Conveyor device and image forming apparatus
First Claim
1. A toner container, comprising:
- a toner storing member which contains toner; and
a cap, provided at a lower portion of the toner storing member, the cap including;
a hole through which toner exits the toner container, the hole configured to receive a horizontal nozzle of an image forming apparatus;
grooves in sides of the cap, the grooves being parallel to the hole and configured to receive corresponding protrusions of the image forming apparatus which are inserted into the grooves in a same direction as the nozzle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A toner-conveying device includes a movable plate. The movable plate is movable between a holding position such as to couple a cap of a toner container to a nozzle when the toner container is supported by a container holder, and a retreating position such as not to hinder loading and unloading of the toner container in the container holder. The movable plate is placed in the holding position by a cam when the nozzle is coupled to the cap, and is released and moved to the retreating position while the toner container is being loaded or unloaded. In this structure, the cap can be properly positioned in the conveyor device while ensuring the rigidity of a bag of the container within a practically preferable range, without reducing the convenience for the operator.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A toner container, comprising:
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a toner storing member which contains toner; and a cap, provided at a lower portion of the toner storing member, the cap including; a hole through which toner exits the toner container, the hole configured to receive a horizontal nozzle of an image forming apparatus; grooves in sides of the cap, the grooves being parallel to the hole and configured to receive corresponding protrusions of the image forming apparatus which are inserted into the grooves in a same direction as the nozzle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of conveying toner, comprising:
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installing a toner container in an image forming apparatus using grooves in a cap of the toner container which are parallel to a horizontal hole in the cap and match with protrusions of the image forming apparatus, the protrusions being inserted into the grooves along a same direction as a nozzle of the image forming apparatus; communicating toner from a storage volume of the toner container through a vertical path in a cap of the toner container; communicating the toner from the vertical path to the nozzle of the image forming apparatus, the nozzle being inserted into the horizontal hole in the cap. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A toner container, comprising:
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a toner storage volume; and an interface, including; a hole through which toner exits the toner container, the hole configured to receive a horizontal nozzle of an image forming apparatus; grooves in sides of the interface, the grooves being parallel to the hole and configured to receive corresponding protrusions of the image forming apparatus which are inserted into the grooves in a same direction as the nozzle. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A toner container, comprising:
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a toner storage volume; and a valve portion, including; a valve body including; a hole through which toner exits the toner container, the hole configured to receive a horizontal nozzle of an image forming apparatus; and grooves in sides of the valve portion, the grooves being parallel to the hole and configured to receive corresponding protrusions of the image forming apparatus which are inserted into the grooves in a same direction as the nozzle, and the valve portion including a valve which closes the hole. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification