G03G15/0874

Combination cartridge

An example device can include a reserve print materials container, an access port coupled to the reserve print materials container to receive, from a replenishment device, print materials directly to the reserve print materials container in-situ, and a main print materials container coupled to the reserve print materials container to receive print materials from the reserve print materials container.

Image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus includes a developing container to store developer, an operation portion, an operation detection portion, a conveyance unit to convey a recording material, a detection unit, a door that is openable and closable, a door detection portion, an agitation member, a drive portion, and a control unit. The control unit controls the drive portion in such a manner that, in a case where the operation detection portion detects movement of the operation portion, a supply agitation operation in which the agitation member agitates the developer stored in the developing container is performed. The control unit controls the drive portion in such a manner that, in a case where, in a state in which the supply agitation operation is being performed, the door detection portion has detected an opened state of the door or the detection unit has detected the recording material, the supply agitation operation is stopped.

Image forming apparatus having toner replenishment

An apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable and which includes an accommodating portion and a replenishment port, a transfer portion configured to transfer a developer image on an image bearing member onto a recording material, a supporting tray including a supporting surface configured to support the recording material thereon, and a discharge portion configured to discharge the recording material, onto which the developer image has been transferred, on the supporting surface, wherein the supporting surface has an opening portion opening such that the replenishment port is exposed through the supporting surface, and wherein an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position where the opening/closing member covers the replenishment port and serves as a part of the supporting surface and an open position where the replenishment port is exposed is provided.

TONER CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM

A toner container includes a toner accommodating body, a nozzle in fluid communication with the toner accommodating body, and a shutter configured to open and close the opening of the nozzle. A projection is positioned at an end portion of the toner container in a direction of the rotational axis, the projection having an inner peripheral surface facing towards the rotational axis. When the toner container is oriented such that the toner accommodating body is above the nozzle, the nozzle is above the projection, and the projection is at a bottommost side of the toner container, (i) the opening of the nozzle is positioned such that toner may be discharged from a lateral side of the toner container that is above the bottommost side, (ii) the projection includes (ii-i) a first surface facing downward, (ii-ii) a second surface facing downward, and (ii-iii) a third surface facing upward, with the first surface, the second surface, and the third surface being positioned outside the inner peripheral surface of the projection and inside the opening of the nozzle in the direction perpendicular to the rotational axis, (iii) the first surface extends such that a distance in the direction of the rotational axis from the first surface to the toner accommodating body decreases along the first surface in the first rotational direction, (iv) the second surface extends such that a distance in the direction of the rotational axis from the second surface to the toner accommodating body decreases along the second surface in the first rotational direction, (v) a distance, measured along a line that is perpendicular to the rotational axis, from the rotational axis to at least a part of the first surface is less than a distance, measured along a line that is perpendicular to the rotational axis, from the rotational axis to a part of the second surface that is closest from the rotational axis, and (vi) at least a part of the third surface is above an uppermost part of the second surface.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
20220413415 · 2022-12-29 ·

An image forming apparatus includes a developing container to store developer, an operation portion, an operation detection portion, a conveyance unit to convey a recording material, a detection unit, a door that is openable and closable, a door detection portion, an agitation member, a drive portion, and a control unit. The control unit controls the drive portion in such a manner that, in a case where the operation detection portion detects movement of the operation portion, a supply agitation operation in which the agitation member agitates the developer stored in the developing container is performed. The control unit controls the drive portion in such a manner that, in a case where, in a state in which the supply agitation operation is being performed, the door detection portion has detected an opened state of the door or the detection unit has detected the recording material, the supply agitation operation is stopped.

TONER REFILL APPARATUS

According to examples, a toner refill apparatus may include a chamber to house a toner, in which the chamber may include an insertion section, the insertion section to be inserted into a refill port of a toner cartridge and including a discharge opening, the refill port including an electrical circuit component. The apparatus may also include a valve mechanism positioned at the discharge opening to control output of the toner from the chamber through the discharge opening, in which an actuator may engage the valve mechanism and may controllably open the valve mechanism. The apparatus may further include an electronic chip to be in electrical communication the electrical circuit component, in which a controller may activate the actuator based on a detection that the electronic chip is in contact with the electrical circuit component.

Developer supply container and developer supplying system
11592765 · 2023-02-28 · ·

A developer supply container 1 is detachably mountable to a developer receiving apparatus including a developer receiving portion 11 provided with a receiving port 11a for receiving a developer, a portion-to-be-engaged 11b a displaceable integrally with the developer receiving portion 11. The developer supply container 1 includes an engaging portion 30 and a discharging portion provided with a shutter opening 4j for discharging the developer accommodated in a developer accommodating portion. The engaging portion 30 is provided at only one side with respect to a predetermined direction crossing with a mounting direction of the developer supply container 1 in the crossing with a displacing direction of the developer receiving portion 11. The engaging portion 30 engages with the portion-to-be-engaged 11b with a mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 to bring the receiving port 11a in the communication with the shutter opening 4j.

Toner container and image forming system

A toner container includes a toner accommodating body and a nozzle including an opening configured to form a part of a discharge passageway through which toner may be discharged to outside of the toner container. A shutter is configured to open and close the opening of the nozzle, with the shutter being rotatable about a rotational axis between a first position in which the shutter closes the opening of the nozzle and a second position in which an opening of the shutter aligns with the opening of the nozzle to form the discharge passageway. A projection is positioned at an end portion of the toner container, with the projection including a first surface, a second surface, and a third surface. When the toner container is oriented such that the toner accommodating body is above the nozzle, the nozzle is above the projection, and the projection is at a bottommost side of the toner container, (i) the opening of the nozzle is positioned such that toner may be discharged from a lateral side of the toner container that is above the bottommost side, (ii) the first surface faces downward, (iii) the second surface faces downward, and (iv) the third surface faces upward.

IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM

An attached portion of an image forming apparatus includes a rotating member of which at least a part is exposed outside the image forming apparatus when the developer container is attached, and a rotation restricting mechanism that is movable between a restricting position to restrict rotation of the rotating member and an allowable position to allow rotation of the rotating member, and includes a restricting member that is at the restricting position when the developer container is not attached. The developer container is attached to the attached portion so that the discharging portion engaging portion and the shutter engaging portions are engaged with the frame engaged portions and the rotating member engaged portions respectively when the container shutter is in the close state, and the restricting member moves from the restricting position to the allowable position when the developer container is attached to the attached portion.

Image forming apparatus having an opening/closing member that is prevented from closing when a replenishment container is attached to a process unit

An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable, the developer container including an accommodating portion, and a supporting portion, wherein the developer container includes a projection portion that is provided at one end portion thereof in the rotation axis direction of the developer bearing member and projects toward the supporting portion more than a center portion of the developer container in a crossing direction crossing the rotation axis direction, the projection portion communicates with the accommodating portion and includes, at a distal end portion thereof, an attachment portion configured such that the replenishment container is attachable thereto in a state of being exposed to the outside of the apparatus, and a replenishment port for replenishing the accommodating portion with developer from the replenishment container is defined in the attachment portion.