IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0853700
(2001-05-14)
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우선권정보 |
JP-0168369 (1998-06-16); JP-0163078 (1997-06-19) |
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Ban, Yutaka
- Omata, Kazuhiko
- Miyazaki, Kyota
- Murakami, Ayumu
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper &
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
22 인용 특허 :
22 |
초록
▼
A toner supply container detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes (a) a toner accommodating portion for accommodating toner; (b) a toner supply opening or port for discharging toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion; (c) a toner
A toner supply container detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes (a) a toner accommodating portion for accommodating toner; (b) a toner supply opening or port for discharging toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion; (c) a toner feeding member for feeding the toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion toward the toner supply opening by rotation thereof, wherein a center of rotation of the toner feeding member is in an opening region of the toner supply port as seen in the longitudinal direction of the toner feeding member. A capping member is configured to seal the toner supply opening and can be made integral with the toner feeding member or can be slidably movable relative to an engaging portion of the toner feeding member from a state in which the toner supply opening is opened to a state that the opening is closed.
대표청구항
▼
1. A toner supply container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, comprising:a toner container configured to accommodate toner, said toner container having a discharge opening, at one end of said toner container, for permitting discharge of the toner; a feeding member configured and po
1. A toner supply container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, comprising:a toner container configured to accommodate toner, said toner container having a discharge opening, at one end of said toner container, for permitting discharge of the toner; a feeding member configured and positioned to feed the toner in said toner container toward said discharge opening, said feeding member being supported at an end thereof opposite from said one end of said toner container so as to maintain a rotational center of said feeding member; a cap rotatable integrally with said feeding member, wherein said cap is configured and positioned to seal said discharge opening, said cap being movable relative to said toner container in a direction of an axis of said feeding member to open and close said discharge opening, wherein said cap is provided with a coupling portion configured and positioned to receive a rotational driving force from a main assembly of the apparatus, and is supportable by the main assembly so as to maintain a rotational center thereof; and a sliding portion configured and positioned to cause movement of said cap in the direction of the axis of said feeding member to open and close said cap so that opposite end portions of said feeding member are substantially supported when said cap is at an open position and at a closing position. 2. A toner supply container according to claim 1, wherein said cap is slidable relative to said feeding member.3. A toner supply container according to claim 2, further comprising a rotational force transmitting portion configured and positioned to transmit a rotational driving force from the main assembly of the apparatus to said feeding member when said discharge opening is opened.4. A toner supply container according to claim 1, wherein said feeding member is projected out through said discharge opening.5. A toner supply container according to claim 1, wherein said cap is integral with said feeding member and is slidable relative to said toner container.6. A toner supply container according to claim 1, further comprising a moving force receiving portion, provided on an outer bottom surface of said toner container, and configured and positioned to receive a force for moving said toner container relative to said cap.7. A toner supply container according to claim 1, wherein said discharge opening is adapted to be sealed and unsealed, and wherein an end portion of said feeding member adjacent said discharge opening is non-rotatably supported by said toner container through said cap before said discharge opening is unsealed.8. A toner supply container according to claim 1, wherein said toner supply container is mountable to and demountable from the main assembly of said apparatus in a feeding direction of said feeding member, wherein said cap is disposed at a leading end with respect to a mounting direction in which said toner supply container is mountable to and demountable from the main assembly of said apparatus.9. A toner supply container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, comprising:a container body configured to contain toner, said container body containing an opening in one longitudinal end of said container body and configured and positioned to permit the discharge of the toner; a capping member configured and positioned to cap the opening, said capping member being provided with an extension that extends toward the inside of said container body; and an engageable portion provided in said container body and engageable with said extension of said capping member, said engageable portion being provided with an opening engageable with said extension of said capping member for coaxial sliding movement relative to said extension by the mounting of said toner container in or the dismounting of the toner container from the image forming apparatus, wherein when the opening in said container body is opened to permit toner discharge therethrough, an engagement between said extension of said capping member and the opening of said engageable portion is maintained, and wherein said extension of said capping member and the opening of said engageable portion are slidably movable relative to each other from a state in which the opening of said container body is opened to a state in which the opening in said container body is closed. 10. A toner supply container according to claim 9, wherein said engageable portion is disposed in the other longitudinal end of said container body.11. A toner supply container according to claim 10, wherein said extension of said capping member is provided with a feeding portion configured and positioned to feed the toner in said container body toward the opening in said container body.12. A toner supply container according to claim 9, wherein said engageable portion has a supporting member supported by said container body at the other longitudinal end of said container body, and the opening of said engageable portion is formed in said supporting member.13. A toner supply container according to claim 12, wherein said supporting member has a feeding portion configured and positioned to feed the toner in said container body toward the opening in said container body.14. A toner supply container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, comprising:a container body configured to contain toner, said container body containing an opening in one longitudinal end of said container body and configured and positioned to permit the discharge of the toner; a capping member configured and positioned to cap the opening, said capping member being provided with a bore extending from an inner side thereof and having a closed end; and an engageable portion provided in said container body and engageable with said capping member, said engageable portion having a shaft portion which is coaxially slidable relative to said bore of said capping member by the mounting of said toner container in or the dismounting of the toner container from the image forming apparatus, wherein when the opening in said container body is opened to permit toner discharge therethrough, an engagement between said bore of said capping member and said shaft portion is maintained, and wherein said bore of said capping member and said shaft portion of said engageable portion are slidably movable relative to each other from a state in which the opening of said container body is opened to a state in which the opening in said container body is closed. 15. A toner supply container according to claim 14, wherein said shaft portion of said engageable portion projects outwardly from the opening in said container body.16. A toner supply container according to claim 14, wherein said shaft portion of said engageable portion has a feeding portion configured and positioned to feed the toner in said container body toward the opening in said container body.
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