# US 11,077,971 B2 · Developer filling method and developer filling apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,971 B2 - Document ID: US11077971B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/017,575 - Filed: 2018-06-25 - Published: 2019-01-03 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-28 - Assignees: Konica Minolta, Inc. - Applicants: Konica Minolta, Inc. - Inventors: Kentaro Aoki; Kenzo Toya - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077971B2 ## CPC - B65B 31/024: {specially adapted for wrappers or bags (B65B31/021, B65B31/022 take precedence)} - B65B 1/06: by gravity flow - B65B 1/32: by weighing (check-weighing of filled containers or receptacles B65B1/46) - B65B 7/02: Closing containers or receptacles deformed by, or taking-up shape, of, contents, e.g. bags, sacks - G03G 9/0808: {by dry mixing the toner components in solid or softened state} - G03G 15/0822: {Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer} - G03G 15/0865: {Arrangements for supplying new developer} - G03G 15/0874: {non-rigid containers, e.g. foldable cartridges, bags} - G03G 15/0894: {Reconditioning of the developer unit, i.e. reusing or recycling parts of the unit, e.g. resealing of the unit before refilling with toner} - G03G 21/181: {Manufacturing or assembling, recycling, reuse, transportation, packaging or storage} - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract A developer filling apparatus includes a bag setting portion where a developer bag in which a developer containing toner and a carrier is sealed is set, an accommodation case setting portion where a developer accommodation case for accommodating the developer is set, and a transfer path constructed to initially fill the developer accommodation case set in the accommodation case setting portion with the developer taken out of the opened developer bag while the developer bag is set in the bag setting portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A developer filling apparatus comprising: a bag setting portion; a developer bag in which a developer containing toner and a carrier is sealed set in the bag setting portion, the developer bag including an accommodation portion in which the developer is accommodated and a fused portion for hermetically sealing the developer in the accommodation portion; an accommodation case setting portion; a developer accommodation case for accommodating the developer set in the accommodation case setting portion; a transfer path constructed to initially fill the developer accommodation case set in the accommodation case setting portion with the developer taken out of the opened developer bag while the developer bag is set in the bag setting portion; and a posture change portion which changes a posture of the bag setting portion such that a mouth of the opened developer bag is oriented to the transfer path with the developer bag being set in the bag setting portion, wherein the bag setting portion includes a fixing portion constructed to hold the fused portion to thereby fix the opened developer bag to the bag setting portion at a portion of the opened developer bag opposite the mouth, and the posture change portion includes a pivot mechanism which has the bag setting portion pivot such that the bag setting portion in a portion located on a side of the mouth is oriented to the transfer path, the pivot mechanism being located closer to the fixing portion than the mouth when the developer bag is set in the bag setting portion with the fixing portion holding the fused portion so that the mouth moves further than the fixing portion when the posture change portion changes the posture of the bag setting portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The developer filling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transfer path includes a hopper portion constructed to store the developer taken out of the developer bag and a feed path constructed to feed the developer from the hopper portion to the developer accommodation case. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The developer filling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pivot mechanism is constructed to have the bag setting portion pivot by 180 degrees or more. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The developer filling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the posture change portion includes a pressing portion constructed to press the mouth to allow opening and closing of the mouth, the bag setting portion pivots with the mouth being closed by being pressed with the pressing portion, and the mouth is opened by canceling pressing of the mouth with the pressing portion after the bag setting portion pivots. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The developer filling apparatus according to claim 1, the developer filling apparatus further comprising a dump portion where the developer bag is dumped after the developer is introduced into the transfer path, wherein the pivot mechanism moves the bag setting portion to a dump position located above the dump portion by further having the bag setting portion pivot from an introduction position where the developer can be introduced into the transfer path. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The developer filling apparatus according to claim 1, the developer filling apparatus further comprising a vibration portion constructed to vibrate the developer by a time when the developer accommodation case is filled with the developer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The developer filling apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the vibration portion is provided in the bag setting portion and vibrates the developer accommodated in the developer bag set in the bag setting portion by vibrating the bag setting portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The developer filling apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the vibration portion is provided in the transfer path and vibrates the developer introduced into the transfer path by vibrating the transfer path. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The developer filling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bag setting portion is constructed such that the developer bag is set as being inclined with respect to a horizontal plane. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The developer filling apparatus according to claim 1, the developer filling apparatus further comprising a bag accommodation portion which accommodates a plurality of the developer bags. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The developer filling apparatus according to claim 10, the developer filling apparatus further comprising a transport apparatus which transports the developer bag accommodated in the bag accommodation portion to the bag setting portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The developer filling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the developer filling apparatus further comprises a cutting mechanism which cuts the developer bag in a portion located on a side of the accommodation portion relative to the fused portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The developer filling apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the cutting mechanism includes a rotary blade which rotates around a rotation shaft, and the developer bag is opened by the rotary blade which moves in a direction in parallel to a direction of extension of the fused portion while the rotary blade is rotating. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The developer filling apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the cutting mechanism includes a plate-shaped blade which extends in a direction in parallel to a direction of extension of the fused portion, and the developer bag is opened by being pressed by the plate-shaped blade. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The developer filling apparatus according to claim 1, the developer filling apparatus further comprising a conveying portion which conveys the developer accommodation case initially filled with the developer from the accommodation case setting portion, wherein the conveying portion includes a weighing portion which weighs the developer accommodation case initially filled with the developer.