Toner container that restricts removal from mounting portion and image forming apparatus
US10209643B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 19, 2018 |
| Grant date | Feb 19, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 19, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G2215/0665
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A toner container is for mounting to a mounting portion of an image forming apparatus along a mounting direction. The toner container includes a container body and an engaging protrusion. The container body houses a toner and rotates. The engaging protrusion projects from an outer peripheral surface of the container body. The engaging protrusion has a spiral pattern and rotates integrally with the container body. The mounting portion includes a lock portion is engageable with the engaging protrusion. Rotation of the container body and the engaging protrusion in one rotation direction in a state where removal of the toner container from the mounting portion is permitted causes the toner container to move to a back side (downstream) in the mounting direction while shifting an engaging part of the engaging protrusion relative to the lock portion to restrict the removal of the toner container from the mounting portion.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.