Device for filling toner container

Device for filling toner powder from a supplying means in a toner container, said device comprising:

• several flexible and compressible pipes with an inlet adapted to be connected to the supplying means for enabling a flow of toner powder from the supplying means and with an outlet,
• at least one maintaining means for maintaining at least one portion of each pipe so that the outlet of a pipe is at a level situated below the inlet of said pipe and for maintaining each pipe from the inlet to the outlet in a continuous downwards path,
• compressing means for compressing a portion of each pipe, and
• moving means for ensuring for each pipe a relative movement between the compressing means and the portion to be compressed so as to create a pushing of the toner present in said portion towards the outlet.

Device for filling toner powder from at least one supplying means in a toner container, said device comprising:

• several piping systems comprising each a flexible and compressible pipe, each piping system having an inlet adapted to be connected to a supplying means for enabling a flow of toner powder from the supplying means and an outlet,
• at least one maintaining means for maintaining at least one portion of each piping system so that the outlet of a piping system is at a level situated below the inlet of said piping system and for maintaining each piping system from the inlet to the outlet thereof in a continuous downwards path,
• compressing means for compressing a portion of each pipe, and
• moving means for ensuring for each pipe a relative movement between the compressing means and the portion to be compressed so as to create a pushing of the toner present in said portion towards the outlet.

Device for filling toner powder from a supplying means in a toner container, said device comprising:

• a piping system comprising several flexible and compressible pipes mounted in parallel, said piping system comprising an inlet adapted to be connected to the supplying means for enabling a flow of toner powder from the supplying means and with an outlet,
• at least one maintaining means for maintaining at least one portion of the piping system so that the outlet of a piping system is at a level situated below the inlet of said piping system and for maintaining each piping system form the inlet to the outlet thereof in a continuous downwards path,
• compressing means for compressing a portion of each pipe, and
• moving means for ensuring for each pipe a relative movement between the compressing means and the portion to be compressed so as to create a pushing of the toner present in said portion towards the outlet.

A process for filling a toner container with toner particles issuing from a toner supplying means by means of a filling device, said device comprising at least:

• a piping system comprising at least a flexible and compressible pipe, said piping system having at least an inlet adapted to be connected to the supplying means for enabling a flow of toner powder from the supplying means and an outlet,
• at least one means for maintaining at least one portion of the piping system so that the outlet is at a level situated below the inlet and for maintaining the piping system form the inlet to the outlet thereof in a continuous downwards path,
• at least one compressing means for compressing a portion of the flexible and compressible pipe, and
• at least one means for ensuring a relative movement between the compressing means and the portion of the pipe to be compressed so as to create a pushing of the toner present in said portion towards the outlet,
• in which at least one compressing means is moved for compressing the pipe and in which, while the compressing means is compressing at least a portion of the pipe, a relative movement between the compressing means and the pipe is ensured so as to push toner particles towards the outlet.