Patent ID: 11927897
Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
Field: Optics (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 7:
8. A powder conveying device comprising:
a first conveyor to convey powder in a substantially horizontal direction;
a first conveyance passage in which the first conveyor is disposed;
a fall passage in which the powder output from an outlet port of the first conveyance passage is to fall;
a second conveyor to convey the powder in a substantially horizontal direction; and
a second conveyance passage in which the second conveyor is disposed, the second conveyance passage having an inlet port to receive the powder falling in the fall passage,
wherein a cross-sectional area of a space that is not occupied by the first conveyor in the first conveyance passage is larger than a cross-sectional area of a space that is not occupied by the second conveyor in the second conveyance passage when viewed in a cross section orthogonal to a conveyance direction in which the powder is conveyed, and
wherein a relationship of M1×0.75≤N1≤M1×0.9 is satisfied when an inner diameter of the first conveyance passage is defined as M1 and an outer diameter of the first conveyor is defined as N1.