Image forming apparatus including toner cartridge and drum cartridge

US11789381B2 · US · B2

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-11789381-B2
Application numberUS-202217735233-A
CountryUS
Kind codeB2
Filing dateMay 3, 2022
Priority dateJul 30, 2018
Publication dateOct 17, 2023
Grant dateOct 17, 2023

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  1. Title

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  2. Abstract

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  3. Assignees and inventors

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  4. Key dates

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  5. First independent claim

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  6. CPC / IPC classifications

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  7. Citations and related patents

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Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

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

Opening claim text (preview).

What is claimed is: 1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an apparatus main body; a first housing having a toner storage and a toner conveyance pipe, the toner conveyance pipe including 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 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, wherein when the discharge port and the reception port face each other, the second shutter is configured to engage with the first shutter, and a part of the apparatus main body moves the first shutter from the first closed position to the first open position and the second shutter from the second closed position to the second open position. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the drum cartridge further comprises a frame configured to support the second housing such that the second housing is configured to move relative to the photosensitive drum. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the toner conveyance pipe includes a first seal surrounding the discharge port. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the first seal contacts the first shutter at the first closed position. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second housing includes a second seal surrounding the reception port. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the second seal contacts the second shutter at the second closed position. 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein according to a user operation, the part of the apparatus main body moves the first shutter from the first closed position to the first open position and the second shutter from the second closed position to the second open position. 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a toner cartridge including the first housing and the first shutter, the toner cartridge being mounted onto and detached from the drum cartridge. 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when the second shutter moves from the second open position to the second closed position, the first shutter moves from the first open position to the first closed position.

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

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

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

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Frequently asked questions

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What does patent US11789381B2 cover?
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 posi…
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Brother Ind Ltd
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification G03G15/0886. Mapped technology areas include Physics.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Tue Oct 17 2023 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 4 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).