G03G15/0886

Toner container having shutter and image forming apparatus
11579545 · 2023-02-14 · ·

A toner container includes a toner discharge port and a shutter to open and close the toner discharge port. The shutter includes a shutter main portion and shutter deforming portions. Each of the shutter deforming portions includes a stopper and a stopper releaser. The stopper contacts a contact portion of the toner container to restrict a movement of the shutter in an opening direction. The stopper releaser receives an external force from below to displace the stopper upward to release a contact state of the stopper with the contact portion. The stopper releaser of one of the shutter deforming portions releases the contact state with the contact portion independently of another of the shutter deforming portions. When the contact state of the stopper with the contact portion is released in all of the shutter deforming portions, restriction of the movement of the shutter in the opening direction is released.

Image forming system

An image forming system includes a toner container and an image forming apparatus, the toner container including a first toner containing portion, a container base portion having a discharge port for discharging toner, and a container shutter that is moved between open and closed positions and includes an engaged portion, wherein the image forming apparatus includes a main body base portion that detachably attaches the toner container and has a receiving port for receiving the toner and, a second toner containing portion, a movable member that is moved between first and second positions and includes an engaging portion that engages with the engaged portion, a regulating member that is moved between a regulation position and a regulation release position, and an urging member that urges the movable member to move from the first position to the second position when the regulating member is located at the regulation release position.

DEVELOPER CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE
20180011422 · 2018-01-11 · ·

A developer container includes a casing having a developer accommodating chamber and a waste-developer accommodating chamber, conveying member, a conveying-member accommodating unit, and a supporting member. The conveying member conveys waste developer in a longitudinal direction of the waste-developer accommodating chamber. The conveying-member accommodating unit accommodates the conveying member therein and has a first opening and a second opening. The first opening is provided in an upstream end portion and allows the waste developer to move from outside of the conveying-member accommodating unit to the inside of the conveying-member accommodating unit. The second opening allows the waste-developer to move from the inside of the conveying-member accommodating unit to the waste-developer accommodating chamber. The supporting member is provided on the casing. The supporting member supports the conveying-member accommodating unit such that the conveying-member accommodating unit is movable in directions perpendicular to the longitudinal direction relative to the casing.

Toner cartridge, toner supplying mechanism and shutter
11709453 · 2023-07-25 · ·

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toner cartridge detachably mountable to a receiving device, the toner cartridge comprising a container including a accommodating portion for accommodating the toner and a discharge opening for discharging the toner from the accommodating portion into the receiving device; and an open/close member including a closing portion for closing the discharge opening and an engaging portion movable relative to the closing portion, the open/close member being rotatable relative to the container between (a) an opening position for causing the closing portion to open the discharge opening and (b) a closing position for causing the closing portion to close the discharge opening, wherein the engaging portion is movable relative to the closing portion between (c) a engaging position for engagement with the receiving device to receive a force for moving the open/close member from the opening position to the closing position when the toner cartridge is dismounted from the receiving device and (d) a retracted position retracted from the engaging position, and wherein the engaging portion is movable from the retracted position to the engaging position with rotation of the open/close member from the closing position to the opening position.

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.

TONER CASE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
20180011420 · 2018-01-11 · ·

A toner case includes a case main body, a cover, and a coil spring. The case main body is rotatable and has a toner containing space in which a toner is contained and an opening through which the toner is discharged from the toner containing space. The cover keeps a rotation stop state when the case main body rotates and has a communication space which communicates with the toner containing space via the opening. The coil spring is fixed to the cover so that at least a part of the coil spring is arranged in the communication space. The coil spring vibrates as the case main body rotates.

Image Forming Apparatus Capable of Facilitating Toner Replenishment to Toner Supply Unit
20230004104 · 2023-01-05 ·

An image forming apparatus includes a main casing, a developing roller, a connecting tube, and a toner container. The main casing includes a sheet supply tray. The developing roller is provided in the main casing. The connecting tube has one end portion and another end portion inside the main casing. The toner container is for accommodating toner. The one end portion of the connecting tube is connected to the toner container. The toner container has an inlet opening for replenishing toner. The toner container is pivotally movable between a first position and a second position about the connecting tube. A position of the inlet opening at the second position is higher than a position of the inlet opening at the first position.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
20230004103 · 2023-01-05 ·

An image forming apparatus includes a first moving member moving between a first position which is a position not in contact with a recording material and a second position which is a position in contact with the recording material, and a second moving member positioned in a third position in a state where an attachable/detachable unit is not attached to an apparatus main body and in a fourth position in a state where the attachable/detachable unit is attached to the apparatus main body. An optical sensor includes a light-emitting portion and a light-receiving portion, and a flag member moves between a transmission position and a light-shielding position and moves in conjunction with movement of the first moving member from the first position to the second position and with a movement of the second moving member from the third position to the fourth position.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
20230236527 · 2023-07-27 · ·

An image forming apparatus includes a detachable unit that is attachable to and detachable from an apparatus main body; and a cleaning unit that is provided in the apparatus main body, and at the time of attachment or detachment of the detachable unit, comes into contact with a grip portion of the detachable unit to clean a floating substance adhered to the grip portion, the floating substance being in the apparatus main body.

Image forming apparatus including drum cartridge having cushion member positioned between developing casing and developing shutter
11567428 · 2023-01-31 · ·

An image forming apparatus includes: a main casing; a toner cartridge including a toner casing having a toner outlet for discharging toner in the toner cartridge and a toner shutter for opening and closing the toner outlet; a drum cartridge including a photosensitive drum and a developing unit including a developing casing having a toner inlet for receiving the toner from the toner cartridge, a developing shutter for opening and closing the toner inlet, and a cushion member positioned between the developing casing and the developing shutter. When the developing casing is moved relative to the photosensitive drum while the drum cartridge and the toner cartridge are attached to the main casing, the developing shutter opens the toner inlet, and the toner shutter opens the toner outlet, the cushion member allows movement of the developing casing relative to the developing shutter while the developing shutter engages with the toner cartridge.