Patent ID: 7010251

Claim:
A toner conveyance device for conveying toner particles, comprising: a toner mixing unit which includes a toner introducing portion to introduce toner particles, and which mixes the toner particles introduced from the toner introducing portion with air to make a toner fluid; a first conveyor for receiving the toner fluid produced in the toner mixing unit and conveying the toner fluid; a toner separation unit which separates the toner fluid conveyed by the first conveyor into the air and the toner particles, and which includes a toner discharging portion for discharging the separated toner particles; a second conveyor for conveying the air separated by the toner separation unit back to the toner mixing unit; a tightly closed circulation oath for the air, which starts at the toner mixing unit, leads to the toner separation unit through the first conveyor, and returns to the toner mixing unit through the second conveyor; and a controller for detecting a conveyance amount of the toner fluid by the first conveyor and controlling a conveyance amount of the air by the second conveyor based on the conveyance amount of the toner fluid.