Nozzle insertion member, powder container, and image forming apparatus
First Claim
1. A nozzle receiver for use with a powder container, the nozzle receiver comprising:
- a shutter to open an opening of the nozzle receiver to an open position when the shutter is pressed by a nozzle of an image forming apparatus, and to close the opening to a closed position when not being pressed by the nozzle of the image forming apparatus;
a support to support the shutter between the open position and the closed position;
a biasing member at the support that biases the shutter toward the closed position;
an elongated guide attached to the shutter and extending parallel to an axial length of the support, the elongated guide slidably extending through an end of the support which is opposite to the opening of the nozzle receiver, a relative rotation between the elongated guide and the support being limited so that as the support rotates, the elongated guide rotates which causes rotation of the shutter.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A nozzle insertion member arranged in a powder container includes a nozzle insertion opening; an opening/closing member opening/closing the nozzle insertion opening; a supporting member supporting the opening/closing member; and a biasing member provided to the supporting member to bias the opening/closing member toward a closing position. When the powder is supplied to the conveying nozzle along with rotation of a rotary conveyor arranged inside the powder container, the supporting member rotates with the rotation of the conveyor. The opening/closing member is rotated by a drive transmitting mechanism with rotation of the supporting member. The mechanism includes an elongated member arranged on the opening/closing member and penetrating through an opening formed on the supporting member; and a drive transmitted portion formed on the elongated member; and a drive transmitting portion formed on an inner surface of the opening and configured to come into contact with the drive transmitted portion.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A nozzle receiver for use with a powder container, the nozzle receiver comprising:
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a shutter to open an opening of the nozzle receiver to an open position when the shutter is pressed by a nozzle of an image forming apparatus, and to close the opening to a closed position when not being pressed by the nozzle of the image forming apparatus; a support to support the shutter between the open position and the closed position; a biasing member at the support that biases the shutter toward the closed position; an elongated guide attached to the shutter and extending parallel to an axial length of the support, the elongated guide slidably extending through an end of the support which is opposite to the opening of the nozzle receiver, a relative rotation between the elongated guide and the support being limited so that as the support rotates, the elongated guide rotates which causes rotation of the shutter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A nozzle receiver for use with a powder container, the nozzle receiver comprising:
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a shutter to open an opening of the nozzle receiver to an open position when the shutter is pressed by a nozzle of an image forming apparatus, and to close the opening to a closed position when not being pressed by the nozzle of the image forming apparatus; a support to support the shutter between the open position and the closed position; an elongated guide attached to the shutter and extending parallel to an axial length of the support, the elongated guide slidably extending through an end of the support which is opposite to the opening of the nozzle receiver; a biasing member at the support that biases the shutter toward the closed position; and a protrusion at a center of the shutter and that protrudes from a front end surface of the shutter which faces outwardly away from the nozzle receiver and is to contact a substantially continuous flat surface extending across a face of the nozzle of the image forming apparatus, wherein the shutter rotates with rotation of the support. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A nozzle receiver for use with a powder container, the nozzle receiver comprising:
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a shutter to open an opening of the nozzle receiver to an open position when the shutter is pressed by a nozzle of an image forming apparatus, and to close the opening to a closed position when not being pressed by the nozzle of the image forming apparatus; a support to support the shutter between the open position and the closed position; an elongated guide attached to the shutter and extending parallel to an axial length of the support, the elongated guide slidably extending through an end of the support which is opposite to the opening of the nozzle receiver; a biasing member at the support that biases the shutter toward the closed position; and a protrusion at approximately a center of the shutter and that protrudes from a front end surface of the shutter which faces outwardly away from the nozzle receiver and is to contact a substantially continuous flat face of the nozzle of the image forming apparatus, wherein the shutter rotates with rotation of the support.
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Specification