Powder container and image forming apparatus

• US 10,156,810 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2016
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Hosokawa, Hiroshi, Kato, Shunji, Tamaki, Shinji, Ikeguchi, Hiroshi, Terazawa, Seiji, Yamabe, Junji, Mitsuishi, Kaori, Tomotaka, Toshihide, Watanabe, Tsunehiro, Kikuchi, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): LaBalle, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): SANGHERA, JAS A
• Application Number:
  US15/394,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20170108799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0863 provided with identifying means or means for storing process- or use parameters, e.g. an electronic memory
• 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 2215/0697 being an electronically readable memory

Abstract

A powder conveying device includes: a conveying nozzle, provided with a powder receiving opening; an open/close member to open/close the powder receiving opening; a flange provided to the open/close member; a biasing member to bias the open/close member; and a container setting section to which a part of a powder container is to be fit. The powder container includes: a conveyor to convey the powder from a second end of the powder container to a first end; a container opening protruding from the first end; a nozzle receiving opening into which the conveying nozzle is to be inserted; and a butting portion provided in the container opening, to butt against the flange. When the powder container is attached to the powder conveying device, the container opening is fitted to the container setting section, and the flange and the biasing member are housed in an inner space of the container opening.

Claims

1. A nozzle receiver, comprising:

a nozzle receiving opening facing in a first direction to receive a powder conveying nozzle of a powder conveying device;

a nozzle receiver attachment region at which the nozzle receiver is to be attached to a powder container, the powder container including an engaging protrusion and a scoop to receive the powder from a conveyor and to rotate to scoop up the powder;

a shutter to open and close the nozzle receiving opening;

a support that extends in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction to movably support the shutter; and

an engaged hole to receive a protrusion of the powder container and to prevent the nozzle receiver from rotating, relative to the powder container, wherein when the engaged hole is engaged with the engaging protrusion of the powder container, the scoop and the support are adjacent to each other.

2. The nozzle receiver according to claim 1, wherein:

the shutter is biased in a direction in which the nozzle receiving opening is closed, and opens the nozzle receiving opening by being pressed with insertion of the powder conveying nozzle, and

the support supports a side surface of the shutter.

3. The nozzle receiver according to claim 1, wherein:

the support includes two supports between which the shutter moves.

4. A powder container to be attached to a powder conveying device with a longitudinal direction of the powder container parallel to a horizontal direction, the powder container comprising:

a container body to contain image forming powder to be supplied to the powder conveying device;

a container opening having a cylindrical shape in a first end of the powder container;

a conveyor within the container body, to convey the powder from a second end of the powder container to the first end along a longitudinal direction of the powder container;

an engaging protrusion;

a nozzle receiver at the container opening, including;

a nozzle receiving opening facing in a first direction to receive a powder conveying nozzle of the powder conveying device;

a nozzle receiver attachment region to which the nozzle receiver is attached to the powder container;

a shutter to open and close the nozzle receiving opening;

a nozzle receiver engaged hole; and

a support that extends in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction to movably support the shutter; and

a scoop, to receive the powder from the conveyor and to rotate to scoop up the powder which has been received from a lower portion to an upper portion in the container body,

wherein the nozzle receiver engaged hole is engaged with the engaging protrusion of the powder container, and the scoop and the support are adjacent to each other.

5. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

an image forming unit to form an image on an image carrier using image forming powder;

the powder container according to claim 4; and

a powder transporter including the powder conveying nozzle to convey the powder to the image forming unit,

wherein the powder container is detachably attached to the image forming apparatus.

6. A nozzle receiver, comprising:

a nozzle receiving opening facing in a first direction to receive a powder conveying nozzle of a powder conveying device;

a nozzle receiver attachment region to which the nozzle receiver is to be attached to a powder container, including a scoop to receive the powder from a conveyor and to rotate to scoop up the powder;

a shutter to open and close the nozzle receiving opening;

a support that extends in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction to movably support the shutter; and

a recess to receive a protrusion of the powder container, and to prevent the nozzle receiver from rotating, relative to the powder container,

wherein when the recess receives the protrusion, the scoop and the support are adjacent to each other.

7. The nozzle receiver according to claim 6, wherein:

the shutter is biased in a direction in which the nozzle receiving opening is closed, and opens the nozzle receiving opening by being pressed with insertion of the powder conveying nozzle, and

the support supports a side surface of the shutter member.

8. The nozzle receiver according to claim 6, wherein:

the scoop includes a convex that rises within the container body to form a ridge and includes a slope that connects the convex and an inner cylindrical surface of the container body, and

the support includes two supports between which the shutter moves.

9. The nozzle receiver according to claim 6, wherein:

the nozzle receiver attachment region includes a cylindrical shape, and

the recess of the nozzle receiver is at the cylindrical shape.

10. The nozzle receiver according to claim 9, wherein:

the protrusion is in a form of a trapezoid when viewed from an axial direction of the cylindrical nozzle receiver attachment portion.

11. The nozzle receiver according to claim 9, wherein:

the protrusion is in a form of a pentagon when viewed from a radial direction of the cylindrical shape.

12. The nozzle receiver according to claim 6, wherein:

the support includes two supports between which the shutter moves.

13. A powder container to be attached to a powder conveying device with a longitudinal direction of the powder container parallel to a horizontal direction, the powder container comprising:

a container body to contain image forming powder to be supplied to the powder conveying device;

a container opening having a cylindrical shape in a first end of the powder container;

a conveyor within the container body, to convey the powder from a second end of the powder container to the first end along a longitudinal direction of the powder container;

a nozzle receiver at the container opening, including;

a nozzle receiving opening facing in a first direction to receive a powder conveying nozzle of the powder conveying device;

a nozzle receiver attachment region to which the nozzle receiver is attached to the powder container;

a shutter to open and close the nozzle receiving opening;

a support that extends in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction to movably support the shutter; and

a recess to receive a protrusion of the powder container, and to prevent the nozzle receiver from rotating, relative to the powder container, and

a scoop, to receive the powder from the conveyor and to rotate to scoop up the powder which has been received from a lower portion to an upper portion in the container body,

wherein when the recess receives the protrusion of the powder container, the scoop and the support are adjacent to each other.

14. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

an image forming unit to form an image on an image carrier using image forming powder;

the powder container according to claim 13; and

a powder transporter including the powder conveying nozzle to convey the powder to the image forming unit,

wherein the powder container is detachably attached to the image forming apparatus.