G03G2215/0697

POWDER CONTAINER INCLUDING A NOZZLE RECEIVING OPENING AND SCOOP

A powder conveying device includes: a conveying nozzle, provided with a powder receiving opening; an open/close member to open/close the powder receiving opening; a flange provided to the open/close member; a biasing member to bias the open/close member; and a container setting section to which a part of a powder container is to be fit. The powder container includes: a conveyor to convey the powder from a second end of the powder container to a first end; a container opening protruding from the first end; a nozzle receiving opening into which the conveying nozzle is to be inserted; and a butting portion provided in the container opening, to butt against the flange. When the powder container is attached to the powder conveying device, the container opening is fitted to the container setting section, and the flange and the biasing member are housed in an inner space of the container opening.

CONTROLLING TONER REFILL BY USING TONER REFILL CARTRIDGE
20220004121 · 2022-01-06 ·

An example image forming apparatus includes a mainbody, a toner refilling portion, and a controller. On the mainbody, a development cartridge is mounted. The toner refilling portion is connected to the development cartridge and a toner refill cartridge inserted through a communicating portion of the main body and thus receives, from the toner refill cartridge, authentication information obtained from the toner refill cartridge, thereby adjusting a toner inflow from the toner refill cartridge to the development cartridge. A controller determines whether to allow a toner refill using the toner refill cartridge based on the authentication information obtained from the toner refill cartridge and authentication information obtained from the image forming apparatus and controls the toner refilling portion according to a determination result.

Developer cartridge with a cover covering a memory on an outer surface of a toner housing

A developer cartridge includes a housing, a developing roller, an agitator, a memory, and a cover. The housing is configured to store toner therein and has one end portion and the other end portion in a first direction. The developing roller is rotatable about a first axis extending in the first direction. The agitator is rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction. The agitator is positioned spaced apart from the developing roller. The memory includes an electrical contact surface. The electrical contact surface is positioned at an outer surface of the housing and at the one end portion of the housing in the first direction, and is disposed between the developing roller and the agitator in a second direction from the first axis toward the second axis. The cover has an opening open in the second direction and covers the electrical contact surface.

DRUM CARTRIDGE AND DEVELOPING CARTRIDGE CAPABLE OF SUPPRESSING VARIATION IN POSITION OF ELECTRICAL CONTACT SURFACE
20230333509 · 2023-10-19 · ·

A drum cartridge includes: a drum frame to which a developing cartridge including a storage medium having an electrical contact surface is detachably attachable; a photosensitive drum; a transfer roller; and a conveying roller. The drum is rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction and positioned at one end portion of the frame in a second direction. The transfer roller is rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction and in contact with the drum. The conveying roller is rotatable about a third axis extending in the first direction and separated from the transfer roller in the second direction. A first opening of the frame is positioned between the transfer roller and the conveying roller in the second direction. The electrical contact surface is exposed to an outside through the first opening in a case where the developing cartridge is attached to the frame.

PRINTING DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD OF THE SAME

A printing device, including: a cartridge storing developer; a memory provided in the cartridge; and a controller configured to execute a printing process of operating the cartridge form a developer image on a sheet by use of the developer in the cartridge, a first access process of performing access to the memory when the printing process is not being executed, and a second access process of performing access to the memory in a period in which the printing process is being executed, in response to a predetermined operation of the printing device, wherein, when an access failure occurs in the first access process, the controller notifies an error, and wherein, when an access failure occurs in the second access process, the controller continues the printing process and executes the second access process again in response to a next timing of the predetermined operation of the printing device.

Developing cartridge including movable holder for holding electrical contact surface

A developing cartridge includes: a casing; a developing roller rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction; a first agitator; an agitator gear; a first protrusion; a developing memory; a first electrical contact surface; and a first holder holding the first electrical contact surface. The agitator gear includes a large diameter gear and a small diameter gear positioned between the large diameter gear and the casing in the first direction. The first protrusion protrudes outward from one end of the casing in the first direction, and is positioned between the casing and the large diameter gear in the first direction. The first protrusion is positioned away from the small diameter gear. The first holder is positioned farther from the first protrusion than the large diameter gear is in the first direction. The first holder and the first electrical contact surface are movable relative to the casing.

Image forming system, server, image forming apparatus and management method
11747748 · 2023-09-05 · ·

An image forming system includes an image forming and a server. The image forming device includes a controller configured to operate in accordance with a normal mode or a contract mode. The server is configured to perform transmitting, to the image forming device, an operation mode changing instruction to set an operation mode of the controller to one of a normal mode or a contract mode in accordance with an operation mode changing request. The image forming device is configured to set the operation mode in accordance with the operation mode setting instruction.

Developer supplying apparatus that communicates with wireless tag, image forming apparatus, and developer storage container
11754943 · 2023-09-12 · ·

A developer supplying apparatus includes an attaching portion, an antenna, and a positional relationship changing portion. A developer storage portion including a wireless tag is attached to the attaching portion. The antenna is used for performing wireless communication with the wireless tag of the developer storage portion attached to the attaching portion using a radio wave method. The positional relationship changing portion changes a positional relationship between the wireless tag and the antenna.

Image forming device and controlling method
11619893 · 2023-04-04 · ·

An image forming device may comprise: an attaching unit to which a removable toner bottle is attached; a toner storage that stores toner supplied from the toner bottle attached to the attaching unit; a detector that detects an empty state of toner in the toner storage; and a hardware processor that: supplies toner to the toner storage from the toner bottle when the toner bottle attached to the attaching unit is new; and switches a state of the toner bottle to an old state from a new state if the empty state detected by the detector is released.

PRINTING DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD OF THE SAME

A printing device, including: a cartridge storing developer; a memory provided in the cartridge; and a controller configured to execute a printing process of operating the cartridge form a developer image on a sheet by use of the developer in the cartridge, a first access process of performing access to the memory when the printing process is not being executed, and a second access process of performing access to the memory in a period in which the printing process is being executed, in response to a predetermined operation of the printing device, wherein, when an access failure occurs in the first access process, the controller notifies an error, and wherein, when an access failure occurs in the second access process, the controller continues the printing process and executes the second access process again in response to a next timing of the predetermined operation of the printing device.