| 摘要 |
PURPOSE:To preclude blocking in a toner hopper with a simple, low-cost structure by fitting support members to end parts of a coil-shaped agitator and pressing respective support members against the outer periphery of a sponge roller. CONSTITUTION:The toner hopper blocking preventing mechanism 31 is constituted by fitting the support members 33 to the respective end parts of the coil- shaped agitator 32, and the respective support members 33 are supported on the corresponding side walls 6b of the toner hopper 6 so that the outer peripheries of the support members 33 are pressed against the outer periphery of the sponge roller 7 nearby the external wall 6a in the toner hopper 6. Then when the sponge roller 7 is rotated at the time of toner supplying operation, the respective support members 33 which are pressed against the sponge roller 7 rotate nearby the external wall 6a of the toner hopper 6 together with the agitator 32. Consequently, even when toner sticks on the external wall 6a, the toner is scraped off effectively by the rotation of the agitator 32 to prevent blocking from occurring. |
