Electrophotography – Image formation – Development
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-04
2001-05-15
Pendegrass, Joan (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Image formation
Development
C399S262000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06233421
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a developer replenishing container for use in a copier, facsimile apparatus, printer or similar electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and more particularly to such a developer replenishing container, which enables the contained developer to be smoothly and evenly supplied.
Various developer replenishing container means for electrophotographic image forming apparatus have been disclosed. Exemplars are seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,455,662; 5,500,719. These developer replenishing container means commonly comprise a cylindrical container body having a spiral guide rib around the inside wall and an opening at one end, a tapered end cap at the opening, and ratchet means at the opening. The cylindrical container body is rotated by a driving mechanism inside the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, causing the contained developer to be delivered out of the opening. This design of developer replenishing container means is still not satisfactory in function. The tapered end cap cannot effectively adjust the output amount of the developer, causing the developer to be supplied unevenly. When the developer is not evenly supplied, a false signal may occur, causing the electrophotographic image forming apparatus to shut down.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished to provide a developer replenishing container, which eliminates the aforesaid problem. According to one aspect of the present invention, the developer replenishing container comprises a cylindrical container body, the container body having a spiral guide groove on around the inside wall thereof and a bottle neck at one end, and a tapered plug installed in the bottle neck of the cylindrical container body, wherein the tapered plug has a tubular shank axially extended from one end thereof and suspended in the bottle neck and defining with the bottle neck a developer passage for enabling the developer to be smoothly and evenly guided out of the container body through the developer passage upon rotary motion of the container body. According to another aspect of the present invention, the spiral guide groove of the container body has a vertical wall axially extended along one side thereof and facing the bottle neck for stopping backward movement of the developer.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5296900 (1994-03-01), Saijo et al.
patent: 6134411 (2000-10-01), Meyer et al.
patent: 7-20702 (1995-01-01), None
patent: 8-62964 (1996-03-01), None
Hsu Robin
Huang Ya-Li
Li Kuan-Tung
Wang Jui-Chi
Pendegrass Joan
Pro-Techtor Inter-national Services
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