Toner supplying apparatus and image forming apparatus having the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11143983-B2
Application number	US-201816966334-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2018
Priority date	Jan 31, 2018
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

A toner supplying apparatus used in an image forming apparatus is provided. The toner supply apparatus includes a plurality of toner containers, a plurality of fixing members, an operating member, and a driving force. Each of the plurality of toner containers includes a fixing recess. The plurality of fixing members are to be selectively coupled to the fixing recesses of the plurality of toner containers. The operating member is to slide with respect to the plurality of toner containers, and to operate at least one of the plurality of fixing members to separate the operated fixing members from the coupled fixing recess. The driving device is to move the operating member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A toner supplying apparatus comprising:
a plurality of toner containers, each of the plurality of toner containers including a fixing recess;
a plurality of fixing members to be selectively coupled to the fixing recesses, each of the plurality of fixing members including a hook portion to be inserted into each, respective fixing recess of the plurality of toner containers;
an operating member to slide with respect to the plurality of toner containers, and to operate at least one of the plurality of fixing members to separate the operated fixing members from the coupled fixing recess; and
a driving device to move the operating member.

2. The toner supplying apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the operating member is supported by a guide bracket, the guide bracket being installed on the upper sides of the plurality of toner containers to slide in a direction of the plurality of toner containers.

3. The toner supplying apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of fixing members is provided at one side of the corresponding toner container to pivot by a predetermined angle.

4. The toner supplying apparatus of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of fixing members comprises:
a coupling portion formed at a first end of the fixing member, the coupling portion being coupled to the fixing recess of the toner container by self-weight;
a release portion formed at a second end of the fixing member, the release portion being provided to selectively interfere with the operating member; and
a boss portion formed between the coupling portion and the release portion, the boss portion being installed to be pivotable about a fixing shaft.

5. The toner supplying apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the operating member comprises a plurality of operating pins corresponding to the respective release portions of the plurality of fixing members,
wherein, when one operating pin among the plurality of operating pins interferes with the release portion of the corresponding fixing member, the coupling portion of the fixing member is released from the fixing recess of the toner container, and
wherein, when the interference between the release portion of the fixing member and the operating pin of the operating member is released, the coupling portion of the fixing member is inserted into the fixing recess of the toner container by self-weight.

6. The toner supplying apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of fixing members are pivotably supported by a plurality of support columns provided on one side of the plurality of toner containers.

7. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a plurality of image formers;
the toner supplying apparatus of claim 1 , to supply toner to the plurality of image formers;
a residual toner detection sensor to detect an amount of toner remaining in the plurality of toner containers of the toner supplying apparatus; and
a controller to control the driving device of the toner supplying apparatus according to a signal of the residual toner detection sensor,
wherein, when it is determined that one toner container of the plurality of toner containers has no toner based on the signal from the residual toner detection sensor, the controller controls the driving device of the toner supplying apparatus to unlock the fixing member corresponding to the toner container having no toner to be released from the fixing recess of the toner container.

8. A toner supplying apparatus comprising:
a plurality of toner containers, each of the plurality of toner containers including a fixing recess;
a plurality of fixing members to be selectively coupled to the fixing recesses;
an operating member to slide with respect to the plurality of toner containers, and to operate at least one of the plurality of fixing members to separate the operated fixing members from the coupled fixing recess; and
a driving device to move the operating member, wherein the plurality of fixing members are installed on upper sides of the plurality of toner containers, and the plurality of fixing members are to move up and down.

9. The toner supplying apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a plurality of pressing members to press downward on the plurality of fixing members, respectively; and
a guide member provided with a plurality of guide portions to guide upward and downward movements of the plurality of fixing members.

10. The toner supplying apparatus of claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of fixing members comprises:
an insertion portion to be inserted into the fixing recess of the toner container;
a body portion, the insertion portion extending perpendicularly from the body portion, and the body portion being brought into contact with one end of a corresponding pressing member among the plurality of pressing members;
a pair of guide recesses formed on both side surfaces of the body portion, and guided by a corresponding guide portion among the plurality of guide portions; and
a pair of guide protrusions formed on a front surface and a rear surface of the body portion, respectively, the pair of guide protrusions and the body portion being collinear.

11. The toner supplying apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the operating member comprises a pair of operating ribs, the operating ribs face each other and are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, and the operating member is to guide the pair of guide protrusions of each of the plurality of fixing members to move up the fixing member.

12. The toner supplying apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of toner containers comprise four toner containers, and
wherein the pair of operating ribs are to move up fixing members corresponding to three toner containers of the four toner containers, simultaneously.

13. A toner supplying apparatus comprising:
a plurality of toner containers, each of the plurality of toner containers including a fixing recess;
a plurality of fixing members to be selectively coupled to the fixing recesses;
an operating member to slide with respect to the plurality of toner containers, and to operate at least one of the plurality of fixing members to separate the operated fixing members from the coupled fixing recess; and
a driving device to move the operating member,
wherein the driving device comprises:
a motor; and
a power transmitter to transmit power of the motor to the operating member.

14. The toner supplying apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the power transmitter comprises:
a worm gear installed on a rotation shaft of the motor;
a rack gear provided at one end of the operating member; and
a wheel-pinion installed between the worm gear and the rack gear to be engaged with the worm gear and the rack gear, the wheel-pinion is to be rotated by rotation of the worm gear.

15. The toner supplying apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the power transmitter comprises:
a bevel gear installed on a rotation shaft of the motor;
a rack gear provided at one end of the operating member; and
a bevel-pinion installed between the bevel gear and the rack gear to be engaged with the bevel gear and the rack gear, the bevel-pinion is to be rotated by rotation of the bevel gear.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Choi Jae Won
• Lee Han Jun

Classifications

• G03G21/1676

  for the developer unit · CPC title

• G03G15/0872 Primary

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

• G03G15/087 Primary

  Developer cartridges having a longitudinal rotational axis, around which at least one part is rotated when mounting or using the cartridge · CPC title

• G03G15/086

  the level being measured by electro-magnetic means · CPC title

• G03G21/1623

  Means to access the interior of the apparatus · CPC title