Toner container and image forming apparatus with a mechanism to secure the toner container
First Claim
1. A toner container for attachment to a body of an image forming apparatus that includes a first holding member, a second holding member, and a shutter closing mechanism such that a longitudinal direction of the toner container is kept horizontal, the toner container comprising:
- a toner outlet for discharging toner;
a shutter unit that moves along an outer periphery of the toner container to open and close the toner outlet;
a shutter rail for guiding the shutter unit to move in the longitudinal direction for opening and closing the toner outlet; and
a projection that protrudes from the toner container in the longitudinal direction so as to protrude from an end portion of the shutter unit in a closing direction with the end portion located at a position where the toner outlet is closed, whereinthe shutter rail includes two surface members that are disposed, respectively, on one side and another side of the toner container, and extend in the longitudinal direction,the projection includes surfaces that are respectively in the same planes as planes of the surface members of the shutter rail,the toner outlet is opened and closed by moving the shutter unit on the shutter rail,the surface members are to be sandwiched by the first holding member,the shutter unit is switched between a held state in which the shutter unit is held by the second holding member and a released state in which holding of the shutter unit by the second holding member is released in accordance with rotation of the second holding member, andthe shutter unit is prevented by the shutter closing mechanism, which makes the second holding member incapable of rotating, from being open while the surface members are sandwiched by the first holding member.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A toner container and system for mounting and/or securing the toner container includes a toner container having a toner dispensing hole, a shutter, and a protrusion. The shutter is movable relative to the toner dispensing hole, and is to selectively close the toner dispensing hole. The protrusion is connected to the shutter and movement of the protrusion causes the shutter to move relative to the toner dispensing hole to cover the toner dispensing hole. There is a receiver including a movable catch, the movable catch being in a first position when the toner container is initially inserted into the receiver, and the movable catch moving to a second position upon insertion of the toner container into the receiver. The movable catch interacts with the protrusion of the toner container when the toner container is being removed from the receiver.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A toner container for attachment to a body of an image forming apparatus that includes a first holding member, a second holding member, and a shutter closing mechanism such that a longitudinal direction of the toner container is kept horizontal, the toner container comprising:
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a toner outlet for discharging toner; a shutter unit that moves along an outer periphery of the toner container to open and close the toner outlet; a shutter rail for guiding the shutter unit to move in the longitudinal direction for opening and closing the toner outlet; and a projection that protrudes from the toner container in the longitudinal direction so as to protrude from an end portion of the shutter unit in a closing direction with the end portion located at a position where the toner outlet is closed, wherein the shutter rail includes two surface members that are disposed, respectively, on one side and another side of the toner container, and extend in the longitudinal direction, the projection includes surfaces that are respectively in the same planes as planes of the surface members of the shutter rail, the toner outlet is opened and closed by moving the shutter unit on the shutter rail, the surface members are to be sandwiched by the first holding member, the shutter unit is switched between a held state in which the shutter unit is held by the second holding member and a released state in which holding of the shutter unit by the second holding member is released in accordance with rotation of the second holding member, and the shutter unit is prevented by the shutter closing mechanism, which makes the second holding member incapable of rotating, from being open while the surface members are sandwiched by the first holding member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A toner container for use with an image forming apparatus, the toner container comprising:
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a bottom plane including a toner outlet for discharging toner; a shutter to open and close the toner outlet; a shutter rail to guide the shutter when the shutter moves when opening or closing the toner outlet; at least one projection portion which protrudes outwardly from an end portion of the toner container in a longitudinal direction of the toner container; and an opening having an axial direction parallel to the longitudinal direction, the opening for mating with a protrusion within the image forming apparatus, wherein the shutter rail has a first plane that is parallel to the longitudinal direction, the at least one projection portion includes planes, each of which is common to the first plane, the opening is disposed between the planes of the at least one projection portion. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A toner container for use with an image forming apparatus, the toner container comprising:
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a bottom plane including a toner outlet for discharging toner; a shutter to open and close the toner outlet; a shutter rail to guide the shutter when the shutter moves when opening or closing the toner outlet; at least one projection portion which protrudes outwardly from an end portion of the toner container in a longitudinal direction of the toner container; and an opening having an axial direction parallel to the longitudinal direction, the opening for mating with a protrusion within the image forming apparatus, wherein the shutter rail has a first plane that is parallel to the longitudinal direction, the at least one projection portion includes a plane, the shutter includes a contact portion for contacting with a holder of the image forming apparatus, the contact portion disposed at the side of the shutter, the contact portion including a raised wall near a tip of the toner container in an inserting direction, the plane extends such that the plane exists beyond the raised wall in the inserting direction when the shutter closes the toner outlet. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification