Toner replenishing device and toner cartridge for use therein

A toner cartridge removably mounted on a mounting base;

• said mounting base having a toner replenishment opening formed for replenishing a hopper with a toner, and said mounting base being provided with a replenishment opening shutter member mounted so as to be turnable between a closed position at which it closes the toner replenishment opening and an open position at which it opens the toner replenishment opening, and locking means including a locking member movable between a locking position at which it inhibits the turn of the replenishment opening shutter member to hold the replenishment opening shutter member at the closed position, and a locking release position at which it allows the turn;
• said toner cartridge being removably mounted on said mounting base at a replenishing position at which the toner can be replenished through the toner replenishment opening;
• wherein said toner cartridge has a container for accommodating the toner, and a shutter mechanism disposed in a lower end part of the container;
• said shutter mechanism has a main member substantially integral with the container and having a through-hole formed therein, and a container shutter member disposed outside the main member so as to be turnable relative to the main member between a closed position at which it closes the through-hole and an open position at which it opens the through-hole;
• said container shutter member has rotation inhibited means disposed for engagement with rotation inhibiting means disposed on the mounting base;
• said container shutter member has locking release means disposed thereon;
• and said main member has engaging means disposed which can engage engaged means disposed on the replenishment opening shutter member to turn the replenishment opening shutter member;
• by engaging the rotation inhibited means of the container shutter member with the rotation inhibiting means of the mounting base, the toner cartridge is mounted at the replenishing position, whereby the locking release means of the container shutter member moves the locking member of the mounting base to the locking release position, and the engaging means of the main member is engaged with the engaged means of the replenishment opening shutter member;
• and by turning the container relative to the container shutter member, the container shutter member is turned relative to the main member to the open position, the replenishment opening shutter member is turned to the open position, and the through-hole and the toner replenishment opening are aligned with each other.

A toner cartridge having engaging means disposed thereon and removably mounted on a mounting base;

• said mounting base having a toner replenishment opening formed for replenishing a hopper with a toner, and said mounting base being provided with a replenishment opening shutter member mounted so as to be turnable between a closed position at which it closes the toner replenishment opening and an open position at which it opens the toner replenishment opening, and locking means including a locking member movable between a locking position at which it inhibits the turn of the replenishment opening shutter member to hold the replenishment opening shutter member at the closed position, and a locking release position at which it allows the turn;
• said replenishment opening shutter member having engaged means and an operating lever disposed thereon;
• said operating lever extending radially outwardly and turnable integrally with the replenishment opening shutter member;
• said engaged means of the replenishment opening shutter member having an engaged portion to be engaged with the engaging means for an opening-direction turn for turning the replenishment opening shutter member from the closed position to the open position, and a free play space portion for permitting the closing-direction turn of the engaging means independently of the replenishment opening shutter member;
• said closing-direction turn being performed for turning the replenishment opening shutter member from the open position to the closed position;
• said closing-direction turn of the replenishment opening shutter member being performed by the operating lever;
• said toner cartridge being removably mounted on the mounting base at a replenishing position at which the toner can be replenished through the toner replenishment opening;
• wherein said toner cartridge has a container for accommodating the toner, and a shutter mechanism disposed in a lower end part of the container;
• said shutter mechanism has a main member substantially integral with the container and having a through-hole formed therein, and a container shutter member disposed outside the main member so as to be turnable relative to the main member between a closed position at which it closes the through-hole and an open position at which it opens the through-hole;
• said container shutter member has rotation inhibited means disposed for engagement with rotation inhibiting means disposed on the mounting base;
• said container shutter member has locking release means disposed thereon;
• and said main member has the engaging means disposed which can engage the engaged means of the replenishment opening shutter member to turn the replenishment opening shutter member;
• by engaging the rotation inhibited means of the container shutter member with the rotation inhibiting means of the mounting base, the toner cartridge is mounted at the replenishing position, whereby the locking release means of the container shutter member moves the locking member of the mounting base to the locking release position, and the engaging means of the main member is engaged with the engaged means of the replenishment opening shutter member;
• and by turning the container relative to the container shutter member, the container shutter member is turned relative to the main member to the open position, the replenishment opening shutter member is turned to the open position, and the through-hole and the toner replenishment opening are aligned with each other.

A toner cartridge removably mounted on a mounting base having a toner replenishment opening formed for replenishing a hopper with a toner, said toner cartridge being mounted on the mounting base at a replenishing position at which the toner can be replenished through the toner replenishment opening;

• said toner cartridge having a container for accommodating the toner, and a shutter mechanism disposed in a lower end part of the container;
• said shutter mechanism having a main member substantially integral with the container and having a through-hole formed therein, and a container shutter member disposed outside the main member so as to be turnable relative to the main member between a closed position at which it closes the through-hole and an open position at which it opens the through-hole;
• wherein
• a locking member is disposed between the container shutter member and the main member so as to be axially movable between a locking position at which it inhibits the relative turning of the container shutter member and the main member and a locking release position at which it allows the relative turning of the container shutter member and the main member, and the locking member is moved axially upwardly to be brought from the locking position to the locking release position.