Patent ID: 8639132
Filing Date: 2014-01-28
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A developer recovery container, comprising: a first room that stores a recovered developer; a plurality of recovery ports that face the first room and are linearly arranged through which a developer removed from an intermediate transfer unit by a cleaning unit for the intermediate transfer unit and a developer removed from an image bearing member by a cleaning unit for the image bearing member are dropped into the first room; a second room wherein the developer flows from the first room to the second room; a conveying unit that conveys the developer in the first room to the second room by a quantity of the developer exceeding a storage limit of the first room including a pipe, such that the conveying unit penetrates through the pipe in a longitudinal direction thereof, and wherein the pipe has both ends in the longitudinal direction, a peripheral wall and an opening in the peripheral wall, wherein the second room is positioned below the first room, wherein the pipe is disposed proximate to the second room and the opening in the peripheral wall of the pipe forms an entrance to the second room such that developer conveyed from the first room to the second room travels through the pipe, and wherein the developer in the first room enters the pipe through the both ends in the longitudinal direction; and a sensor that detects the developer in the second room.