Electrophotography – Having particular structure – Modular or displaceable
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-27
2001-04-10
Royer, William J. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Having particular structure
Modular or displaceable
C399S106000, C399S119000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06215969
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a toner container, an assembly method for the toner container, a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus usable with the process cartridge.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Here, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus means an apparatus which forms images on recording medium, using an electrophotographic image forming process. It includes an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (for example, a LED printer, a laser beam printer), an electrophotographic facsimile machine, an electrophotographic word processor, and the like.
The process cartridge means 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 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.
An 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, the operativity can be remarkably improved. Therefore, this type is now widely used.
Some of the process cartridges of this type comprise a toner container.
However, in order to increase the amount of the containable toner, the container volume must be increased, which is rather difficult. Beside, assuming it is possible to successfully increase the container volume, there arises another problem in that a method for efficiently feeding out the toner from the large capacity toner container must be devised.
Thus, the present invention was made to further develop the aforementioned art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a toner container, toner container assembling method, process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein the toner contained in the toner container can be used efficiently.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a toner container, toner container assembling method, process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein a large amount of the toner contained in the toner container can be used efficiently.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toner container constituted by coupling a first frame and a second frame, toner container assembling method, process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toner container having a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface, toner container assembling method, process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
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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Miyabe Shigeo
Nomura Yoshiya
Yokomori Kanji
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Royer William J.
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