# US 12,111,601 B2 · Image forming apparatus having an opening/closing member that is prevented from closing when a replenishment container is attached to a process unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,111,601 B2 - Document ID: US12111601B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/092,996 - Filed: 2023-01-04 - Published: 2023-05-04 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-15 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Koji Wada; Tsuyoshi Ogawa; Hiroshi Takarada; Kenji Matsuzaka; Takao Sameshima; Tomio Noguchi; Yuichiro Inaba; Kenichi Iida; Masaaki Sato - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111601B2 ## CPC - G03G 21/1619: {Frame structures} - G03G 21/1609: {for space saving, e.g. structural arrangements} - G03G 21/1633: {using doors or covers (G03G21/1638 takes precedence)} - G03G 15/0874: {non-rigid containers, e.g. foldable cartridges, bags} - G03G 15/0896: {Arrangements or disposition of the complete developer unit or parts thereof not provided for by groups G03G15/08 - G03G15/0894} - G03G 15/556: {for toner consumption, e.g. pixel counting, toner coverage detection or toner density measurement} - G03G 21/1661: {means for handling parts of the apparatus in the apparatus (G03G21/1604, G03G21/1642 take precedence)} - G03G 21/1676: {for the developer unit} - G03G 21/181: {Manufacturing or assembling, recycling, reuse, transportation, packaging or storage} - G03G 21/1839: {Means for handling the process cartridge in the apparatus body} - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable, the developer container including an accommodating portion, and a supporting portion, wherein the developer container includes a projection portion that is provided at one end portion thereof in the rotation axis direction of the developer bearing member and projects toward the supporting portion more than a center portion of the developer container in a crossing direction crossing the rotation axis direction, the projection portion communicates with the accommodating portion and includes, at a distal end portion thereof, an attachment portion configured such that the replenishment container is attachable thereto in a state of being exposed to the outside of the apparatus, and a replenishment port for replenishing the accommodating portion with developer from the replenishment container is defined in the attachment portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming apparatus to and from which a replenishment container accommodating developer is attachable and detachable, the image forming apparatus comprising: an opening/closing member; and a process unit including: an image bearing member configured to rotate while bearing a developer image; a developer bearing member configured to bear developer and supply the developer to the image bearing member; and a developer container configured to rotatably support the developer bearing member and including an accommodating portion configured to accommodate the developer to be borne on the developer bearing member, wherein the process unit includes a projection portion provided at one end portion thereof in a rotation axis direction of the image bearing member, the projection portion projecting upward more than a center portion of the process unit in the rotation axis direction, wherein the projection portion includes an attachment portion to and from which the replenishment container is attachable and detachable, the attachment portion being provided with a replenishment port through which the accommodating portion is replenished with the developer from the replenishment container, wherein the opening/closing member is movable between a closed position where the opening/closing member is closed to cover the attachment portion and an open position where the opening/closing member is opened to expose the attachment portion and where an attachment of the replenishment container to the attachment portion is allowed, the opening/closing member being prevented from being moved from the open position to the closed position by the replenishment container in a state that the replenishment container from which the accommodating portion has been replenished with the developer is attached to the developer container. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an exposing portion configured to expose the image bearing member to form an electrostatic latent image on the image bearing member, wherein light emitted from the exposing portion toward the image bearing member passes through a space adjacent to the projection portion in the rotation axis direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a supporting portion configured to support a recording material onto which the developer image is formed and which is discharged to an outside of the image forming apparatus; and a discharge portion configured to discharge the recording material onto which the developer image is formed toward the supporting portion in a discharge direction, wherein the projection portion projects toward the supporting portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the projection portion projects downstream and upward from the accommodating portion in the discharge direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the projection portion is closer to a center, in the rotation axis direction, of the image bearing member than an end, in the rotation axis direction, of the image bearing member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening/closing member is configured to rotate between the open position and the closed position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the process unit is attached to and detached from an apparatus main body including the opening/closing member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the developer container includes the projection portion, and wherein the projection portion projects upward more than a center portion, in the rotation axis direction, of the developer container. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a conveyance member that is a rotary member closest to the replenishment port, wherein the conveyance member is configured to rotate to convey the developer in the accommodating portion toward the developer bearing member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a conveyance member including a support portion and a flexible sheet fixed to the support portion, the conveyance member being rotatably supported by the developer container, wherein the conveyance member is configured to rotate to convey the developer accommodated in the accommodating portion to the developer bearing member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the accommodating portion is integrally formed with a frame member that supports the image developer bearing member, and wherein the image forming apparatus further includes a conveyance member provided in the accommodating portion and configured to convey the developer accommodated in the accommodating portion toward the developer bearing member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the attachment portion is the only attachment portion provided in the developer container.