Shutter opening/closing mechanism and image forming apparatus provided with the same
AssigneeKyocera Mita Corporation
InventorDaisuke Eto
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A joint member moves forward and backward between an advanced position and a retracted position according to the rotation of a rotary member when a cover is opened and closed between an open state and a half open state, and rotates at the advanced position according to the rotation of the rotary member when the cover is opened and closed between the half open state and a closed state. A coupling member is engaged with the joint member when the joint member is at the advanced position while being disengaged from the joint member when the joint member is at the retracted position. The coupling member opens and closes a toner supply port by rotating according to the rotation of the joint member engaged therewith at the advanced position.
Claims10
A shutter opening/closing mechanism for opening and closing a toner supply port of a toner container as a cover of an image forming apparatus main body is moved between a closed state and an opened state, comprising:
- a rotary member provided in the image forming apparatus main body and rotates in one rotating direction as the cover is opened while rotating in another rotating direction as the cover is closed;
- a joint member that is moved forward in an advancing direction between a retracted position and an advanced position along a direction of a rotation axis of the joint member in response to a rotation of the rotary member caused by movement of the cover between the opened state and a half open state or backward in a retracting direction between the advanced position and the retracted position in response to the rotation of the rotary member caused by movement of the cover between the half opened state and the opened state, and the joint member being rotatable at the advanced position in response to a rotation of the rotary member caused by movement of the cover between the half open state and the closed state;
- and
- a coupling member rotatably provided in the toner container, the coupling member being engaged with the joint member when the joint member is at the advanced position while being disengaged from the joint member when the joint member is at the retracted position, the coupling member opening and closing the toner supply port by rotating in response to the rotation of the joint member engaged therewith at the advanced position.
An image forming apparatus, comprising:
- an image forming apparatus main body including a cover that is movable between an opened state and a closed state;
- a toner container including an openable and closable toner supply port and detachably mountable into the image forming apparatus main body;
- and
- a shutter opening/closing mechanism for opening and closing the toner supply port as the cover is moved between the closed state and the opened state,
- wherein the shutter opening/closing mechanism includes:
- a rotary member provided in the image forming apparatus main body and rotates in one rotating direction as the cover is opened while rotating in another rotating direction as the cover is closed;
- a joint member that is moved forward in an advancing direction between a retracted position and an advanced position along a direction of a rotation axis of the joint member in response to a rotation of the rotary member caused by a movement of the cover between the open state and a half open state or backward in a retracting direction between the advanced position and the retracted position in response to the rotation of the rotary member caused by movement of the cover between the half open state and the open state, and the joint member being rotatable at the advanced position in response to a rotation of the rotary member caused by movement of the cover between the half open state and the closed state;
- and
- a coupling member rotatably provided in the toner container, the coupling member being engaged with the joint member when the joint member is at the advanced position while being disengaged from the joint member when the joint member is at the retracted position, the coupling member opening and closing the toner supply port by rotating in response to the rotation of the joint member engaged therewith at the advanced position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.