Toner cartridge for a copying apparatus

• US 4,963,940 A
• Filed: 07/19/1989
• Issued: 10/16/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Konica Corporation (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Corporation (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Ishii, Kohji, Nemoto, Mitsugu, Ohmura, Atsuo, Koiso, Jun-ichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Grimley, A. T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramirez, Nestor R.
• Application Number:
  US07/382,728
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 355/260, 355/298, 206/316.1, 222/DIG. 1
• US Class Current: 399/262
• 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 15/0882 by a peelable sealing film resealing used developer units before refilling: G03G15/0894
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/105 Arrangements for conveying toner waste
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/12 Toner waste containers
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0665 Generally horizontally mounting of said toner cartridge parallel to its longitudinal rotational axis
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0675 Generally cylindrical container shape having two ends
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0685 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, not acting as a passive closure for the developer replenishing opening
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 222/01 Xerography

Abstract

A toner cartridge for supplying a toner to a photo-copy machine and collecting a waste portion of the toner after a copy operation with the photo-copy machine, comprising; a cylindrical body for providing a supplement toner containing room and a waste toner collecting room by means of a separating wall inside, the separating wall for dividing the supplement toner containing room and the waste toner collecting room, an outlet being located on the wall of the cylindrical body at the side of the supplement toner containing room for supplying the toner contained in the room into the photo-copy machine, and an inlet being located on the wall of the cylindrical body at the side of the waste toner collecting room for collecting the waste portion of the toner from the photo-copy machine, in which the separating wall is angled so that its surface is leaned toward the supplement toner containing room or the waste toner collecting room.

Claims

1. A toner cartridge for supplying toners to a developer and collecting a waste portion of toner after a copying operation, said cartridge comprising:

a cylindrical body,

a separating wall inside said body thereby dividing said body into a supply toner container and a waste toner collector;

an outlet on a curved wall of said body at a side of said supply toner container whereby toner is supplied to said developer through said outlet;

an inlet on said curved wall at the side of said waste toner collector whereby said waste portion of toner is introduced into said waste toner collector through said inlet after said copying operation,

said outlet and said inlet are on opposite sides of said curved wall, and said separating wall means is angled so that one length of a first side of said collector on which said inlet is located is shorter than another length of a second side of said collector opposite said first side.

2. The toner cartridge of claim 1 further comprising:

shutter means for controlling outflow of said waste portion of said toner from said waste toner collector,

wherein said shutter means is adjacent said inlet and axially movable with relation to said body.

3. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein said separating wall is substantially rigid.