Toner container and image forming system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12468241-B2
Application number	US-202318491231-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 20, 2023
Priority date	Oct 31, 2022
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

A toner container includes a bag body, a coupling member, and a discharge member. The bag body includes a side portion and has, formed in the bag body, storage space configured to store toner and having flexibility. The coupling member is coupled with an opening of the bag body. The discharge member discharges the toner stored in the storage space. The side portion extends in a first direction from the opening to a bottom portion opposite the opening. Two-dimensional code is provided on an outer surface opposite an inner surface of the side portion that forms the storage space for toner. The two-dimensional code is located closer to the bottom portion than to the opening in the first direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A toner container comprising:
a flexible bag body configured to store toner, the bag body including a side portion formed into a bottomed cylindrical shape which includes an opening, the side portion extending in a first direction from the opening to a bottom portion opposite the opening; a coupling member coupled with the opening; and a nozzle connected to the coupling member and configured to discharge the toner stored in the bag body, wherein a two-dimensional code is provided on an outer surface opposite an inner surface of the side portion that forms the bottomed cylindrical shape storing toner, the two-dimensional code being located closer to the bottom portion than to the opening in the first direction, wherein, as compared with shapes of the bag body before and after toner is discharged through the nozzle from the bottomed cylindrical shape, an amount of change in a first thickness of the bag body corresponding to a position of the two-dimensional code is greater than an amount of change in a second thickness of the bag body at a position of the coupling member in a thickness direction of the bag body perpendicular to the first direction.

2 . The toner container according to claim 1 , wherein the bag body is formed by stacking and welding a plurality of sheet members, and the bag body has a shape that is deformable by an external force.

3 . The toner container according to claim 1 ,
wherein the coupling member has a shape that expands the opening of the bag body, and wherein a curvature of the outer surface of the side portion corresponding to a position of the two-dimensional code is less than a curvature of the outer surface of the side portion corresponding to a position of the coupling member.

4 . The toner container according to claim 3 , wherein the curvature of the outer surface of the side portion of the bag body decreases from the opening toward the bottom portion in the first direction.

5 . The toner container according to claim 1 , wherein the two-dimensional code is provided in a region where the outer surface of the side portion is flattened in the thickness direction after the toner is discharged from the bag body.

6 . The toner container according to claim 1 , wherein an instruction to assist an operation performed by a user is provided on the bag body.

7 . The toner container according to claim 6 , wherein the instruction is provided on a surface that is the same as the outer surface of the side portion on which the two-dimensional code is provided.

8 . The toner container according to claim 1 , wherein an outer periphery of the coupling member is welded to an inner peripheral surface of the opening so that the coupling member is fixed to the bag body.

9 . The toner container according to claim 1 , wherein the nozzle includes a connecting member, and the connecting member includes a discharge channel configured to discharge the toner stored in the bag body, and the connecting member is connected to the coupling member.

10 . The toner container according to claim 1 , wherein the two-dimensional code is formed by being printed on the outer surface of the side portion.

11 . The toner container according to claim 1 ,
wherein the two-dimensional code is code that is to be displayed with information in both horizontal and vertical directions, and wherein the two-dimensional code is capable of providing information regarding at least the toner container by being scanned.

12 . A toner container comprising:
a flexible bag body configured to store toner, the bag body including a side portion formed into a bottomed cylindrical shape which includes an opening, the side portion extending in a first direction from the opening to a bottom portion opposite the opening; a coupling member coupled with the opening; and a nozzle connected to the coupling member and configured to discharge the toner stored in the bag body, wherein the bottom portion and the side portion are formed by welding a plurality of sheet members, and wherein a two-dimensional code is provided on the side portion, the side portion including a welded portion where edges of the sheet members are welded to each other.

13 . An image forming system comprising:
an image bearing member configured to bear a toner image; a developing device including a development container capable of storing toner and a developer bearing member which forms a toner image on the image bearing member through development using toner; a mounting unit; and a toner container including: a flexible bag body configured to store toner, the bag body including a side portion formed into a bottomed cylindrical shape which includes an opening, the side portion extending in a first direction from the opening to a bottom portion opposite the opening; a coupling member coupled with the opening, and a nozzle connected to the coupling member and configured to discharge the toner stored in the bag body to the outside of the toner container, wherein the development container is capable of being refilled with the toner in the toner container mounted that enables the nozzle of the toner container to be mounted thereon, wherein a two-dimensional code is provided on an outer surface opposite an inner surface of the side portion that forms the bottomed cylindrical shape storing toner, the two-dimensional code being located closer to the bottom portion than to the opening in the first direction, and wherein, as compared with shapes of the bag body before and after toner is discharged through the nozzle from the bottomed cylindrical shape, an amount of change in a first thickness of the bag body corresponding to a position of the two-dimensional code is greater than an amount of change in a second thickness of the bag body at a position of the coupling member in a thickness direction of the bag body perpendicular to the first direction.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Sato Mitsuhiro
• Munetsugu Hiroyuki
• Sato Masaaki

Classifications

• G03G2215/0682

  Bag-type non-rigid container · CPC title

• G03G2215/0695

  using identification means or means for storing process or use parameters · CPC title

• G03G15/0874 Primary

  non-rigid containers, e.g. foldable cartridges, bags · CPC title

• G03G15/0886 Primary

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