Patent ID: 7509079

Claim:
A method for conveying toner, comprising: supplying toner having one of a maximum shearing stress less than about 30 G (N/m 2 ) and a uniaxial collapsing stress less than about 50 G (N/m 2 ) to a toner container; sucking the toner from the toner container to a prescribed position through a flexible pipe; and supplying air to the toner container; wherein said maximum shearing stress is measured by a shearing tester when a toner layer with the toner is formed on a fixed plate of the shearing tester, a vertical stress of about 700 G (N/m 2 ) is applied to the toner layer through a movable plate and a first weight for about five minutes, the first weight is replaced with a second weight lighter than the first weight, and the movable plate is horizontally drawn while applying 16 G to the toner layer; and wherein said uniaxial collapsing stress is measured by a shearing tester when a toner layer with the toner is formed on a fixed plate of a shearing tester, a vertical stress is applied to the toner layer through a movable plate and a first weight for about five minutes, the first weight is replaced with a second weight lighter than the first weight, and the movable plate is horizontally drawn while applying 200 G to the toner layer.