IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0087693
(2005-03-24)
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우선권정보 |
JP-2000-297354(2000-09-28) |
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Matsumoto,Junichi
- Kasahara,Nobuo
- Iwata,Nobuo
- Muramatsu,Satoshi
- Ichikawa,Tomoyuki
- Hattori,Yoshio
- Nakahara,Tomotoshi
- Yanagisawa,Takaaki
- Sato,Masumi
- Fujimori,Kouta
- Sudo,Kazuhisa
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Oblon, Spivak, McClelland, Maier &
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
18 인용 특허 :
102 |
초록
The toner supply unit is provided with a preventing unit for preventing toner contamination due to toner leakage from that sealing valve. A mouth ring of the toner container is provided with the sealing valve. This valve is opened/closed by removing/inserting a nozzle.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A toner container for use in an image forming apparatus, comprising: a container body including an opening configured to allow toner contained in the container body to be discharged; a valve arranged at the opening and including a valve opening, the valve being configured to
What is claimed is: 1. A toner container for use in an image forming apparatus, comprising: a container body including an opening configured to allow toner contained in the container body to be discharged; a valve arranged at the opening and including a valve opening, the valve being configured to allow a nozzle in a setting portion of the image forming apparatus to protrude into the valve opening when the toner container is mounted at the setting portion, and being configured to seal the valve opening when the toner container is not mounted at the setting portion; and at least two guides provided on opposite sides of the opening and configured to engage with at least two setting guides provided at the setting portion. 2. The toner container according to claim 1, wherein the at least two guides include exactly two guides provided on opposite sides of the opening, and wherein the at least two setting guides include exactly two setting guides provided at the setting portion. 3. The toner container according to claim 1, wherein the valve includes a coil spring. 4. The toner container according to claim 1, wherein the container body has a shape narrowing toward the mouth. 5. The toner container according to claim 1, wherein the container body contains toner. 6. A toner container for use in an image forming apparatus, comprising: a container body including an opening configured to allow toner contained in the container body to be discharged; a valve arranged at the opening and including a valve opening, the valve being configured to allow a nozzle in a setting portion of the image forming apparatus to protrude into the valve opening when the toner container is mounted at the setting portion, and being configured to seal the valve opening when the toner container is not mounted at the setting portion; and at least one guide configured to engage with at least one setting guide provided at the setting portion of the image forming apparatus, the at least one guide including an aperture. 7. The toner container according to claim 6, wherein the at least one guide includes two apertures provided on different sides of the opening. 8. The toner container according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the two apertures includes an amount of curvature. 9. A toner container for use in an image forming apparatus, comprising: a container body including an opening configured to allow toner contained in the container body to be discharged; a valve arranged at the opening and including a valve opening, the valve being configured to allow a nozzle in a setting portion of the image forming apparatus to protrude into the valve opening when the toner container is mounted at the setting portion, and configured to seal the valve opening when the toner container is not mounted at the setting portion; and at least one guide configured to engage with at least one setting guide provided at the setting portion of the image forming apparatus, wherein the at least one setting guide protrudes beyond a tip of the nozzle such that the at least one setting guide engages with the at least one guide before the nozzle enters into the valve opening. 10. A toner container for use in an image forming apparatus, comprising: a container body including an opening configured to allow toner contained in the container body to be discharged; means for allowing a nozzle in a setting portion of the image forming apparatus to protrude into the toner container when the toner container is mounted at the setting portion, and for preventing toner from being discharged from the toner container when the toner container is not mounted at the setting portion; and at least two guides provided on opposite sides of the opening and configured to engage with at least two setting guides provided at the setting portion. 11. A toner container for use in an image forming apparatus, comprising: a container body including an opening configured to allow toner contained in the container body to be discharged; means for allowing a nozzle in a setting portion of the image forming apparatus to protrude into the toner container when the toner container is mounted at the setting portion, and for preventing toner from being discharged from the toner container when the toner container is not mounted at the setting portion; and at least one guide configured to engage with at least one setting guide provided at the setting portion of the image forming apparatus, the at least one guide including an aperture. 12. A toner container for use in an image forming apparatus, comprising: a container body including an opening configured to allow toner contained in the container body to be discharged; means for allowing a nozzle in a setting portion of the image forming apparatus to protrude into the toner container when the toner container is mounted at the setting portion, and for preventing toner from being discharged from the toner container when the toner container is not mounted at the setting portion; and at least one guide configured to engage with at least one setting guide provided at the setting portion of the image forming apparatus, wherein the at least one setting guide protrudes beyond a tip of the nozzle such that the at least one setting guide engages with the at least one guide before the nozzle enters into the opening. 13. A toner replenishing device for use in an image forming apparatus, comprising: a toner conveyance path extending from a toner container; a toner delivering device configured to withdraw the toner from the toner container and to deliver the toner along the toner conveyance path; and an air supplying device configured to supply the toner container with air, wherein the toner container includes: a container body including an opening configured to allow toner contained in the container body to be discharged, a valve arranged at the opening and including a valve opening, the valve being configured to allow a nozzle in a setting portion of the image forming apparatus to protrude into the valve opening when the toner container is mounted at the setting portion, and being configured to seal the valve opening when the toner container is not mounted at the setting portion, and at least one guide configured to receive at least one protruding setting guide provided at the setting portion of the image forming apparatus. 14. The toner replenishing device according to claim 13, wherein the at least one guide includes at least two guides provided at opposite sides of the valve, the at least one protruding setting guide includes at least two protruding setting guides provided at the setting portion, and the at least two guides engage with the at least two protruding setting guides. 15. The toner replenishing device according to claim 13, wherein the at least one guide includes an aperture. 16. The toner replenishing device according to claim 15, wherein the aperture includes an amount of curvature. 17. A method for replenishing toner, comprising: mounting a toner container including a container body at a setting portion of an image forming apparatus by inserting at least one setting guide provided at the setting portion into at least one guide of the toner container, the at least one guide being arranged proximate to an opening of the container body; and sucking the toner from the container body though a valve arranged at the opening so as to discharge the toner, the valve allowing a nozzle in the setting portion to protrude into a valve opening of the valve when the toner container is mounted at the setting portion, and the valve sealing the valve opening when the toner container is not mounted at the setting portion. 18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the mounting includes inserting the nozzle into the valve opening. 19. The method according to claim 17, wherein, the valve includes a coil spring, and the mounting includes compressing the coil spring with the nozzle. 20. The method according to claim 17, further comprising: filling at least a portion of the container body with toner. 21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the mounting includes engaging at least two guides of the toner container with at least two setting guides provided on the setting portion of the image forming apparatus. 22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the mounting includes engaging exactly two guides of the toner container with exactly two setting guides provided at the setting portion of the image forming apparatus. 23. The method according to claim 17, wherein the at least one guide includes an aperture. 24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the aperture includes an amount of curvature. 25. The method according to claim 17, wherein the at least one guide includes two apertures provided on different sides of the opening. 26. The method according to claim 17, wherein the at least one setting guide protrudes beyond a tip of the nozzle such that the at least one setting guide engages with the at least one guide before the nozzle enters into the valve opening. 27. The method according to claim 17, wherein the container body has a shape narrowing toward the mouth. 28. The toner container according to claim 1, wherein the valve is formed separately from the container. 29. The toner container according to claim 6, wherein the valve is formed separately from the container. 30. The toner container according to claim 9, wherein the valve is formed separately from the container. 31. The toner container according to claim 10, wherein the means for allowing the nozzles to protrude and for preventing toner from being discharged is formed separately from the container. 32. The toner container according to claim 11, wherein the means for allowing the nozzles to protrude and for preventing toner from being discharged is formed separately from the container. 33. The toner container according to claim 12, wherein the means for allowing the nozzles to protrude and for preventing toner from being discharged formed separately from the container. 34. The toner container according to claim 13, wherein the valve is formed separately from the container. 35. The method according to claim 17, wherein the valve is formed separately from the container body. 36. A toner container for use in an image forming apparatus, comprising: a container body including an opening configured to allow toner contained in the container body to be discharged; and a mouthpiece disposed in the opening, the mouthpiece comprising, a valve arranged at the opening and including a valve opening, the valve being configured to allow a nozzle in a setting portion of the image forming apparatus to protrude into the valve opening when the toner container is mounted at the setting portion, and being configured to seal the valve opening when the toner container is not mounted at the setting portion, and at least two guides provided on opposite sides of the opening and configured to engage with at least two setting guides provided at the setting portion. 37. The toner container according to claim 36, wherein the at least two guides include exactly two guides provided on opposite sides of the opening, and wherein the at least two setting guides include exactly two setting guides provided at the setting portion. 38. The toner container according to claim 36, wherein the valve includes a coil spring. 39. The toner container according to claim 36, wherein the container body has a shape narrowing toward the mouth. 40. The toner container according to claim 36, wherein the container body contains toner. 41. A toner container for use in an image forming apparatus, comprising: a container body including an opening configured to allow toner contained in the container body to be discharged; and a mouthpiece disposed in the opening, the mouthpiece comprising, a valve arranged at the opening and including a valve opening, the valve being configured to allow a nozzle in a setting portion of the image forming apparatus to protrude into the valve opening when the toner container is mounted at the setting portion, and being configured to seal the valve opening when the toner container is not mounted at the setting portion; and at least one guide configured to engage with at least one setting guide provided at the setting portion of the image forming apparatus, the at least one guide including an aperture. 42. The toner container according to claim 41, wherein the at least one guide includes two apertures provided on different sides of the opening. 43. The toner container according to claim 42, wherein at least one of the two apertures includes an amount of curvature. 44. A toner container for use in an image forming apparatus, comprising: a container body including an opening configured to allow toner contained in the container body to be discharged; and a mouthpiece disposed in the opening, the mouthpiece comprising, a valve arranged at the opening and including a valve opening, the valve being configured to allow a nozzle in a setting portion of the image forming apparatus to protrude into the valve opening when the toner container is mounted at the setting portion, and configured to seal the valve opening when the toner container is not mounted at the setting portion; and at least one guide configured to engage with at least one setting guide provided at the setting portion of the image forming apparatus, wherein the at least one setting guide protrudes beyond a tip of the nozzle such that the at least one setting guide engages with the at least one guide before the nozzle enters into the valve opening. 45. A toner container for use in an image forming apparatus, comprising: a container body including an opening configured to allow toner contained in the container body to be discharged; and a mouthpiece disposed in the opening, the mouthpiece comprising, means for allowing a nozzle in a setting portion of the image forming apparatus to protrude into the toner container when the toner container is mounted at the setting portion, and for preventing toner from being discharged from the toner container when the toner container is not mounted at the setting portion, and at least two guides provided on opposite sides of the opening and configured to engage with at least two setting guides provided at the setting portion. 46. A toner container for use in an image forming apparatus, comprising: a container body including an opening configured to allow toner contained in the container body to be discharged; and a mouthpiece disposed in the opening, the mouthpiece comprising, means for allowing a nozzle in a setting portion of the image forming apparatus to protrude into the toner container when the toner container is mounted at the setting portion, and for preventing toner from being discharged from the toner container when the toner container is not mounted at the setting portion, and at least one guide configured to engage with at least one setting guide provided at the setting portion of the image forming apparatus, the at least one guide including an aperture. 47. A toner container for use in an image forming apparatus, comprising: a container body including an opening configured to allow toner contained in the container body to be discharged; and a mouthpiece disposed in the opening, the mouthpiece comprising, means for allowing a nozzle in a setting portion of the image forming apparatus to protrude into the toner container when the toner container is mounted at the setting portion, and for preventing toner from being discharged from the toner container when the toner container is not mounted at the setting portion, and at least one guide configured to engage with at least one setting guide provided at the setting portion of the image forming apparatus, wherein the at least one setting guide protrudes beyond a tip of the nozzle such that the at least one setting guide engages with the at least one guide before the nozzle enters into the opening. 48. A toner replenishing device for use in an image forming apparatus, comprising: a toner conveyance path extending from a toner container; a toner delivering device configured to withdraw the toner from the toner container and to deliver the toner along the toner conveyance path; and an air supplying device configured to supply the toner container with air, wherein the toner container includes, a container body including an opening configured to allow toner contained in the container body to be discharged, and a mouthpiece disposed in the opening, the mouthpiece including, a valve arranged at the opening and including a valve opening, the valve being configured to allow a nozzle in a setting portion of the image forming apparatus to protrude into the valve opening when the toner container is mounted at the setting portion, and being configured to seal the valve opening when the toner container is not mounted at the setting portion, and at least one guide configured to receive at least one protruding setting guide provided at the setting portion of the image forming apparatus. 49. The toner replenishing device according to claim 48, wherein the at least one guide includes at least two guides provided at opposite sides of the mouthpiece member, the at least one protruding setting guide includes at least two protruding setting guides provided at the setting portion, and the at least two guides engage with the at least two protruding setting guides. 50. The toner replenishing device according to claim 48, wherein the at least one guide includes an aperture. 51. The toner replenishing device according to claim 50, wherein the aperture includes an amount of curvature. 52. A method for replenishing toner, comprising: mounting a toner container including a container body at a setting portion of an image forming apparatus by inserting at least one setting guide provided at the setting portion into at least one guide of the toner container, the at least one guide being arranged proximate to an opening of the container body; and sucking the toner from the container body though a valve arranged at the opening so as to discharge the toner, the valve allowing a nozzle in the setting portion to protrude into a valve opening of the valve when the toner container is mounted at the setting portion, and the valve sealing the valve opening when the toner container is not mounted at the setting portion, wherein the valve is formed separately from the container. 53. The method according to claim 52, wherein the mounting includes inserting the nozzle into the valve opening. 54. The method according to claim 52, wherein, the valve includes a coil spring, and the mounting includes compressing the coil spring with the nozzle. 55. The method according to claim 52, further comprising: filling at least a portion of the container body with toner. 56. The method according to claim 52, wherein the mounting includes engaging at least two guides of the toner container with at least two setting guides provided on the setting portion of the image forming apparatus. 57. The method according to claim 56, wherein the mounting includes engaging exactly two guides of the toner container with exactly two setting guides provided at the setting portion of the image forming apparatus. 58. The method according to claim 52, wherein the at least one guide includes an aperture. 59. The method according to claim 58, wherein the aperture includes an amount of curvature. 60. The method according to claim 52, wherein the at least one guide includes two apertures provided on different sides of the opening. 61. The method according to claim 52, wherein the at least one setting guide protrudes beyond a tip of the nozzle such that the at least one setting guide engages with the at least one guide before the nozzle enters into the valve opening. 62. The method according to claim 52, wherein the container body has a shape narrowing toward the mouth.
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