Toner container and image forming apparatus

US8126375B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• RICOH COMPANY, LTD. · JP

Inventors

• Nobuyuki Taguchi · Yokohama, JP
• Masayuki Yamane · Yokohama, JP
• Hideo Yoshizawa · Yokohama, JP
• Takeroh Kurenuma · Yokohama, JP
• Takayuki Tamaki · Yokohama, JP
• Seiji Terazawa · Shizuoka, JP
• Masashi Hasegawa · Shizuoka, JP
• Fumie Satoh · Kawagoe, JP
• Teruo Hitosugi · Shizuoka, JP
• Takashi Hisazumi · Shizuoka, JP
• Goro Katsuyama · Yokohama, JP

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 20, 2011
• Grant date: Feb 28, 2012
• Expiry date: Jun 20, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G03G2215/0695
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A toner container includes a longitudinal container body and a held portion. The longitudinal container body has a first end and a second end distal to the first end in a length direction of the container body. The container body includes a gear configured to engage with a drive gear provided in the main body. The held portion is attached to the first end of the container body and configured to be detachably attached to the toner-container holder. The held portion includes a toner outlet, is configured to be held by the toner-container holder in non-rotating manner, and is biased downwardly by a force applied from the drive gear to the gear when the drive gear rotates.