Toner container, developing device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus that include a toner container contacting surface to contact with a developing device engagement releasing structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10025227-B2
Application number	US-201715490034-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2017
Priority date	May 30, 2013
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

A toner container is detachably attachable to a developing device. The developing device includes an inlet to be poured with a toner, an inlet shutter to move between a closed position, at which the inlet is closed, and an open position, at which the inlet is open, a biasing mechanism to bias the inlet shutter toward the closed position, an engaged structure provided in the inlet shutter, an engaging structure to engage with the engaged structure and to retain the inlet shutter at the open position against a biasing force of the biasing mechanism, and an engagement releasing structure provided in the inlet shutter and to release an engaging state between the engaged structure and the engaging structure. The toner container includes a contacting surface to contact with the engagement releasing structure and to make the engagement releasing structure release the engaging state.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A toner container that is detachably attachable to a developing device, the developing device including:
an inlet to receive a toner;
an inlet shutter to move between a closed position, at which the inlet is closed, and an open position, at which the inlet is open;
a biasing mechanism to bias the inlet shutter toward the closed position;
an engaged structure of the inlet shutter;
an engaging structure to engage with the engaged structure and to retain the inlet shutter at the open position against a biasing force of the biasing mechanism;
an engagement releasing structure of the inlet shutter and to release an engaging state between the engaged structure and the engaging structure; and
an extending structure that extends from a shutter body of the inlet shutter, the extending structure including the engaged structure provided at an end thereof, and the engagement releasing structure is in-between the shutter body and the engaged structure; and
the toner container comprising:
a contacting surface to contact with the engagement releasing structure and to make the engagement releasing structure release the engaging state, and
the contacting surface to contact with the engagement releasing structure so that the extending structure is elastically deformed and the engaging state between the engaged structure and the engaging structure is released.

2. The toner container according to claim 1 , further comprising a pressing surface to contact a pressed structure of the inlet shutter, and to move the inlet shutter to the open position against the biasing force of the biasing mechanism.

3. The toner container according to claim 2 , wherein
a mounting direction of the toner container is different than a direction of movement of the inlet shutter toward the open position,
the pressed structure in the developing device is a tilted surface that is tilted in a direction that intersects with the mounting direction as well as intersects with the direction of the movement of the inlet shutter toward the open position, and
due to contact with the tilted surface, the pressing surface generates a force to move the inlet shutter to the open position against the biasing force of the biasing mechanism.

4. The toner container according to claim 1 , wherein, when the inlet shutter moves to the open position, the contacting surface and the engagement releasing structure do not contact.

5. A developing device comprising:
the toner container according to claim 1 that is detachably attached to the developing device.

6. The developing device according to claim 5 , wherein the engaging structure is provided on a casing of the developing device.

7. A process cartridge comprising:
a process unit including at least an image carrier and the developing device according to claim 5 , which develops an image on the image carrier with the toner, and is detachably attachable to an image forming apparatus; and
the toner container that is detachably attached to the developing device of the process unit.

8. An image forming apparatus comprising the toner container according to claim 1 .

9. A toner container that is detachably attachable to a developing device, the developing device including:
an inlet to receive a toner;
an inlet shutter to move between a closed position, at which the inlet is closed, and an open position, at which the inlet is open;
a biasing mechanism to bias the inlet shutter toward the closed position;
an engaged structure of the inlet shutter;
an engaging structure to engage with the engaged structure and to retain the inlet shutter at the open position against a biasing force of the biasing mechanism; and an engagement releasing structure of the inlet shutter and to release an engaging state between the engaged structure and the engaging structure; and
the toner container comprising:
a contacting surface to contact with the engagement releasing structure and to make the engagement releasing structure release the engaging state, and
when the inlet shutter moves to the open position, the contacting surface and the engagement releasing structure do not contact.

10. The toner container according to claim 9 , further comprising a pressing surface to contact a pressed structure of the inlet shutter, and to move the inlet shutter to the open position against the biasing force of the biasing mechanism.

11. The toner container according to claim 10 , wherein
a mounting direction of the toner container is different than a direction of movement of the inlet shutter toward the open position,
the pressed structure in the developing device is a tilted surface that is tilted in a direction that intersects with the mounting direction as well as intersects with the direction of the movement of the inlet shutter toward the open position, and
due to contact with the tilted surface, the pressing surface generates a force to move the inlet shutter to the open position against the biasing force of the biasing mechanism.

12. A developing device comprising:
the toner container according to claim 9 that is detachably attached to the developing device.

13. The developing device according to claim 12 , wherein the engaging structure is provided on a casing of the developing device.

14. A process cartridge comprising:
a process unit including at least an image carrier and the developing device according to claim 12 , which develops an image on the image carrier with the toner, and is detachably attachable to an image forming apparatus; and
the toner container that is detachably attached to the developing device of the process unit.

15. An image forming apparatus comprising the toner container according to claim 9 .

16. A developing device comprising:
a toner container that is detachably attached to the developing device;
an inlet to receive a toner;
an inlet shutter to move between a closed position, at which the inlet is closed, and an open position, at which the inlet is open;
a biasing mechanism to bias the inlet shutter toward the closed position;
an engaged structure of the inlet shutter;
an engaging structure to engage with the engaged structure and to retain the inlet shutter at the open position against a biasing force of the biasing mechanism, and the engaging structure is provided on a casing of the developing device; and
an engagement releasing structure of the inlet shutter and to release an engaging state between the engaged structure and the engaging structure, wherein
the toner container comprises:
a contacting surface to contact with the engagement releasing structure and to make the engagement releasing structure release the engaging state.

Assignees

• Yoshida Tomofumi
• Sakaya Kohta
• Arasawa Shinichi
• Park Jin Sam
• Jung Goo Chul
• Ogata Yasunobu
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yoshida Tomofumi
• Sakaya Kohta
• Arasawa Shinichi
• Park Jin Sam
• Jung Goo Chul
• Ogata Yasunobu

Classifications

• G03G15/0875

  cartridges having a box like shape · CPC title

• G03G15/0886 Primary

  by mechanical means, e.g. shutter, plug · CPC title

• G03G21/1821 Primary

  means for connecting the different parts of the process cartridge, e.g. attachment, positioning of parts with each other, pressure/distance regulation (G03G21/1825 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03G2215/067

  Toner discharging opening covered by arcuate shutter · CPC title

• Y02W30/80

  Packaging reuse or recycling, e.g. of multilayer packaging (bio-packaging Y02W90/10) · CPC title