Process unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018284649-A1
Application number	US-201815889460-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 6, 2018
Priority date	Mar 31, 2017
Publication date	Oct 4, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A toner cartridge includes a toner supply pipe and a first shutter. The toner supply pipe has a toner supply opening. When the toner cartridge is mounted onto a main unit, the toner supply pipe moves through an insertion opening from an outside position at which the toner supply opening is located outside a developing frame to an inside position at which the toner supply opening is located inside the developing frame. The first shutter is provided at the toner supply pipe. The first shutter moves relative to the toner supply pipe between an open position at which the toner supply opening is opened and a closed position at which the toner supply opening is closed. The first shutter moves relative to the toner supply pipe from the closed position to the open position in a state where the toner supply pipe is located at the inside position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A process unit comprising:
a main unit comprising:
a drum unit having a photosensitive drum; and
a developing unit having:
a developing roller; and
a developing frame supporting the developing roller, the developing frame having an insertion opening; and

a toner cartridge configured to be mounted on the main unit, the toner cartridge comprising:
a toner supply pipe having a toner supply opening, the toner supply pipe being configured to, when the toner cartridge is mounted onto the main unit, move through the insertion opening from an outside position at which the toner supply opening is located outside the developing frame to an inside position at which the toner supply opening is located inside the developing frame; and
a first shutter provided at the toner supply pipe, the first shutter being configured to move relative to the toner supply pipe between an open position at which the toner supply opening is opened and a closed position at which the toner supply opening is closed,
the first shutter being configured to move relative to the toner supply pipe from the closed position to the open position in a state where the toner supply pipe is located at the inside position.

2 . The process unit according to claim 1 , wherein the developing unit comprises a seal member configured to seal between the developing frame and the toner supply pipe in a state where the toner supply pipe is located at the inside position, the seal member having elasticity; and
wherein, in a state where the toner supply pipe is located at the inside position, the toner supply opening is located at a downstream side of the seal member in a first direction in which the toner supply pipe moves from the outside position to the inside position.

3 . The process unit according to claim 2 , wherein the developing unit further comprises a second shutter configured to move relative to the developing frame between an open position at which the insertion opening is opened and a closed position at which the insertion opening is closed.

4 . The process unit according to claim 2 , wherein the first shutter is configured to move relative to the toner supply pipe in a direction parallel to the first direction when the toner cartridge is mounted onto the main unit;
wherein the developing unit has a first contact surface that is located at a downstream side of the seal member in the first direction; wherein the first shutter has a second contact surface that is located at a downstream side of the toner supply opening in the first direction in a state where the first shutter is located at the closed position, the second contact surface being configured to make contact with the first contact surface in order to move the first shutter from the closed position to the open position when the toner supply pipe moves from the outside position to the inside position; and wherein a distance between the first contact surface and a downstream end of the seal member in the first direction is larger than a distance between the second contact surface and an upstream end of the toner supply opening in the first direction in a state where the first shutter is located at the closed position.

5 . The process unit according to claim 4 , wherein the developing unit comprises a protrusion located inside the developing frame and protruding from the developing frame, the protrusion having a downstream end and an upstream end in the first direction, the protrusion having the first contact surface at the upstream end.

6 . The process unit according to claim 5 , wherein the toner cartridge comprises a cover configured to cover an outer surface of the toner supply pipe, the cover having a cylindrical shape, the cover having a guide groove extending in the first direction;
wherein the first shutter comprises:
a base located between the toner supply pipe and the cover, the base having a cylindrical shape, the base being configured to move along the outer surface of the toner supply pipe; and
a rib protruding from an outer surface of the base, the rib being received in the guide groove of the cover, the rib having a downstream end and an upstream end in the first direction, the rib having the second contact surface at the downstream end.

7 . The process unit according to claim 1 , wherein the toner cartridge comprises a spring configured to press the first shutter located at the open position toward the closed position.

8 . The process unit according to claim 1 , wherein the developing unit is configured to move relative to the photosensitive drum; and
wherein, when the developing unit moves relative to the photosensitive drum in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the main unit and where the toner supply pipe is located at the inside position, the toner supply pipe remains located at the inside position.

9 . The process unit according to claim 8 , wherein, when the developing unit moves relative to the photosensitive drum in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the main unit and where the toner supply pipe is located at the inside position, the developing frame moves relative to the toner supply pipe.

10 . The process unit according to claim 8 , wherein, when the developing unit moves relative to the photosensitive drum in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the main unit and where the toner supply pipe is located at the inside position, a direction in which the developing unit moves relative to the photosensitive drum is parallel to a direction in which the toner supply pipe moves between the inside position and the outside position.

11 . The process unit according to claim 10 , wherein the toner supply pipe has a downstream end in a first direction in which the toner supply pipe moves from the outside position to the inside position; and
wherein the developing frame has an inner surface that faces the downstream end of the toner supply pipe with a space therebetween in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the main unit.

12 . The process unit according to claim 8 , wherein the drum unit has an elongated hole;
wherein the developing unit comprises a boss inserted in the elongated hole; and wherein, when the developing unit moves relative to the photosensitive drum in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted on the main unit and where the toner supply pipe is located at the inside position, the boss is guided by the elongated hole.

13 . The process unit according to claim 12 , wherein the developing roller comprises a shaft extending along a rotation axis of the developing roller;
wherein the boss extends along the rotation axis of the developing roller, the boss having a cylindrical shape; and wherein the shaft is inserted in the boss and is configured to rotate relative to the boss.

14 . The process unit according to claim 1 , wherein the toner cartridge comprises a flexible screw arranged inside the toner supply pipe and configured to convey toner inside the toner supply pipe toward the toner supply opening, the flexible screw being configured to deform elastically in a direction in which the toner supply pipe extends; and
wherein the first shutter located at the open position is pressed toward the closed position by elastic force of the flexible screw.

15 . The process unit according to claim 1 , wherein the drum unit comprises:
a cleaner configured to remove toner from the photosensitive drum; and a cleaning frame configured to accommodate toner removed from the photosensitive drum by the cleaner; wherein the toner cartridge comprises a toner recovery

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Minoshima Saya
• Sato Shougo

Classifications

• G03G15/0844

  Arrangements for purging used developer from the developing unit · CPC title

• G03G15/0806

  on a donor element, e.g. belt, roller (complete developer unit G03G15/0896) · CPC title

• G03G15/0886 Primary

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

• G03G21/1814

  Details of parts of process cartridge, e.g. for charging, transfer, cleaning, developing (G03G21/1835 takes precedence) · CPC title