Patent classifications
G03G15/0875
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes: a drawer movable between an inner position and an outer position and supporting a first cartridge including a first photosensitive drum and a first discharge part and a second cartridge including a second photosensitive drum and a second discharge part; and a waste toner box including a first coupling part coupled with the first discharge part and a second coupling part coupled with the second discharge part, in a state where the first cartridge and the second cartridge are supported by the drawer at an inner position and the waste toner box is mounted to the apparatus main body, the waste toner box being movable between a first/second position where the first coupling part and the first discharge part are coupled/decoupled and the second coupling part and the second discharge part are coupled/decoupled.
Reusable media packaging for imaging device
A reusable media shell has a frame to hold sheets of media in an interior. A removable cap connects to the frame and its manipulation unveils the media for picking by an imaging device. The cap resides on a terminal end of the frame so the frame covers a majority of the media. A lift plate in the interior forces upward the sheets for picking. Two magnets on the frame magnetically secure the frame to magnets in a base of the imaging device and position the sheets in the base. Upstanding walls, a lid and bottom define the interior of the frame. Inserts attached to the walls allow adjustment to accommodate various sizes of the media.
TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
A toner cartridge includes a toner accommodation chamber containing toner, a toner discharging chamber having a discharge opening for discharging the toner, and a passage for fluid communication between the toner accommodation chamber and the toner discharging chamber. The toner cartridge also includes a screw, with at least a part of the screw being positioned in the passage. In a first cross-sectional plane perpendicular to a toner feeding direction of the screw, a minimum cross-sectional area of the passage is Asmin, and in a second cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the toner feeding direction, the toner accommodation chamber has a cross-sectional area Cs that is larger than Asmin.
Toner cartridge
A toner cartridge comprises a toner container which contains toner, a driving member which rotationally drives a conveying member, an agitating member which agitates a toner in the toner container while being rotated, a driven member which rotates in association with the driving member which is for rotationally driving the agitating member, and a rotational body which rotates according to rotation of the driven member, has a plurality of slits in rotational circumference for identifying a type of the toner cartridge, and has 1/K or more of the slits when a ratio of a rotational speed R1 (rad/s) of the driving member and a rotational speed R2 (rad/s) of the driven member is K=R2/R1.
CONNECTION STRUCTURE FOR COUPLING WITH TONER CARTRIDGE
An example connection structure includes a connector and a connector support body. The connector is to engage with a coupler of a toner cartridge at a driving position when the toner cartridge is located at an operable position. The connector support body is rotatable about a rotation axis. The connector is also to support the connector to allow the connector to be inclined toward one side or another side with respect to the rotation axis while moving along the rotation axis with respect to the driving position.
Powder transport device, powder container, powder supply device, and powder utilization apparatus
A powder transport device includes a falling passage unit having an inclined surface that is inclined so as to narrow an interior space, through which powder falls, in a lower region of the interior space; a transport passage unit that is connected to a lower end of the falling passage unit and that has a passage space that extends in a direction in which the powder is transported; a transport member that rotates in the passage space of the transport passage unit to transport the powder in one direction, which is a transporting direction; and an elastic sheet that is disposed to cover a portion of the falling passage unit including the inclined surface, the elastic sheet including an upper end portion that is fixed and a lower end that serves as a free end and faces the transport member. The elastic sheet includes a projection that extends and projects from the lower end at a position near an upstream end of the lower end in the transporting direction in which the powder is transported by the transport member. The inclined surface has a protrusion that protrudes such that an upstream edge portion of the elastic sheet in the transporting direction is maintained separated from the inclined surface. A contact body is disposed in the passage space of the transport passage unit, the contact body repeating a movement of coming into contact with the projection to raise a portion of the elastic sheet and then moving away from the projection.
DEVELOPER CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
A developer container includes: a containing unit that contains developer; a transport unit that transports the developer; and a receiving unit that receives a driving force transmitted from a transmitting unit of a body of an image forming apparatus and transmits the driving force to the transport unit. The developer container is removably attachable to the body of the image forming apparatus. The developer container includes a first rotation stopping portion and a second rotation stopping portion that is farther from the receiving unit than the first rotation stopping portion. When the developer container is attached to the body of the image forming apparatus, the first rotation stopping portion comes into contact with a first rotation stopper portion provided on the body of the image forming apparatus, and the second rotation stopping portion comes into contact with a second rotation stopper portion provided on the body of the image forming apparatus. A spatial allowance between the first rotation stopping portion and the first rotation stopper portion is less than a spatial allowance between the second rotation stopping portion and the second rotation stopper portion.
Developing cartridge including housing and gear
In a cartridge, a developing roller is configured to rotate around a first rotational axis extending in a predetermined direction and to carry developer thereon, the developing roller having a first end and a second end apart from each other in the predetermined direction, a from-first-to-second direction being defined along the predetermined direction as being directed from the first end to the second end. A developing electrode is formed of a conductive material and is configured to be electrically connected to the developing roller, the developing electrode including a main part and a protruding portion protruding from the main part in the from-first-to-second direction. A detection body is formed of an insulating material and is rotatably supported by the protruding portion, the detection body including a first opening that exposes part of the protruding portion and a covering portion covering part of the protruding portion.
POWDER CONTAINER WITH A CONTACT PORTION TO CANCEL A RESTRICTION MEMBER FROM RESTRICTING ROTATION OF AN ENGAGEMENT PORTION
A powder container includes a collection port to communicate with an outlet port of a body or removable component, and to receive and collect powder flowing out through the outlet port. There is a shutter to open and close the collection port, and a rotation portion to be engageable with an engagement portion which is to open and close a cartridge shutter to open and close the outlet port through which the powder flows out. An operation device is to rotate the rotation portion in conjunction with an operation of the operation device, and a contact portion is included in the rotation portion to contact a restriction member. The contact portion is to cancel the restriction member from restricting rotation of the engagement portion.
TONER CARTRIDGE HAVING POSITIONING FEATURES INCLUDING GUIDES EXTENDING OUTWARD FROM SIDES OF THE TONER CARTRIDGE
A toner cartridge according to one example includes first and second alignment guides that extend outward from a first side and a second side of the toner cartridge, respectively, for positioning the toner cartridge. The first and second alignment guides define a pivot axis about which the toner cartridge is pivotable relative to an imaging unit when the toner cartridge is installed on the imaging unit. An engagement member is positioned on a rear of the toner cartridge for receiving a bias force for biasing the toner cartridge about the pivot axis when the toner cartridge is installed on the imaging unit. The engagement member is positioned next to the bottom of the housing. The engagement member includes an angled contact surface that faces upward and rearward for contacting a corresponding hold-down on the imaging unit when the toner cartridge is installed on the imaging unit.