Electrophotography – Image formation – Development
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-29
2001-02-06
Brase, Sandra L. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Image formation
Development
C399S119000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185401
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART
The present invention relates to a toner supply container for supplying toner into an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material with toner and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using the same.
Here, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus is an apparatus wherein an image is formed on a recording material through an electrophotographic image formation type. Examples of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus include an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (e.g. laser beam printer, LED printer), a facsimile machine, a word processor or the like.
In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a laser beam printer, a photosensitive drum uniformly charged is selectively exposed to light. By this, an electrostatic latent image is formed. The electrostatic latent image is developed with toner to form a toner image. Then, the toner image is transferred onto a recording material. In such an apparatus, whenever the toner is used up, it has to be replenished or supplied. The toner supply container for supplying the toner to the image forming apparatus is classified into a removing type wherein an entire amount of toner is replenished at once into a toner reception container of the main assembly of the image forming apparatus and a leaving type container wherein the container is mounted and is retained therein. Here, the leaving type container gradually supplies the toner into the developing device until the toner therein is used up.
Recently, the leaving type toner supply container is increasingly used from the standpoint of downsizing of the image forming apparatus. In order to prevent scattering of remaining toner through a toner discharging opening, an openable member for sealing the opening is provided.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. HEI-7-82268 discloses a mechanism for permitting opening of the discharging opening by rotation of the container after it is mounted to the main assembly. Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. HEI-7-306578 discloses a use of a handle for opening and closing the discharging opening.
The present invention further develops the mechanism and system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a toner supply container and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus usable with the toner supply container wherein the toner can be supplied assuredly into the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a toner supply container detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the toner supply container is detachably mountable.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toner supply container which can supply the toner gradually while it is kept loaded in the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the toner supply container is detachably mountable.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toner supply container which can supply the toner gradually in accordance with the consumption of the toner while it is kept loaded in the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the toner supply container is detachably mountable.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toner supply container having a toner discharging opening which can be opened by mounting it to the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the toner supply container is detachably mountable.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toner supply container having a toner discharging opening which can be opened by rotating a rotatable member relative to a toner accommodating portion when it is mounted to the main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the toner supply container is detachably mountable.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toner supply container having a toner discharging opening which can be opened through a member provided in the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which said toner supply container is detachably mountable.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toner supply container wherein a toner discharging opening of the toner accommodating portion and a toner receiving opening of a main assembly of the apparatus are interrelatedly opened when the container is mounted to the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the toner supply container is detachably mountable.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toner supply container having an improved operativity of supplying the toner to the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus usable with the toner supply container.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toner supply container having a rotating force receiving portion for receiving, through a rotating force transmission member provided in the main assembly of the apparatus, the rotating force produced by rotation of the rotatable member to open the toner discharging opening when the container is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toner supply container for supplying toner into a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:
a toner accommodating portion for accommodating toner to be supplied into a main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus;
a toner discharging opening for discharging the toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion, said toner discharging opening being provided in said toner accommodating portion;
a sealing member for openably sealing said toner discharging opening;
an openable member for openably sealing said toner discharging opening;
a rotatable member which is rotatable relative to said toner accommodating portion;
a rotating force receiving portion for receiving a rotating force produced by rotation of said rotatable member through a rotating force transmission member provided in the main assembly of said electrophotographic image forming apparatus to unseal said toner discharging opening by the rotation of said rotatable member when said toner supply container is mounted to the main assembly of said electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toner supply container for supplying toner into a main assembly of electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:
a toner accommodating portion for accommodating toner to be supplied into a main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus;
a toner discharging opening for discharging the toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion, said toner discharging opening being provided in said toner accommodating portion;
a sealing member for openably sealing said toner discharging opening;
a sealing member for openably sealing said toner discharging opening;
a rotatable member which is rotatable relative to said toner accommodating portion;
a rotating force receiving portion for receiving a rotating force produced by rotation of said rotatable member through a rotating force transmission member provided in the main assembly of said electrophotographic image forming apparatus to unseal a main assem
Goto Hideki
Goto Tatsuya
Kanamori Akihito
Miyano Kazuyuki
Brase Sandra L.
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
LandOfFree
Toner bottle, toner supply system and image forming... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Toner bottle, toner supply system and image forming..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Toner bottle, toner supply system and image forming... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2561297