Toner container and image forming apparatus having first and second biasing elements that bias the toner container

• US 7,826,777 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2006
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Katsuyama, Goro, Taguchi, Nobuyuki, Yamane, Masayuki, Kurenuma, Takeroh, Yoshizawa, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray; David M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yi; Roy
• Application Number:
  US11/566,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20070147900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 399/120, 399/258
• US Class Current: 399/258
• 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 15/0872 the developer cartridges being generally horizontally mounted parallel to its longitudinal rotational axis
• 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 2215/0668 Toner discharging opening at one axial end
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/067 Toner discharging opening covered by arcuate shutter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 222/01 Xerography

Abstract

A toner container detachably attached to a toner-container holder of a main body of an image forming apparatus includes a container body that includes an opening, and discharges toner contained in the container body, from the opening; and a held portion that is held by the toner-container holder in a non-rotating manner. The held portion includes an open/close member for opening/closing the toner outlet in synchronization with an attachment/detachment operation of the held portion to/from the toner-container holder.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a toner container; and

a toner-container holder for detachably holding the toner container, wherein

the toner container includes

a container body that contains toner and that includes an opening for discharging toner; and

a held portion that is attached to the container body, the held portion including a toner outlet coupled to the opening of the container body for discharging the toner to outside, and

the toner-container holder includes

a holding portion that holds the held portion in a non-rotating manner;

a first biasing element that biases the toner container in an attachment direction which is toward the holding portion; and

a second biasing element that biases the toner container in a separation direction which is away from the holding portion.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first biasing element biases the toner container toward the holding portion in synchronization with the attachment operation.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the toner container further includes an open/close member that opens/closes the toner outlet in synchronization with an attachment/detachment operation of the held portion to/from the toner-container holder, and opens the toner outlet after the biasing element starts biasing the toner container toward the holding portion when the toner container is being attached to the toner-container holder.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the second biasing element biases the toner container away from the holding portion, just before the toner container starts to be biased by the first biasing element toward the holding portion.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the second biasing element biases the toner container away from the holding portion in synchronization with a detachment operation of the toner container during which the toner container is detached from the holding portion.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the toner container further includes an open/close member that opens/closes the toner outlet in synchronization with an attachment/detachment operation of the held portion to/from the toner-container holder, and starts closing the toner outlet after the second biasing element starts biasing during the detachment operation of the toner container.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first biasing element and the second biasing element are integrally provided through a spindle and include an arm pair and torsion spring, the arm pair imparting force in two rotational directions around the spindle using the torsion spring.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the toner-container holder includes a guide rail that guides the held portion toward the holding portion in a non-rotation manner when the toner container is being attached,

the guide rail including a sliding face along which a sliding portion of the held portion slides in synchronization with the attachment and separation of the toner container.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the held portion starts being engaged with the holding portion after the sliding face starts sliding along the sliding portion, at the same time the first biasing element starts biasing, so that the held portion is finished being positioned to the holding portion as the sliding portion stops sliding.

10. The image forming apparatus according claim 1, wherein the toner-container holder includes a sliding face along which a sliding portion of the held portion slides in synchronization with the attachment and separation of the toner container.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the held portion starts being engaged with the holding portion after the sliding face starts sliding along the sliding portion, at the same time the first biasing element starts biasing, so that the held portion is finished being positioned to the holding portion as the sliding portion stops sliding.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the toner container includes an open/close member that opens/closes the toner outlet of the held portion, and

the toner-container holder includes a nozzle that pushes the open/close member to open the toner outlet in synchronization with the attachment operation of the toner container, the nozzle being communicated to the toner outlet.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the toner container includes a member for exerting a force for biasing the open/close member in a direction which resists pushing by the nozzle.

14. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a toner container; and

a toner-container holder for detachably holding the toner container, wherein

the toner container includes

a container body that contains toner, including

an opening for discharging toner; and

a conveyor portion that conveys toner contained toward the opening by being rotated; and

a held portion that is rotatably attached to the opening of the container body, the held portion including a toner outlet that forms a part of a path that supplies toner contained in the container body to a main body of the image forming apparatus,

the toner-container holder includes

a nozzle that communicates with the toner outlet by movement of the toner container in a longitudinal axis direction; and

a guide rail that guides the toner container to move in the longitudinal axis direction in a non-rotating manner,

wherein the toner container holder includes;

a first biasing element that biases the toner container in an attachment direction which is toward the holding portion; and

a second biasing element that biases the toner container in a separation direction which is away from the holding portion.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the guide rail includes

a guide edge for supporting the container body;

and

a guide groove for guiding an end face of the held portion.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the held portion includes a projecting portion that projects further outwardly than an outer diameter of the container body at a cross section vertical to the longitudinal axis of the toner container, and that slides along the guide groove.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the guide groove is formed in a lower side of the toner container holder in a direction of gravity.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the toner outlet is on the projecting portion.