Electrophotography – Internal machine environment – Particle or contaminant control
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-09
2001-06-12
Brase, Sandra (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Internal machine environment
Particle or contaminant control
C399S111000, C399S119000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06246848
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART
The present invention relates to a toner container cap, a toner container, and a process cartridge.
Here, the term process cartridge means refers to a cartridge having as a unit an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and charging means, developing means and cleaning means, which is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. It may include as a unit an electrophotographic photosensitive member and at least one of charging means, developing means and cleaning means. It may include as a unit, developing means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member.
And, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording material using an electrophotographic image formation process. Examples of electrophotographic image forming apparatus include an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (laser beam printer, LED printer or the like), a facsimile machine and a word processor or the like.
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic process is known which is used with the process cartridge. This is advantageous in that the maintenance operation can be, in effect, carried out by the users thereof without expert service persons, and therefore, operativity can be remarkably improved. Therefore, this type is now widely used.
In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member is developed with the use of developer (hereinafter, “toner”). Since toner is consumed through an image forming process, it must be replenished as needed. For the replenishment of toner, a toner storing container (hereinafter, “toner container”) is used. A toner container can be used to replenish a copying machine or the like, as well as the aforementioned process cartridge, with toner, through a simple action.
A toner container is provided with a toner filling opening which is sealed with a toner container cap (hereinafter, “container cap”). Generally, a container cap is formed of low density polyethylene (hereinafter, “LDPE”) by injection molding. It comprises several ribs which extend between the sealing walls of the container cap and the center portion of the container cap, to reinforce the sealing walls which seal the toner container as they come in contact with the brim portion of the toner filling opening of the toner container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a toner container cap capable of securely sealing a toner filling opening, a toner container which employs such a toner container cap, and a process cartridge which employs such a toner container.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a toner container cap which is not liable to accidentally be dislodged from the toner filling opening of a toner container, a toner container which employs such a toner container cap, and a process cartridge which employs such a toner container.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a toner container cap which makes it possible to provide one of the side walls of a toner container with such a toner filling opening that has an effective opening area which is larger than, or at least as large as, the largest effective opening area which can be creased using the conventional circular configuration, and which can improve efficiency in toner filling.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a noncircular toner container cap which corresponds to the configuration of the side wall of a toner container, a toner container which employs such a toner container cap, and a process cartridge which employs such a toner container.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a toner cap which has a groove on the exterior side of the side walls thereof which come in contact with the edge of the toner filling opening of a toner container, a toner container which employs such a toner container cap, and a process cartridge which employs such a toner container.
Another object of the present invention is to provide: a noncircular toner container cap, the configuration of which corresponds to the configuration of the side wall of a toner container which has a toner filling opening on one of the side walls thereof, so that the effective opening area of the toner filling opening is increased; a toner container which employs such a toner container cap; and a process cartridge which employs such a toner container.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Fujiwara Yasuo
Morinaga Hiroumi
Numagami Atsushi
Brase Sandra
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
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