Reusable developer cartridge and image forming apparatus for facilitating the removal of toner during refilling

• US 7,236,726 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2006
• Issued: 06/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Nishimoto, Takahiro, Mori, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray; David M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Evans; Geoffrey T
• Application Number:
  US11/338,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20060171743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 399/252, 399/119, 399/120, 399/258, 399/260, 399/262, 399/263
• US Class Current: 399/252
• 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 15/0875 cartridges having a box like shape

Abstract

A developer cartridge includes a casing, an agitator, and a developing roller. The casing has a first inner space serving as a developer accommodating chamber that accommodates developer and a second inner space serving as a developing chamber in communication with the developer accommodating chamber. The agitator is disposed in the developer accommodating chamber and has a shaft portion that is rotatably supported in the casing. The agitator is rotatable about the shaft portion. The developing roller is disposed in the developing chamber and is rotatably supported in the casing. The casing is formed with a developer opening located at a position closer to the developing chamber than the shaft portion is.

Claims

1. A developer cartridge comprising:

a casing having a first inner space serving as a developer accommodating chamber that accommodates a developer and a second inner space serving as a developing chamber in communication with the developer accommodating chamber;

an agitator disposed in the developer accommodating chamber and having a shaft portion that extends in an axial direction and that is rotatably supported in the casing, the agitator being rotatable about the shaft portion;

a developing roller disposed in the developing chamber and rotatably supported in the casing,

wherein the casing is formed with a developer opening located at a position closer to the developing chamber than the shaft portion is, the casing including a pair of side walls that have shaft bearing portions for supporting both axial ends of the shaft portion,

wherein the developer opening is formed in one of the pair of side walls, and a gear mechanism that transmits a driving force to the developing roller and the agitator is disposed on an outer surface of an other of the pair of side walls, located opposite to the one of the pair of side walls in which the developer opening is formed.

2. The developer cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a supply roller disposed in the developing chamber and rotatable about a rotational axis of the supply roller for supplying the developer to the developing roller.

3. The developer cartridge according to claim 2, wherein the casing includes a partition wall that divides an inner space inside the casing into the first inner space serving as the developer accommodating chamber and the second inner space serving as the developing chamber;

wherein the partition wall is formed with a communication opening that allows the communication between the developer accommodating chamber and the developing chamber; and

wherein the communication opening is positioned on a plane passing through a center of the developer opening and the rotational axis of the supply roller.

4. The developer cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the casing includes the side wall located on an axial end of the casing, the side wall having an inner surface that faces the developer accommodating chamber;

wherein the inner surface includes an inclined surface formed at a periphery of the developer opening; and

wherein the inclined surface tapers toward the developer opening.

5. The developer cartridge according to claim 4, further comprising a cap member that is detachably attached to the casing for closing the developer opening,

wherein the cap member has an inner surface having a shape conforming to the inclined surface.

6. The developer cartridge according to claim 5, wherein the cap member and the casing have an attachment orientation identification portion for identifying an orientation of the cap member with respect to the developer opening.

7. The developer cartridge according to claim 4,

wherein one of the pair of side walls has the inner surface;

wherein the inclined surface defines a concave portion having a bottom portion;

wherein the developer opening and the shaft bearing portions are adjacently positioned at the bottom portion; and

wherein the agitator includes a concave-portion agitating portion extending toward inside the concave portion.

8. The developer cartridge according to claim 1, wherein an air hole is formed in the other side wall located opposite to the side wall in which the developer opening is formed.

9. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an apparatus main body; and

a developer cartridge detachably mounted on the apparatus main body, the developer cartridge comprising;

a casing having a first inner space serving as a developer accommodating chamber that accommodates a developer and a second inner space serving as a developing chamber in communication with the developer accommodating chamber;

an agitator disposed in the developer accommodating chamber and having a shaft portion that extends in an axial direction and that is rotatably supported in the casing, the agitator being rotatable about the shaft portion;

a developing roller disposed in the developing chamber and rotatably supported in the casing,

wherein the casing is formed with a developer opening located at a position closer to the developing chamber than the shaft portion is, the casing including a pair of side walls that have shaft bearing portions for supporting both axial ends of the shaft portion,

wherein the developer opening is formed in one of the pair of side walls, and a gear mechanism that transmits a driving force to the developing roller and the agitator is disposed on an outer surface of an other of the pair of side walls, located opposite to the one of the pair of side walls in which the developer opening is formed.