Patent ID: 7720428
Filing Date: 2010-05-18
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A toner recovery apparatus comprising: a toner transporting duct which is provided in a lower portion thereof with an inlet through which a residual toner removed by a cleaning unit is transported and which is provided in an upper portion thereof with an outlet from which the residual toner is sent to a toner recovery part; and an endless toner transporting belt having a plurality of convex parts on an outer circumferential surface thereof, the belt rotatably stretched in the toner transporting duct; wherein the toner recovery apparatus transports the residual toner removed by the cleaning unit to the toner recovery part, the toner transporting belt is rotated in a loop form in such a way that the toner transporting belt descends in a region where the outer circumferential surface of the toner transporting belt faces a ceiling surface of the toner transporting duct, and that the toner transporting belt rises in a region where the outer circumferential surface of the toner transporting belt faces a bottom surface of the toner transporting duct, the toner recovery apparatus transports the residual toner transported through the inlet to the outlet by holding the toner by the convex parts, spaces formed between the convex parts and the bottom surface of the toner transporting duct, and the toner comprises a binding resin, a releasing agent, a coloring material, and an external additive, and a torque T (mNm) measured by a torque measurement method using a conical rotor in a space ratio of 50% to 60% is 1.0 to 2.5.