Toner cartridge and image forming apparatus

• US 7,856,198 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Saiki, Atsuna, Saito, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray; David M
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRAY, FRANCIS C
• Application Number:
  US11/693,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20080080902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 399/119, 399/207, 399/260, 399/262, 399/263, 222/DIG.1
• US Class Current: 399/262
• 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 15/0875 cartridges having a box like shape
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0886 by mechanical means, e.g. shutter, plug
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1633 using doors or covers G03G21/1638 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0692 using a slidable sealing member, e.g. shutter
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0875 Arrangements for shipping or transporting of the developing device to or from the user
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/169 Structural door designs

Abstract

A toner cartridge includes: a cartridge main body having an opening; a toner chamber that is provided inside the cartridge main body and contains toner; an open-close member that opens/closes the opening by moving; and a regulation part that regulates movement of the open-close member in an opening/closing direction when the cartridge main body is moved in a direction where it is removed/attached to/from an image forming apparatus, wherein the opening enables movement of the toner between a position inside the toner chamber and a position outside the cartridge main body.

Claims

1. A toner cartridge which is removably held in a toner cartridge holder that is circular-moved with respect to an image forming apparatus main body, the toner cartridge holder is movable between an attaching position where the toner cartridge held in the toner cartridge holder is attached to an image forming apparatus and a removing position where the toner cartridge is removed from the toner cartridge holder, comprising:

a cartridge main body;

a toner chamber that is provided inside the cartridge main body and contains toner;

an opening that enables movement of the toner between a position inside the toner chamber and a position outside the cartridge main body; and

a regulation part that regulates movement of the toner cartridge with respect to the toner cartridge holder when the toner cartridge holder is rotated between the attaching position and the removing position,

wherein the regulation part is configured to permit predetermined linear movements and predetermined rotational movements.

2. The toner cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the regulation part regulates the movement of the toner cartridge with respect to the toner cartridge holder by a groove provided in the toner cartridge.

3. The toner cartridge according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the opening is positioned on a side surface of the cartridge main body.

4. The toner cartridge according to claim 2, wherein at least a part of the opening is positioned on a side surface of the cartridge main body.

5. The toner cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the opening has at least one of a toner supply port to supply the toner and a toner reception port to receive the toner.

6. The toner cartridge according to claim 2, wherein the opening has at least one of a toner supply port to supply the toner and a toner reception port to receive the toner.

7. The toner cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the opening has at least one of a toner supply port to supply the toner and a toner reception port to receive the toner.

21. The toner cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising an open-close member that opens/closes the opening by moving,

wherein the regulation member also regulates the open-close member in an opening/closing direction when the cartridge main body is moved in a direction where it is removed/attached to an image forming apparatus.

22. The toner cartridge according to claim 21, wherein the regulation part comprises a grooved portion.

8. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image forming apparatus main body;

an image forming part; and

a toner cartridge that contains at least toner supplied to the image forming part or toner received from the image forming part,

the toner cartridge is removably held in a toner cartridge holder that is circular-moved with respect to an image forming apparatus main body, the toner cartridge holder is movable between an attaching position where the toner cartridge held in the toner cartridge holder is attached to an image forming apparatus and a removing position where the toner cartridge is removed from the toner cartridge holder having;

a cartridge main body;

a toner chamber that is provided inside the cartridge main body and contains toner;

an opening that enables movement of the toner between a position inside the toner chamber and a position outside the cartridge main body; and

a regulation part that regulates movement of toner cartridge with respect to the toner cartridge holder when the toner cartridge holder is rotated between the attaching position and the removing position,

wherein the regulation part is configured to permit predetermined linear movements and predetermined rotational movements.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the image forming apparatus main body includes an open-close cover that is configured to be opened/closed and a connection part that connects the open-close cover with the toner cartridge holder so as to move the toner cartridge holder in accordance with the opening and closing of the open-close cover.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the regulation part regulates the movement of the toner cartridge with respect to the toner cartridge holder by a groove provided in the toner cartridge.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the regulation part regulates the movement of the toner cartridge with respect to the toner cartridge holder by a groove provided in the toner cartridge.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein at least a part of the opening is positioned on a side surface of the cartridge main body.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein at least a part of the opening is positioned on a side surface of the cartridge main body.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein at least a part of the opening is positioned on a side surface of the cartridge main body.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein at least a part of the opening is positioned on a side surface of the cartridge main body.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the opening has at least one of a toner supply port to supply the toner and a toner reception port to receive the toner.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the opening has at least one of a toner supply port to supply the toner and a toner reception port to receive the toner.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the opening has at least one of a toner supply port to supply the toner and a toner reception port to receive the toner.

19. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the opening has at least one of a toner supply port to supply the toner and a toner reception port to receive the toner.

20. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the opening has at least one of a toner supply port to supply the toner and a toner reception port to receive the toner.

23. The toner cartridge according to claim 8, further comprising an open-close member that opens/closes the opening by moving,

wherein the regulation member also regulates the open-close member in an opening/closing direction when the cartridge main body is moved in a direction where it is removed/attached to an image forming apparatus.

24. The toner cartridge according to claim 23, wherein the regulation part comprises a grooved portion.