Structure for locking a shutter member in a toner supplying container

• US 7,062,205 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera MITA Corporation (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kyocera MITA Corporation (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Nagashiro, Keiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Beatty, Robert
• Application Number:
  US10/739,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20040131391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 399/258
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0875 cartridges having a box like shape
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0877 Arrangements for metering and dispensing developer from a developer cartridge into the development unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0886 by mechanical means, e.g. shutter, plug
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/068 having a box like shape
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0692 using a slidable sealing member, e.g. shutter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 222/01 Xerography

Abstract

A toner supplying container has a container body having a toner discharge opening, a shutter member, a lever member, and a locking member. The lever member at its closing position causes the elastic portion of the locking member to be elastically deformed to urge the locking member to the locking position. When the container body is mounted on the image-forming machine body, the locking member is displaced to a lock-releasing position, permitting the lever member to be turned from the closing position to the opening position.

Claims

1. A toner supplying container comprising a container body having a toner discharge opening, a shutter member disposed in the container body so as to be turned between a closing position for closing the toner discharge opening and an opening position for opening the toner discharge opening, a lever member that is supported by the container body and is drivably coupled to the shutter member so as to be turned between a closing position where the shutter member is brought to the closing position and an opening position where the shutter member is brought to the opening position, and a locking member supported by the container body so as to be turned between a locking position where the shutter member is locked to be inhibited from turning from the closing position to the opening position and a lock-releasing position where the shutter member is permitted to be turned from the closing position to the opening position and to be turned in the reverse direction, the locking member being provided with an elastic portion integrally;

wherein

a mounting member for mounting the container body is provided with a push-up protrusion protruding from the mounting portion;

the locking member forms a locking body that extends outward in the radial direction from a base end supported by one end wall so as to be turned and permits a position where a to-be-engaged protrusion of the shutter drive member is existing in the axial direction to be substantially extended in the direction of turning of the shutter drive member; and

an engaging step is formed in the inner surface in the radial direction of the locking body so as to extend in the radial direction of the shutter drive member; and

in a state where the lever member is brought to the closing position, the lever member brings the to-be-engaged protrusion into engagement with the engaging step by elastically deforming the locking member and, when the container body is mounted on the mounting member, the push-up protrusion pushes the locking member and the locking member releases the engagement between the to-be-engaged protrusion and the engaging step overcoming the elastic force of the elastic portion to permit the lever member to be turned from the closing portion to the opening position and, when the container body is removed from the mounting member in a state where the lever member has been turned from the opening position to the closing position, the pushing member no longer pushes the locking body, and the locking member is returned back to the locking position while bringing the to-be-engaged protrusion into engagement with the engaging step due to the elastic force on the elastic member.

2. A toner supplying container comprising a container body having a toner discharge opening, a shutter member disposed in the container body so as to be turned between a closing position for closing the toner discharge opening and an opening position for opening the toner discharge opening, a lever member that is supported by the container body and is drivably coupled to the shutter member so as to be turned between a closing position where the shutter member is brought to the closing position and an opening position where the shutter member is brought to the opening position, and a locking member supported by the container body so as to be turned between a locking position where the shutter member is locked to be inhibited from turning from the closing position to the opening position and a lock-releasing position where the shutter member is permitted to be turned from the closing position to the opening position and to be turned in the reverse direction, the locking member being provided with an elastic portion integrally

wherein the container body has a bottom wall having the toner discharge opening formed therein and both end walls, and the shutter member comprises a substantially cylindrical shutter body that is turnably disposed in the container body so as to extend from one end wall along a partial region of the bottom wall and a shutter drive member that is coupled to the shutter body so as to be turned together with the shutter body and is supported by one end wall so as to be turned;

the shutter body has a toner passage opening that matches with the toner discharge opening when the shutter member is brought to the opening position;

the shutter drive member has an arcuately extending driven gear and a to-be-engaged protrusion extending in the axial direction, which are formed integrally;

the lever member has a plate-like lever body having an arcuate peripheral surface, an operation lever extending outward from the lever body in the radial direction, and a cylindrical base portion that is formed on the central portion of the lever body and is supported by one end wall so as to be turned, a drive gear being formed on the arcuate peripheral surface of the lever body, and a pushing protrusion being formed on the cylindrical base portion so as to extend outward in the radial direction;

the locking member has a locking body that extends outward in the radial direction from a base end supported by one end wall so as to be turned and an engaging step being formed in the inner surface in the radial direction of the locking body so as to extend in the radial direction of the shutter drive member; and

in a state where the lever member is brought to the closing position, the drive gear of the lever member is brought in mesh with a driven gear of the shutter drive member, and the pushing protrusion of the lever member pushes the elastic portion of the locking member so as to be elastically deformed, whereby the locking body of the locking member is urged to turn about the axis of the base end in a direction in which a region including at least the engaging step in the inner surface in the radial direction approaches the axis of the shutter drive member from the outer side in the radial direction, and the engaging step is engaged with an end surface of the to-be-engaged protrusion of the shutter drive member in the circumferential direction.

3. A toner supplying container according to claim 2, wherein the front end surface of the locking body of the locking member is directed in the downward direction of the container body, and when the container body is mounted on the mounting member from the upper side and is brought into contact with the push-up protrusion disposed in the mounting member thereby causing the front end surface to be pushed up, the locking body of the locking member is caused to turn on the axis of the base end in a direction in which the inner surface thereof in the radial direction separates outward in the radial direction away from the shutter drive member against the elastic force of the elastic portion, and the engaging step is displaced from the locking position where it is engaged with the end surface of the to-be-engaged protrusion of the shutter drive member in the circumferential direction thereof, to the lock-releasing position where it is disengaged from said end surface.

4. A toner supplying container according to claim 2, wherein the container body, shutter member, lever member and locking member are made of a synthetic resin in a unitary structure.

5. A toner supplying container according to claim 3, wherein the container body, shutter member, lever member and locking member are made of a synthetic resin in a unitary structure.