# US 12,117,762 B2 · Attachment and image forming system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,117,762 B2 - Document ID: US12117762B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/228,032 - Filed: 2023-07-31 - Published: 2024-02-08 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2022-08-05 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Yukino Uoo; Yasuhiro Fukase; Shinichi Nishida; Hiroyuki Munetsugu; Goshi Ozaki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12117762B2 ## CPC - G03G 21/1647: {Mechanical connection means} - G03G 15/0865: {Arrangements for supplying new developer} - G03G 15/0886: {by mechanical means, e.g. shutter, plug} - G03G 21/1676: {for the developer unit} - G03G 21/1821: {means for connecting the different parts of the process cartridge, e.g. attachment, positioning of parts with each other, pressure/distance regulation (G03G21/1825 takes precedence)} - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract An attachment is used with an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a main assembly including a photosensitive drum and a main assembly portion-to-be-engaged, and includes a developing unit including a developing container, a developing roller, and a mounting portion. The attachment includes a first engaging portion, and a second engaging portion. The attachment is mountable to the mounting portion in a state in which a toner container is not mounted to the mounting portion. The attachment does not include a toner accommodating portion for accommodating the toner. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An attachment for use with an image forming apparatus which includes a main assembly including a photosensitive drum and a main assembly portion-to-be-engaged, and which includes a developing unit including a developing container, a developing roller carrying toner accommodated in the developing container, and a mounting portion to which a toner container accommodating the toner is mountable and which is constituted so as to communicate with an inside of the developing container and so as to be exposed to an outside of the main assembly, the developing unit being constituted so as to be movable relative to the main assembly, the attachment comprising: a first engaging portion configured to engage with the mounting portion; and a second engaging portion configured to engage with the main assembly portion-to-be-engaged, wherein the attachment is mountable to the mounting portion in a state in which the toner container is not mounted to the mounting portion, and wherein the attachment does not include a toner accommodating portion for accommodating the toner. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The attachment according to claim 1, wherein the mounting portion includes a cylindrical shutter rotatable about a rotational axis between a communication position and a non-communication position and having an inner peripheral surface opposing the rotational axis, the communication position being a position where the shutter communicates the inside of the developing container and an outside of the image forming apparatus with each other through the mounting portion, and the non-communication position being a position where the shutter does not communicate the inside of the developing container and the outside of the image forming apparatus with each other through the mounting portion, and wherein in a state in which the attachment is mounted to the mounting portion, the attachment has an outer peripheral surface opposing the inner peripheral surface of the shutter and at least one protrusion protruding from the outer peripheral surface toward the rotational axis, and wherein the first engaging portion is provided on the at least one protrusion and is configured to contact the inner peripheral surface of the shutter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The attachment according to claim 2, wherein the main assembly includes a main assembly opening which is for exposing the mounting portion to the outside of the main assembly in a case that the inner peripheral surface of the shutter is a first inner peripheral surface and which has a second inner peripheral surface opposing the rotational axis, and the main assembly portion-to-be-engaged is the second inner peripheral surface, and wherein the second engaging portion is provided on the at least one protrusion and is configured to contact the second inner peripheral surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The attachment according to claim 3, wherein the at least one protrusion is a plurality of protrusions provided on the outer peripheral surface in different positions with respect to a circumferential direction about the rotational axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The attachment according to claim 2, wherein the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are provided in different positions with respect to a direction of the rotational axis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The attachment according to claim 5, wherein the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are surfaces each extending in the direction of the rotational axis and each being equidistant from the rotational axis with respect to a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The attachment according to claim 2, further comprising a flange portion extending to an outside of the outer peripheral surface in a radial direction about the rotational axis, wherein the flange portion has a contact surface which is directed in a direction of the rotational axis and which is for determining a position relative to the mounting portion with respect to the direction of the rotational axis in contact with a portion-to-be-contacted of the main assembly. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The attachment according to claim 7, wherein with respect to the direction of the rotational axis, the second engaging portion is between the flange portion and the first engaging portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The attachment according to claim 1, wherein the developing unit is configured to be movable relative to the main assembly between a contact position where the developing roller contacts the photosensitive drum and a separated position where the developing roller is separated from the photosensitive drum, and wherein the attachment is configured to be mountable to the mounting portion when the developing unit is in the separated position, and wherein the attachment is configured to restrict movement of the developing unit from the separated position to the contact position in a state in which the attachment is mounted to the mounting portion. ### Claim 10 An image forming system comprising: (i) a toner container configured to accommodate toner; (ii) an image forming apparatus including (ii-i) a main assembly including a photosensitive drum and a main assembly portion-to-be-engaged, and (ii-ii) a developing unit including a developing container, a developing roller carrying toner accommodated in the developing container, and a mounting portion to which the toner container accommodating the toner is mountable and which is configured to communicate with an inside of the developing container and to be exposed to an outside of the main assembly, the developing unit being configured to be movable relative to the main assembly, and (iii) an attachment configured to be detachably mountable to the mounting portion in a state in which the toner container is not mounted to the mounting portion, wherein the attachment does not include a toner accommodating portion for accommodating the toner, the attachment including (iii-i) a first engaging portion configured to engage with the mounting portion, and (iii-ii) a second engaging portion configured to engage with the main assembly portion-to-be-engaged. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image forming system according to claim 10, wherein the mounting portion includes a cylindrical shutter rotatable about a rotational axis between a communication position and a non-communication position and having an inner peripheral surface opposing the rotational axis, the communication position being a position where the shutter communicates the inside of the developing container and an outside of the image forming apparatus with each other through the mounting portion, and the non-communication position being a position where the shutter does not communicate the inside of the developing container and the outside of the image forming apparatus with each other through the mounting portion, and wherein in a state in which the attachment is mounted to the mounting portion, the attachment has an outer peripheral surface opposing the inner peripheral surface of the shutter and at least one protrusion protruding from the outer peripheral surface toward the rotational axis, and wherein the first engaging portion is provided on the at least one protrusion and is configured to contact the inner peripheral surface of the shutter. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The image forming system according to claim 11, wherein the main assembly includes a main assembly opening which is for exposing the mounting portion to the outside of the main assembly in a case that the inner peripheral surface of the shutter is a first inner peripheral surface and which has a second inner peripheral surface opposing the rotational axis, and the main assembly portion-to-be-engaged is the second inner peripheral surface, and wherein the second engaging portion is provided on the at least one protrusion and is configured to contact the second inner peripheral surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The image forming system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one protrusion is a plurality of protrusions provided on the outer peripheral surface in different positions with respect to a circumferential direction about the rotational axis. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The forming system according to claim 13, wherein the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are surfaces each extending in the direction of the rotational axis and each being equidistant from the rotational axis with respect to a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The image forming system according to claim 11, wherein the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are provided in different positions with respect to a direction of the rotational axis. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The image forming system according to claim 11, wherein the toner container includes a container shutter configured to rotate about the rotational axis so as to open and close a discharge opening for permitting discharge of the toner, and wherein the main assembly includes an operating member configured to engage with the container shutter in a state in which the toner container is mounted to the mounting portion and to rotate about the rotational axis together with the container shutter, the main assembly portion-to-be-engaged being a part of the operating member. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The image forming system according to claim 11, wherein the mounting portion has a surface-to-be-contacted directed upward, wherein the attachment includes a flange portion extending to an outside of the outer peripheral surface in a radial direction about the rotational axis, and wherein the flange portion has a contact surface directed downward, the contact surface contacting the surface-to-be-contacted of the mounting portion so that a position of the attachment relative to the mounting portion with respect to the direction of the rotational axis is determined. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The image forming system according to claim 17, wherein with respect to the direction of the rotational axis, the second engaging portion is between the flange portion and the first engaging portion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The image forming system according to claim 10, wherein the developing unit is configured to be movable relative to the main assembly between a contact position where the developing roller contacts the photosensitive drum and a separated position where the developing roller is separated from the photosensitive drum, and wherein the attachment is configured to be mountable to the mounting portion when the developing unit is in the separated position, and wherein the attachment is configured to restrict movement of the developing unit from the separated position to the contact position in a state in which the attachment is mounted to the mounting portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 10) The forming system according to claim 10, wherein the main assembly includes a cover movable between an open position where the mounting portion is exposed to an outside of the main assembly and a closed position where the cover covers the mounting portion so that the mounting portion is not exposed to the outside of the main assembly, and wherein the cover is movable from the open position to the closed position in a state in which the attachment is mounted to the mounting portion.