direction apart from the connection surface include different suction ports in ventilation area.

主权项

1. An image forming apparatus for forming an image by means of toner, comprising:
an image carrier including an image carrying surface to form an electrostatic latent image; a developing device which supplies the toner to the image carrying surface to form a toner image; and a suction device configured to create airflow for suctioning the toner scattered from the developing device, wherein the developing device includes a duct configured to guide the airflow to the suction device, the duct includes a connection port, to which the suction device is connected, and a suction surface provided with suction ports into which the toner flows, and the suction ports that are farther away from the connection port have a different opening size than the suction ports that are nearer to the connection port, the duct includes a closing surface opposite to the connection port, the suction surface extending between the connection port and the closing surface includes a starting end region closer to the connection port than the closing surface, a terminal end region closer to the closing surface than the connection port, and an intermediate region between the starting and terminal end regions, the suction ports include a starting end suction port group formed of suction ports formed in the starting end region, a terminal end suction port group formed of suction ports formed in the terminal end region, and an intermediate suction port group formed of suction ports formed in the intermediate region, and an average ventilation area in the intermediate suction port group is smaller than an average ventilation area in the starting end suction port group and an average ventilation area in the terminal end suction port group.