Powder Material Cartridge, Image Forming Section, Image Forming Apparatus

• US 20080124119A1
• Filed: 11/26/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Oki Data Corporation (OKI Electric Industry Company Limited)
• Inventors: Oda, Yukiyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,165,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/120
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0868 Toner cartridges fulfilling a continuous function within the electrographic apparatus during the use of the supplied developer material, e.g. toner discharge on demand, storing residual toner, acting as an active closure for the developer replenishing opening
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0886 by mechanical means, e.g. shutter, plug
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0898 for preventing toner scattering during operation, e.g. seals sealing the donor member G03G15/0817; sealing the magnetic brush G03G15/0942
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/12 Toner waste containers
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/067 Toner discharging opening covered by arcuate shutter
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0692 using a slidable sealing member, e.g. shutter

Abstract

A powder material cartridge includes a waste toner chamber that prevents the waste toner from spilling. A receiving section is provided in the chamber and includes a first opening therein through which the powder material is received into the chamber. A first shutter is rotatably received in the receiving section and includes a second opening formed therein. The first shutter is rotatable either to a first opening position where the second opening is in alignment with the first opening, or to a first closing position where the second opening is not in alignment with the first opening. A second shutter is received in the first shutter and is slidable straight in the first shutter. When the second shutter slides to a second closing position, the second shutter closes the second opening. When the second shutter slides to a second opening position, the second shutter opens the second opening.

Claims

1. A powder material cartridge, comprising:

a powder material chamber that holds a powder material (58) therein;

a receiving section provided in said powder material chamber including a first opening formed therein through which said powder material is received into said powder material chamber;

a first shutter rotatably received in said receiving section and including a second opening formed therein, wherein said first shutter is rotatable either to a first opening position where the second opening is in alignment with the first opening, or to a first closing position where the second opening is not in alignment with the first opening; and

a second shutter received in said first shutter and is slidable straight in said first shutter, wherein when said second shutter slides to a second closing position, said second shutter closes the second opening, and when said second shutter slides to a second opening position, said second shutter opens the second opening.

2. The powder material cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said receiving section includes a first generally cylindrical inner space and said first shutter includes a first generally cylindrical outer surface, said first shutter being rotatably received in the first generally cylindrical inner space.

3. The powder material cartridge according to claim 2, wherein said second shutter includes a second generally cylindrical outer surface and said first shutter includes a second generally cylindrical inner space.

4. The powder material cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said second shutter includes a first engagement portion formed on the second generally cylindrical outer surface, and said first shutter includes an inner surface in which a second engagement portion is formed,

wherein the first engagement portion loosely fits the second engagement portion such that said second shutter is guided in said first shutter.

5. The powder material cartridge according to claim 4, further comprising an urging member disposed between said first shutter and said second shutter, wherein the urging member urges said second shutter toward the second closing position such that said second shutter stops at the second closing position.

6. The powder material cartridge according to claim 5, further comprising a sealing member mounted to the inner surface of said first shutter to surround the second opening, the sealing member being in sliding engagement with said second shutter when said second shutter is at the closing position.

7. The powder material cartridge according to claim 6, wherein the outer surface of said second shutter includes a conical surface.

8. The powder material cartridge according to claim 6, wherein said second shutter includes a space that holds a portion of the powder material, and a third opening through which the powder material is received into the space, wherein when said second shutter is at the closing position, the third opening is in alignment with the second opening.

9. The powder material cartridge according to claim 8, wherein the sealing member extends in a range in which said second shutter moves.

10. The powder material cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the powder material is a first powder material and said powder material chamber is a first powder material chamber, wherein the powder material cartridge further comprises a second powder material chamber that holds a second powder material therein.

11. The powder material cartridge according to claim 10, further comprising an agitator that rotates about a shaft extending in a longitudinal direction of the second powder material chamber, and that agitates the second powder material.

12. The powder material cartridge according to claim 11, wherein the agitator includes a resilient sheet member and a sheet-holding member that holds one end of the resilient sheet member, wherein the sheet-holding member includes a first portion that extends substantially parallel to the shaft and a second portion that extends at an angle with the shaft such that the second portion extends in a direction away from the shaft.

13. The powder material cartridge according to claim 11, wherein said first powder material chamber includes a transporting member that rotates about a shaft extending in a longitudinal direction of said first powder material chamber and that transports the first powder material in said first powder material chamber.

14. The powder material cartridge according to claim 13, wherein the agitator is coupled to the transporting member via a coupling mechanism such that a drive force is transmitted from the agitator to the transporting member, the coupling mechanism including a first force transmitting member that transmits the rotation of the agitator to the transporting member.

15. The powder material cartridge according to claim 14, wherein said second powder material chamber includes anther opening through which the second powder material is discharged from said second powder material chamber, and a shutter that rotates to open and close the another opening;

and

wherein the coupling mechanism includes a second force transmitting member through which the rotation of the shutter to said first shutter.

16. The powder material cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the powder material is a waste developer material.

17. The powder material cartridge according to claim 10, wherein the second powder material is a fresh developer material.

18. An image forming section incorporating the powder material cartridge according to claim 1.

19. The image forming section according to claim 5, wherein the powder material cartridge is detachably attached to the image forming section,

wherein the image forming section comprises:

a powder material discharging section including a first powder discharging opening through which the powder material is discharged;

a third shutter member fitting over said powder material discharging section and including a second powder discharging opening, said third shutter member is rotatable either to a first rotational position where the second powder discharging opening is in alignment with the first powder discharging opening or to a second rotational position where the second powder discharging opening is not in alignment with the first powder discharging opening.

20. The image forming section according to claim 19, wherein said third shutter is generally a hollow cylinder including an outer surface on which a third engagement portion is formed;

wherein said first shutter includes an inner cylindrical surface in which the second engagement portion is formed,

wherein when the powder material cartridge is attached to the image forming section, said third shutter enters said first shutter pushing said second shutter into said first shutter, and the third engagement portion engaging the second engagement portion such that when said first shutter rotates, said third shutter rotates together with said first shutter; and

wherein when said first shutter rotates to the opening position after the powder material cartridge has been attached to the image forming section, the first opening, the second opening, the first powder discharging opening, and the second powder discharging opening are brought into alignment with one another.

21. An image forming apparatus incorporating the image forming section according to claim 18, wherein the image forming apparatus comprises:

an image bearing body that bears a developer material image thereon;

a transfer member that transfers the developer material image onto a print medium; and

a fixing member that fixes the developer material image on the print medium into a permanent image.

22. An image forming apparatus incorporating the image forming section according to claim 19, wherein the image forming apparatus comprises:

an image bearing body that bears a developer material image thereon;

a transfer member that transfers the developer material image onto a print medium; and

a fixing member that fixes the developer material image on the print medium into a permanent image.

23. An image forming apparatus incorporating the image forming section according to claim 20, wherein the image forming apparatus comprises:

an image bearing body that bears a developer material image thereon;

a transfer member that transfers the developer material image onto a print medium; and

a fixing member that fixes the developer material image on the print medium into a permanent image.

24. A powder material cartridge, comprising:

a powder material chamber that holds a powder material;

a receiving section including a hollow cylindrical body with a cylindrical wall in which a first opening is formed, the powder material being received from an external device through the first opening into said powder material chamber;

a first shutter including a hollow cylindrical body with a cylindrical wall in which a second opening is formed, said first shutter being rotatably received in said receiving section, wherein said first shutter is rotatable either to a first opening position where the second opening is in alignment with the first opening, or to a first closing position where the second opening is not in alignment with the first opening; and

a second shutter including a cylindrical body received in said first shutter such that said second shutter is slidable straight in said first shutter either to a second closing position where said second shutter closes the second opening or to a second opening position where said second shutter opens the second opening.