US 2021/0240105 A1Published application

Image forming apparatus

AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsShintaro FUKUOKA, Shougo SATO

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Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a process unit and a toner cartridge. The toner cartridge includes a cartridge housing having a first shutter and a second shutter. The process unit includes a conveying tube. The cartridge housing is movable between a first position and a second position. The first position is a position in which (a) the first shutter is positioned at a first open position, (b) the second shutter is positioned at a second open position, and (c) a second opening is aligned with the conveying tube in a second direction. The second position is a position in which (a) the first shutter is positioned at a first closed position, (b) the second shutter is positioned at a second closed position, (c) the second opening is spaced apart from the conveying tube, and (d) the toner cartridge is mountable and removable on and from the process unit.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a process unit including:
a first frame;
a photoconductive drum rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction;
a developing device configured to supply toner to the photoconductive drum;
and
a conveying tube configured to convey waste toner from the photoconductive drum;
a toner cartridge mountable on the process unit and disposed between the developing device and the conveying tube in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction in a state in which the toner cartridge is mounted on the process unit, the toner cartridge including:
a cartridge housing having a first opening and a second opening and capable of accommodating the toner, the second opening being configured to receive the wasted toner conveyed by the conveying tube;
a first shutter relatively movable with respect to the cartridge housing between a first closed position at which the first opening is closed and a first open position at which the first opening is opened;
and
a second shutter relatively movable with respect to the cartridge housing between a second closed position at which the second opening is closed and a second open position at which the second opening is opened,
wherein the cartridge housing is movable between a first position and a second position, the first position is a position of the cartridge housing in which, in the state in which the toner cartridge is mounted on the process unit, (a) the first shutter is positioned at the first open position, (b) the second shutter is positioned at the second open position, and (c) the second opening is aligned with the conveying tube in the second direction, and the second position is a position of the cartridge housing in which, in the state in which the toner cartridge is mounted on the process unit, (a) the first shutter is positioned at the first closed position, (b) the second shutter is positioned at the second closed position, (c) the second opening is spaced apart from the conveying tube, and (d) the toner cartridge is mountable and removable on and from the process unit.

9 more elements

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a first frame;
a photoconductive drum rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction and supported by the first frame;
a developing device configured to supply toner to the photoconductive drum;
a conveying tube configured to convey waste toner from the photoconductive drum;
and
a toner cartridge mountable on the first frame and disposed between the developing device and the conveying tube in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction in a state in which the toner cartridge is mounted on the first frame, the toner cartridge including:
a cartridge housing having a first opening and a second opening and capable of accommodating the toner, the second opening being configured to receive the wasted toner conveyed by the conveying tube;
a first shutter relatively movable with respect to the cartridge housing between a first closed position at which the first opening is closed and a first open position at which the first opening is opened;
and
a second shutter relatively movable with respect to the cartridge housing between a second closed position at which the second opening is closed and a second open position at which the second opening is opened,
wherein the cartridge housing is movable between a first position and a second position, the first position is a position of the cartridge housing in which, in the state in which the toner cartridge is mounted on the first frame, (a) the first shutter is positioned at the first open position, (b) the second shutter is positioned at the second open position, and (c) the second opening is aligned with the conveying tube in the second direction, and the second position is a position of the cartridge housing in which, in the state in which the toner cartridge is mounted on the first frame, (a) the first shutter is positioned at the first closed position, (b) the second shutter is positioned at the second closed position, (c) the second opening is spaced apart from the conveying tube, and (d) the toner cartridge is mountable and removable on and from the first frame.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/166,609Filed 3 Feb 2021
Priority: JP 2020-0173794 Feb 2020
Published: 5 Aug 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G03G 15/0886
Sealing of developer cartridges: by mechanical means, e.g. shutter, plug
G03G 21/1817
Arrangements or disposition of the complete process cartridge or parts thereof: having a submodular arrangement
G03G 15/0865
Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer: arrangements for supplying new developer
G03G 15/0868
Cylindrical developer cartridges, e.g. toner bottles for the developer replenishing opening: toner cartridges fulfilling a continuous function…

Family

US 11,327,416 B2Related patent
US 2021/0240105 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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