Oblon, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, L.L.P.
Toner collection unit and image forming apparatus incorporating same
A toner collection unit, which can be included in an image forming apparatus, includes a collected toner container having an opening and storing collected toner, a flexible seal sealing the opening of the collected toner container, having a shape of a recess in an initial condition before toner is collected in the container, and being flexible to change the shape to inflate outwardly due to a pressing force exerted from the toner stored in the container, a moving unit disposed outside the flexible seal and movable both in a positive direction to approach the opening of the container and in an opposite direction to move away from the opening when contacting the flexible seal inflating outwardly, a detector detecting movement of the moving unit, and a regulator regulating the moving unit from coming into the recess of the flexible seal in the initial condition.
Ricoh Company, Ltd.
G
G03G
inventional
Yuuji Tetsushi Mitsutoshi Kenji Takeshi Masanari
Meguro Sakuma Kichise Nakamura Sakashita Fujita