G03G2215/0668

POWDER CONTAINER, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME
20210041805 · 2021-02-11 ·

A powder container includes a discharge port configured to discharge powder stored in the powder container, a container shutter configured to open and close the discharge port, a first rotation portion configured to be engageable with an engagement portion of a removable component, an operation device configured to rotate the first rotation portion in conjunction with an operation of the operation device, and a contact portion included in the first rotation portion. The engagement portion opens and closes a cartridge shutter to open and close an inlet port of the removable component. A restriction member of the removable component is configured to restrict the rotation of the engagement portion. The contact portion contacts the restriction member to cancel the restriction member from restricting rotation of the engagement portion in conjunction with attachment of the powder container to the removable component.

STRUCTURE FOR SELECTIVELY LOCKING TONER INLET SHUTTER OF TONER REFILL PORTION

A printer includes a main body including a communicating portion, a development cartridge attachable to and detachable from the main body, the development cartridge to supply toner contained in a toner container to an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoconductor, to form a visible toner image, and a toner refilling portion connected to the toner container. The toner refilling portion includes a mounting portion into which a toner cartridge insertable from outside the main body through the communicating portion to be mountable, a toner inlet portion provided in the mounting portion to receive toner from the toner cartridge when the toner cartridge is mounted to the mounting portion, and an inlet shutter switchable between a blocking position where the toner inlet portion is blocked from receiving toner, and an inlet position where the toner inlet portion is open to receive toner. The printer includes a first latch member switchable between a first position where the inlet shutter is locked from switching between the blocking position and the inlet position and a second position where switching of the inlet shutter is allowed to switch between the blocking position and the inlet position, and a switching unit to switch between the first latch member between the first position and the second position.

TONER CARTRIDGE
20210018863 · 2021-01-21 · ·

A cartridge includes a shutter that opens and closes when the cartridge is attached and detached to a developing unit or image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a casing having a chamber with a first opening at one end portion allowing toner to flow out of the casing. The cartridge includes a cover that covers the first opening, movable with the casing and having a second opening allowing toner to flow out of the cover. The shutter is located at the one end portion and has a protrusion further from the one end portion than the cover. The developing unit supports the protrusion when the cartridge is mounted thereon, and the casing pivots with the cover relative to the developing unit between a first position where the shutter closes the second opening and a second position where a third opening of the shutter overlaps the second opening.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
20210003937 · 2021-01-07 ·

The present invention provides an image forming apparatus including: a first moving member pressed and moved by an openable/closable member when the openable/closable member is opened, and switching a cartridge from a state where the cartridge is positioned in an image forming position to a state where the positioning is released; and a second moving member pressed and moved by the openable/closable member when the openable/closable member is opened, and moving the exposure member from an exposure position to a retracted position, wherein when the positioning of the cartridge is released, a reaction force applied from the first moving member to the openable/closable member reaches a first peak, when the exposure member is moved to the retracted position, a reaction force applied from the second moving member to the openable/closable member reaches a second peak, and timing of the first peak is different from timing of the second peak.

Developer supply device and image forming apparatus

A developer supply device includes a developer container, an adjustment mechanism, and a controller. The developer container is configured to supply developer by rotating. The adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust a rotation angle of the developer container. The controller is configured to control the rotation angle of the developer container by the adjustment mechanism according to a developer remaining amount in the developer container.

TONER CONTAINER
20200401064 · 2020-12-24 ·

In one embodiment, a toner container comprises a toner container body in which toner is stored, a cover portion configured to cover the toner container body, and a projection. The projection is provided in the vicinity of a rear end portion in a longitudinal direction of the cover portion or a longitudinal direction of the toner container body, and projecting toward a rear side of the toner container.

Powder container having contact portion to contact a restriction member

A powder container includes a discharge port configured to discharge powder stored in the powder container, a container shutter configured to open and close the discharge port, a first rotation portion configured to be engageable with an engagement portion of a removable component, an operation device configured to rotate the first rotation portion in conjunction with an operation of the operation device, and a contact portion included in the first rotation portion. The engagement portion opens and closes a cartridge shutter to open and close an inlet port of the removable component. A restriction member of the removable component is configured to restrict the rotation of the engagement portion. The contact portion contacts the restriction member to cancel the restriction member from restricting rotation of the engagement portion in conjunction with attachment of the powder container to the removable component.

Toner container having operation member for making shutter open or close and image forming apparatus
10859947 · 2020-12-08 · ·

A toner container includes a container body, a shutter, and an operation member. The container body contains a toner and has a discharging port discharging the toner. The shutter opens or closes the discharging port. The operation member is operated between a first operation position making the shutter close the discharging port and a second operation position making the shutter open the discharging port. In an upper face of the container body, a recessed part is provided in an area including an end at a side of the operation member. In the recessed part, an inclined face inclined upwardly from an upstream side to a downstream side in an operation direction when the operation member is operated from the first operation position to the second operation position is provided.

Powder container and image forming apparatus
10852666 · 2020-12-01 · ·

A powder container includes a bottle body that accommodates powder and has, at one end, an opening through which the powder flows out. The bottle body is positioned with the opening facing laterally and set rotatable about a rotation center line extending laterally through a center of the opening. The bottle body has an inner peripheral surface on which a spiral protrusion is formed to transport the accommodated powder toward the opening through the rotation. When the bottle body is sectioned vertically on a plane including the rotation center line, the spiral protrusion causes plural upwardly protruding projections to appear on a cross-section, the plural projections include a first projection and a second projection closer to the opening than the first projection, and an opening-facing face of the second projection has a bottom lower than a top of the first projection or the opening has a lower edge lower than the top of the first projection.

Container mounting structure, image forming unit, and image forming apparatus

A container mounting structure includes a container and a container mounting portion. The container extends in one direction and contains powder. The container is mounted to the container mounting portion by rotating the container disposed at a temporarily placed position in a circumferential direction of the container. In a state in which the container is mounted to the container mounting portion, the container mounting structure has contact sections where the container is in contact with the container mounting portion in a radial direction of the container. Each of the contact sections is disposed at corresponding one of at least three different positions in the circumferential direction. The container is in contact with the container mounting portion from inside in the radial direction at one subset of the contact sections and from outside in the radial direction at another subset of the contact sections.