Electrophotography – Image formation – Development
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-21
2001-09-18
Moses, Richard (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Image formation
Development
C399S120000, C222SDIG001, C222S167000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06292644
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART
The present invention relates to a toner replenishing container and a toner replenishing apparatus, which replenish an image forming apparatus, for example, a copying machine, a printer, a recorded image displaying apparatus, or a facsimile, and which form a visible image with the use of an electrophotographic system, an electrostatic recording system, or the like, with toner.
As for the developer for an image forming apparatus of the above-described type, microscopic toner powder has been used. As the developer in the main assembly of an image forming apparatus is depleted, an image forming apparatus is replenished with a fresh supply of toner with the use of a toner replenishing container (toner cartridge).
Since toner has been in the form of an extremely fine powder, there has been a problem that toner scattered and soiled an operator and the ambience during a replenishing operation was poor. Therefore, various methods for replenishing an image forming apparatus with toner have been proposed. According to one of these methods, a toner cartridge is placed within the main assembly of an image forming apparatus, and toner is discharged in small increments from the toner cartridge through its small opening. When such a method is used, it does not occur that toner is simply discharged due to natural factors, such as gravity. Therefore, such a method is provided with some kind of means for stirring and conveying toner.
Further, below the toner cartridge, a sub-hopper is provided as a toner storing portion, which not only temporarily stores toner, but also conveys toner, while stirring it, to a developing device.
In an image forming apparatus structured as described above, as the entire supply of toner in the toner cartridge is discharged into the sub-hopper, that is, as the toner cartridge becomes empty, the image forming apparatus detects this condition and instructs an operator that the current toner container should be replaced with a fresh one. The operator follows this instruction; the operator removes the current toner cartridge, which has become empty, and inserts a fresh toner cartridge in place of the current one so that the image forming apparatus can continue the current image forming operation.
Referring to
FIG. 9
, a toner cartridge
202
is provided with a shutter
201
for sealing the opening with which the toner container
203
is provided to discharge toner. Not only is the shutter
201
closed to prevent the supply of toner stored within the toner container
203
from leaking, but also it is closed to seal the opening after the toner cartridge is used up and removed from an image forming apparatus, so that the toner remaining within the used toner cartridge is prevented from leaking out and soiling the areas adjacent the used toner cartridge.
However, the conventional toner cartridge
202
has a problem in that it opens too easily. More specifically, it opens as its shutter is simply rotated in the direction (arrow mark C) indicated in FIG.
9
. Thus, even when the conventional toner cartridge
202
is left alone outside an image forming apparatus, there is a possibility that the conventional toner cartridge will be inadvertently opened by an operator, and that the areas adjacent the cartridge will be contaminated by the toner that leaks out the cartridge.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The image object of the present invention is to provide a toner replenishing container and a toner replenishing apparatus, which prevent the opening, through which toner is replenished, from being inadvertently unsealed when the toner replenishing container is not in the toner replenishing apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a toner replenishing container and a toner replenishing apparatus, the toner opening of which can be simply opened after the toner replenishing container is installed in the toner replenishing apparatus.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become m ore apparent upon a consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4937628 (1990-06-01), Cipolla et al.
patent: 5812915 (1998-09-01), Farkash
patent: 5970292 (1999-10-01), Miller
patent: 0 631 206 (1994-12-01), None
patent: 0 757 301 (1997-02-01), None
Patent Abstract of Japan, 7-181793, vol. 1995, No. 10, Nov. 1995.
Patent Abstract of Japan 8-297399, vol. 1997, No. 3, Mar. 1997.
Goto Tatsuya
Tazawa Fumio
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Moses Richard
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