초록 ▼

A powder container includes: a housing unit that is horizontally elongated, that contains powder, and that has at least part thereof being deformable; and a discharging unit that is attached to one end of the housing unit in a longitudinal direction. The discharging unit includes a discharge opening

A powder container includes: a housing unit that is horizontally elongated, that contains powder, and that has at least part thereof being deformable; and a discharging unit that is attached to one end of the housing unit in a longitudinal direction. The discharging unit includes a discharge opening through which the powder in the housing unit is discharged outside and a rotary shutter that is provided inside the discharge opening and that opens and closes the discharge opening by rotating about a rotating shaft that is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the housing unit.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A powder container comprising: a housing unit that is horizontally elongated, contains powder, and has at least a deformable part thereof; anda discharging unit that is attached to one end of the housing unit in a longitudinal direction, whereinthe discharging unit includes a discharge opening th

1. A powder container comprising: a housing unit that is horizontally elongated, contains powder, and has at least a deformable part thereof; anda discharging unit that is attached to one end of the housing unit in a longitudinal direction, whereinthe discharging unit includes a discharge opening through which the powder in the housing unit is discharged outside anda rotary shutter that is provided inside the discharge opening andthat opens and closes the discharge opening by rotating about a rotating shaft that is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the housing unit,wherein a downstream end of the discharge opening is provided below an upstream end of the discharge opening,wherein the rotating shaft of the rotary shutter passes through a side wall of the discharging unit and protrudes outwardly, andwherein a gear that rotates the rotary shutter is attached to a protruding end of the rotating shaft. 2. The powder container according to claim 1, wherein the rotary shutter includes a through-hole that communicates with the discharge opening when the rotary shutter is at an open position and the through-hole forms a discharge path that is tilted downward on a front side when the rotary shutter is at the open position. 3. The powder container according to claim 2, wherein a downstream end of the through-hole is directed upward relative to a horizontal plane when the rotary shutter is at a closed position and the downstream end of the through-hole is directed downward relative to the horizontal plane when the rotary shutter is at the open position. 4. The powder container according to claim 2, wherein a sealing member that seals a gap between an outer circumference of the rotary shutter and an inner surface of the discharge opening of the discharging unit is attached to the outer circumference of the rotary shutter at least around the through-hole. 5. The powder container according to claim 1, wherein at least a side surface and an upper portion of an outer circumference of the gear are covered by a cover that extends from a side wall of the discharging unit. 6. A toner cartridge that uses the powder container according to claim 1. 7. An image forming apparatus comprising the toner cartridge according to claim 6 in an attachable and detachable manner. 8. A powder container comprising: a housing unit that is horizontally elongated, contains powder, and has at least a deformable part thereof; anda discharging unit that is attached to one end of the housing unit in a longitudinal direction, whereinthe discharging unit includes a discharge opening through which the powder in the housing unit is discharged outside anda rotary shutter that is provided inside the discharge opening andthat opens and closes the discharge opening by rotating about a rotating shaft that is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the housing unit,wherein the rotary shutter includes a through-hole that communicates with the discharge opening when the rotary shutter is at an open position and the through-hole forms a discharge path that is tilted downward on a front side when the rotary shutter is at the open position. 9. The powder container according to claim 8, wherein a downstream end of the through-hole is directed upward relative to a horizontal plane when the rotary shutter is at a closed position and the downstream end of the through-hole is directed downward relative to the horizontal plane when the rotary shutter is at the open position. 10. The powder container according to claim 8, wherein a sealing member that seals a gap between an outer circumference of the rotary shutter and an inner surface of the discharge opening of the discharging unit is attached to the outer circumference of the rotary shutter at least around the through-hole. 11. The powder container according to claim 8, wherein the rotating shaft of the rotary shutter passes through a side wall of the discharging unit and protrudes outwardly anda gear that rotates the rotary shutter is attached to a protruding end of the rotating shaft. 12. The powder container according to claim 11, wherein at least a side surface and an upper portion of an outer circumference of the gear are covered by a cover that extends from a side wall of the discharging unit. 13. An image forming apparatus comprising the powder container according to claim 8 in an attachable and detachable manner. 14. An image forming apparatus comprising a powder container, the powder container including: a housing unit that includes powder; anda discharging unit that is attached to the housing unit, wherein the discharging unit includes: a discharge opening through which the powder in the housing unit is discharged outside; anda rotary shutter that opens and closes the discharge opening by rotating,wherein a downstream end of the discharge opening is below an upstream end of the discharge opening,the powder container mounted to the image forming apparatus in a detachable manner,the image forming apparatus further comprising:a drawer tray in which the powder container is mounted, the drawer tray including: a fixing unit to which the discharging unit of the powder container is mounted,a tilted hole, inside of the fixing unit, to be connected to the discharge opening of the powder container when the discharging unit of the powder container is mounted in the fixing unit,a first shutter, at an inlet side of the tilted hole, to open and close the inlet of the tilted hole, anda second shutter, at an outlet side of the tilted hole, to open and close the outlet of the tilted hole,wherein the tilted hole is tilted such that the outlet side is lower than the inlet side. 15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein: the housing unit includes at least a deformable part thereof. 16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein: the rotary shutter is inside the discharge opening and includes: a rotational axis which is perpendicular to an attaching direction of the powder container, andan elongated shape in a direction of the rotational axis. 17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein: the first shutter and the second shutter are opened in conjunction with an installation operation for installing the drawer tray into the image forming apparatus.