G03G15/0877

REPLACEABLE UNIT FOR AN ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING DEVICE HAVING POSITIONING FEATURES FOR ELECTRICAL CONTACTS
20230259066 · 2023-08-17 ·

A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes an electrical contact positioned on a first side of a housing of the replaceable unit for contacting an electrical contact in the image forming device. A guide on the first side of the housing is positioned closer to a front of the housing than the electrical contact and leads rearward toward the electrical contact. The guide includes an inside surface that faces inward sideways toward a second side of the housing. At least a portion of the inside surface is angled inward sideways from front to rear permitting contact between the inside surface and an electrical connector in the image forming device to draw the electrical connector in the image forming device inward sideways relative to the replaceable unit during insertion of the replaceable unit into the image forming device.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
20230259050 · 2023-08-17 ·

An image forming apparatus includes a main body that includes a photosensitive member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed and a development unit configured to develop the photosensitive member with toner. The main body is configured to discharge a recording material on which an image is formed with the toner onto a discharge tray. The image forming apparatus also includes a toner supply port on which a supply container is mounted to supply toner to a toner containing portion of the development unit. The image forming apparatus further includes a non-contact communication portion including an antenna and configured to receive a signal for user authentication. The discharge tray, the toner supply port, and the non-contact communication portion are provided at an upper portion of the main body. The non-contact communication portion is provided outside the discharge tray when the main body is viewed from above.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS FACILITATING DETACHMENT OF TONER CARTRIDGE FROM PROCESS CARTRIDGE ATTACHED TO HOUSING OF IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
20230259067 · 2023-08-17 · ·

An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a top cover having an opening, a process cartridge attachable to the housing, a toner cartridge attachable to the process cartridge, and an interlocking mechanism. The top cover is pivotally movable between a first position closing the opening and a second position opening the opening. In a state where the toner cartridge is attached to the process cartridge, the toner cartridge is pivotally movable between an attachment/detachment position where the toner cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the process cartridge; and a fixed position where the toner cartridge is fixed to the process cartridge. The interlocking mechanism is configured to pivotally move the toner cartridge to the attachment/detachment position when the top cover is moved to the second position, and to pivotally move the toner cartridge to the fixed position when the top cover is moved to the first position.

IMAGE FORMING DEVICE AND PROCESS CARTRIDGE THEREFOR
20230259068 · 2023-08-17 ·

An image forming device is provided with a housing formed with an opening, a cover configured to move between a closing position and an opening position, and a plurality of process cartridges including a first process cartridge and a second process cartridge. The first and second process cartridges respectively include first and second photosensitive drums configured to rotate about first and second drum axes both extending in a first direction. The first and second developing devices are configured to supply toner to the first and second photosensitive drums, respectively. The first and second supplying devices are formed with first and second supply ports through which the toner to be supplied to the first and second developing devices are provided, respectively. Both the first and second supplying ports are opened to outside the housing.

REPLACEABLE TONER CARTRIDGE WITH INLET PORT FOR RECYCLED TONER

A toner cartridge for an imaging apparatus includes a housing to accommodate toner, and an inlet port and an outlet port formed in the housing. The outlet port supplies the toner to a developing device of the imaging apparatus. The inlet port receives a residual toner removed from an image carrier of the developing device as a recycled toner.

Estimation of toner remaining rate

An image forming apparatus includes a body on which a development cartridge is mountable to form a toner image by supplying toner in the development cartridge to an electrostatic latent image formed, a communicating portion provided on an outer surface of the body to be coupled with a toner refill cartridge to form a connection with the development cartridge to perform a toner refill of the toner in the development cartridge through the connection with the development cartridge, a sensor to detect a remaining toner amount remaining in the development cartridge, and a controller to estimate, based on the sensor detecting the remaining toner amount, an estimated toner remaining rate of the development cartridge, which is an estimated rate of the toner remaining in the development cartridge based on toner consumption, according to the toner refill.

DEVELOPER CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
20220128927 · 2022-04-28 · ·

A developer container includes: a case that stores developer and in which a developer outlet for discharging the developer is formed; a conveying spiral that is rotatably disposed in the case and rotates to convey the developer toward the developer outlet in an axial direction of the conveying spiral; a guide wall that is disposed along the conveying spiral and guides the developer in the axial direction of the conveying spiral; and a push member that is attached to the conveying spiral and rotates with the conveying spiral to push the developer into the developer outlet. A cutout is formed at a portion of the guide wall corresponding to the push member to form a guide portion that guides the developer to the developer outlet.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, REPLACEMENT DEVELOPING COMPONENT, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
20220128926 · 2022-04-28 · ·

An image forming apparatus includes an accommodating portion, a motor, and a development sensor. In the accommodating portion, a replacement developing component is fitted. The replacement developing component is fitted with a rotary member including an operating member, and stores toner. The motor rotates the rotary member on the replacement developing component fitted in the accommodating portion. When a new replacement developing component is fitted, the development sensor is not in contact with the operating member before the motor rotates the rotary member and is in contact with the operating member on the rotary member that has moved as the motor rotates. The development sensor outputs a first level when in contact with the operating member and outputs a second level when not in contact with the operating member.

POWDER SUPPLYING DEVICE
20220128930 · 2022-04-28 ·

A powder supplying device includes: a storage section including a storage container that includes an interior space in which a powder is stored and a discharge port through which the powder is discharged from the interior space to the exterior; a roller an outer peripheral surface of which is rough and which is provided across the interior space and the exterior and configured to rotate in the discharge port; and a powder-discharging-amount adjusting section that includes a pressing member which is formed of an elastic porous body and which is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the roller.

Dynamic adjustments of fill levels of print substance reservoirs in printing devices

An example printing device and method of the printing device is disclosed. A print substance usage parameter is determined based on a signal provided from a sensor coupled to a refillable reservoir in the printing device. A fill level of the refillable reservoir is dynamically adjusted with the print substance usage parameter.