Body member of a powder container

• US 7,257,348 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2007
• Issued: 08/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Kasahara, Nobuo, Katsuyama, Goro, Matsumoto, Junichi, Iwata, Nobuo, Muramatsu, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray; David M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GLEITZ, RYAN M
• Application Number:
  US11/669,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20070122207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 195 Days
• Field of Search: 399/109, 399/119, 399/262, 399/265, 141/68, 141/315, 141/130, 141/291, 141/346, 383/42, 383/44, 383/121, 206/525
• US Class Current: 399/109
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0855 the concentration being measured by optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0865 Arrangements for supplying new developer
• 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 15/0874 non-rigid containers, e.g. foldable cartridges, bags
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0886 by mechanical means, e.g. shutter, plug
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0894 Reconditioning of the developer unit, i.e. reusing or recycling parts of the unit, e.g. resealing of the unit before refilling with toner
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0682 Bag-type non-rigid container
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0692 using a slidable sealing member, e.g. shutter

Abstract

The body member of a powder container of the present invention includes a bag-like powder storing body storing powder and formed with an opening at one end, and a base member affixed to the opening of the powder storing body. The base member allows an outlet member, which is formed with a passage configured to deliver the powder from the powder storing body to an outlet and has a shutter function for selectively blocking or unblocking the passage, to be connected to or disconnected from the base member.

Claims

1. A method of introducing powder into a refillable powder cartridge comprising a powder storing body formed with an open portion at one end, an outlet configured to discharge powder from said powder cartridge, an outlet member formed with a passage configured to deliver powder from said powder storing body to the outlet and having a shutter for selectively blocking or unblocking said passage, and a base member affixed to said open portion of said powder storing body and configured to be selectively connected to or disconnected from said outlet member, wherein said base member comprises a powder passage that allows the powder to flow therethrough, and said powder passage of said base member has an opening area, as measured at an outlet of said base member adjacent to an inlet of said outlet member, larger than an opening area of said passage of said outlet member adjacent said shutter, wherein said shutter is a cylindrical member traversing the passage of said outlet member and is removably fittable in a transverse cylindrical shutter hole of said outlet member which transverse cylindrical shutter hole is substantially transverse to the powder passage, wherein the cylindrical member traversing the passage of said outlet member has a cylinder axis parallel to an axis of the transverse cylindrical shutter hole, the method comprising the steps of:

providing for said outlet member to be separated from said base member;

introducing powder into said powder storing body via said powder passage of said base member while said outlet member is separated from said base member; and

connecting said base member and said outlet member after powder has been introduced into said powder storing body via said powder passage of said base member while said outlet member is separated from said base member.

2. A method of introducing powder into a refillable powder cartridge comprising a body member of a powder container comprising a powder storing body storing powder and formed with an opening at one end, a base member affixed to said opening of said powder storing body, and an outlet member, which is formed with a passage configured to deliver the powder from said powder storing body to an outlet of the body member and has a shutter for selectively blocking or unblocking said passage of said outlet member, said outlet member being selectively connectable to said base member, wherein said base member comprises a powder passage that allows the powder to flow therethrough, and said powder passage of said base member has an opening area, as measured at an outlet of said base member adjacent to an inlet of said outlet member, larger than an opening area of said passage of said outlet member adjacent said shutter, wherein said shutter is a cylindrical member traversing the passage of said outlet member and is removably fittable in a transverse cylindrical shutter hole of said outlet member which transverse cylindrical shutter hole is substantially transverse to the powder passage, wherein the cylindrical member traversing the passage of said outlet member has a cylinder axis parallel to an axis of the transverse cylindrical shutter hole, the method comprising the steps of:

providing for said outlet member to be separated from said base member;

introducing powder into said powder storing body via said powder passage of said base member while said outlet member is separated from said base member; and

connecting said base member and said outlet member after powder has been introduced into said powder storing body via said powder passage of said base member while said outlet member is separated from said base member.