Toner container including foldable case and toner replenishing device using the same
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorGoro Katsuyama
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A toner container of the present invention includes a rectangular, hollow case having a top wall, a bottom wall, two side walls facing each other and two end walls facing each other. The side walls and end walls each are formed with a thin portion at the intermediate position thereof, so that the case is foldable along such thin portions. An expandable, flexible pack is implemented as a gazette bag and received in the case. A bottom plate is affixed to the bottom inner surface of the case while a shutter member is mounted on the underside of the bottom plate. The case, pack, bottom plate and shutter member are formed with respective openings for toner discharge in corresponding positions. The shutter member selectively blocks or unblocks the opening of the bottom plate.
Claims29
A toner container comprising:
- a rectangular, hollow case having a top wall, a bottom wall, two side walls facing each other and two end walls facing each other, said side walls and said end walls each being formed with a thin portion at an intermediate position thereof to thereby allow said case to fold down at said thin portion;
- an expandable, flexible pack implemented as a gazette bag and received in said case;
- a bottom plate affixed to bottom inner surfaces of said case;
- and
- a shutter member mounted on an underside of said bottom plate;
- wherein said case, said pack, said bottom plate and said shutter member are formed with respective openings for toner discharge in corresponding positions, and
- said shutter member selectively blocks or unblocks the opening of said bottom plate.
A toner replenishing device positioned at an open portion of a body of an image forming apparatus for allowing a toner container to be mounted to said body via said open portion, said toner container comprising:
- a rectangular, hollow case having a top wall, a bottom wall, two side walls facing each other and two end walls facing each other, said side walls and said end walls each being formed with a thin portion at an intermediate position thereof to thereby allow said case to fold down at said thin portion;
- an expandable, flexible pack implemented as a gazette bag and received in said case;
- a bottom plate affixed to bottom inner surfaces of said case;
- and
- a shutter member mounted on an underside of said bottom plate;
- wherein said case, said pack, said bottom plate and said shutter member are formed with respective openings for toner discharge in corresponding positions, and
- said shutter member selectively blocks or unblocks the opening of said bottom plate.
- said toner replenishing device comprising:
- a tray for allowing said toner container to be set thereon by being slid in a lengthwise direction of the top wall and the bottom wall of said case, said tray is formed with an opening corresponding in position to said openings of said toner container;
- a leaf spring fitted in said opening of said tray and formed with an opening corresponding in position to said openings of said toner container,
- wherein said spring is formed with an engaging portion engageable with said shutter member for thereby moving said shutter member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.