Image forming apparatus, toner supply unit, and toner bottle attached thereto
US5828935A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 11, 1996 |
| Grant date | Oct 27, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 11, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G2221/183
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A toner bottle (38) has projections (38c, 38c') on its bottom surface. The projections (38c, 38c') extend in the axial direction but are spaced away from the central-axis line of the toner bottle (38). The projections (38c, 38c') are engaged with convex portions (62b, 62b') formed in a joint (62) of a drive portion (60). When the drive portion (60) starts rotating, the torque is transferred to the toner bottle (38) via the projections (38c, 38c') and the convex portions (62b, 62b'). Since the torque is transferred from the bottom side of the toner bottle (38), the toner bottle (38) can be attached to or detached from a body of an image forming apparatus in a direction of the central-axis line. Toner discharged from the toner bottle (38) is introduced into a process cartridge through an opening portion (48) of a toner hopper portion (40) and a toner introducing cover (52). A shutter member (88) is disposed in the toner introducing cover (52). The shutter member (88) consists of a flexible elastic member (90) and a holding member (92) for holding the elastic member (90). The shutter member (88) intersects with the opening plane of a toner supplying port. Guiding portions for bending …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.