Image forming apparatus including toner cartridge and drum cartridge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10747145-B2
Application number	US-201916515873-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2019
Priority date	Jul 30, 2018
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

A drum cartridge is configured to be detachably mounted on an apparatus main body in a state where a toner cartridge is mounted on the drum cartridge. A first shutter and a second shutter are configured such that: when the drum cartridge is mounted onto the apparatus main body in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the drum cartridge, the first shutter moves from a first closed position to a first open position and the second shutter moves from a second closed position to a second open position, and when the drum cartridge is detached from the apparatus main body in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the drum cartridge, the first shutter moves from the first open position to the first closed position and the second shutter moves from the second open position to the second closed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an apparatus main body;
a toner cartridge including:
a first housing having a discharge port through which toner is discharged; and
a first shutter configured to move between a first closed position at which the discharge port is closed and a first open position at which the discharge port is opened; and

a drum cartridge configured such that the toner cartridge is mounted thereon, the drum cartridge including:
a photosensitive drum;
a development roller;
a second housing having a reception port through which toner discharged from the discharge port is received; and
a second shutter configured to move between a second closed position at which the reception port is closed and a second open position at which the reception port is opened,

the drum cartridge being configured to be detachably mounted on the apparatus main body in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the drum cartridge,
the first shutter and the second shutter being configured such that:
when the drum cartridge is mounted onto the apparatus main body in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the drum cartridge, the first shutter moves from the first closed position to the first open position and the second shutter moves from the second closed position to the second open position, and
when the drum cartridge is detached from the apparatus main body in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the drum cartridge, the first shutter moves from the first open position to the first closed position and the second shutter moves from the second open position to the second closed position, and

wherein the second shutter includes a lever configured to:
when the drum cartridge is mounted onto the apparatus main body in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the drum cartridge, contact a part of the apparatus main body to move the second shutter from the second closed position to the second open position; and
in a state where the drum cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body, contact the part of the apparatus main body to keep the second shutter at the second open position.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the photosensitive drum is configured to rotate about a first axis extending in an axial direction;
wherein the second housing includes a first side plate and a second side plate spaced away from the first side plate in the axial direction; and
wherein, in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the drum cartridge, at least part of the lever is located at an opposite side from the first side plate with respect to the second side plate in the axial direction.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein a mount direction in which the drum cartridge is mounted onto the apparatus main body is perpendicular to the axial direction.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the reception port faces the discharge port in a first direction in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the drum cartridge;
wherein the first shutter is configured to rotatably move between the first closed position and the first open position about a second axis extending in the first direction; and
wherein the second shutter is configured to rotatably move between the second closed position and the second open position about a third axis extending in the first direction.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first shutter includes a first engaging portion;
wherein the second shutter includes a second engaging portion, the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion being configured to engage each other;
wherein, in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the drum cartridge, the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion engage each other, and the first shutter and the second shutter are configured to move together.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the reception port faces the discharge port in a first direction in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the drum cartridge;
wherein the first shutter is configured to rotatably move between the first closed position and the first open position about a second axis extending in the first direction;
wherein the first shutter includes a first cover configured to close the discharge port in a state where the first shutter is located at the first closed position;
wherein the second shutter is configured to rotatably move between the second closed position and the second open position about a third axis extending in the first direction;
wherein the second shutter includes a second cover configured to close the reception port in a state where the second shutter is located at the second closed position; and
wherein the second shutter further includes a lever configured to:
when the drum cartridge is mounted onto the apparatus main body in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the drum cartridge, contact a part of the apparatus main body to move the second shutter from the second closed position to the second open position; and
in a state where the drum cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body, contact the part of the apparatus main body to keep the second shutter at the second open position.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the drum cartridge, the reception port faces the discharge port in a first direction;
wherein, in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the drum cartridge and the drum cartridge is detached from the apparatus main body, the first shutter is located at the first closed position and the second shutter is located at the second closed position; and
wherein, in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the drum cartridge and the drum cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body, the first shutter is located at the first open position and the second shutter is located at the second open position.

8. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an apparatus main body;
a toner cartridge including:
a first housing having a discharge port through which toner is discharged; and
a first shutter configured to move between a first closed position at which the discharge port is closed and a first open position at which the discharge port is opened; and

a drum cartridge configured such that the toner cartridge is mounted thereon, the drum cartridge including:
a photosensitive drum;
a development roller;
a second housing having a reception port through which toner discharged from the discharge port is received; and
a second shutter configured to move between a second closed position at which the reception port is closed and a second open position at which the reception port is opened,

the drum cartridge being configured to be detachably mounted on the apparatus main body in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the drum cartridge,
the first shutter and the second shutter being configured such that:
when the drum cartridge is mounted onto the apparatus main body in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the drum cartridge, the first shutter moves from the first closed position to the first open position and the second shutter moves from the second closed position to the second open position,
when the drum cartridge is detached from the apparatus main body in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the drum cartridge, the first shutter moves from the first open position to the first closed position and the second shutter moves from the second open position to the second closed position, and

wherein the drum cartridge inc

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Fujii Yasumasa
• Arakawa Takashi
• Sato Shougo

Classifications

• G03G15/0872 Primary

  the developer cartridges being generally horizontally mounted parallel to its longitudinal rotational axis · CPC title

• G03G15/0886 Primary

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