Developer container, developing device, process unit, and image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9280130-B2
Application number	US-201514857520-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2015
Priority date	Jul 27, 2011
Publication date	Mar 8, 2016
Grant date	Mar 8, 2016

Abstract

The developer container includes a rotator that is rotated in the container body, a sequence of gears disposed outside the developer container that transmits a torque to the rotator, and a container guiding portion that fits with a main body side guiding portion and guides the developer container in a direction in which the developer container is attached to a mounting portion of an image forming device main body. A first gear included in the sequence of the gears is movable between an operating position where the first gear engages with a second gear and a retracted position where the first gear is retracted. On a surface on which the container guiding portion is disposed, a part of the container guiding portion is disposed within a projected area of the first gear being disposed at the operating position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A detachable device to be detachably attached to an image forming apparatus, the detachable device comprising:
a container gear to be driven by a main body gear at a contact position;
a convex portion to insert into an image forming apparatus groove; and
a concave portion into which an image forming apparatus protrusion is inserted,
wherein, in a direction of a rotational shaft of the container gear, the convex portion is disposed at one side of the contact position, and the concave portion is disposed on the other side.

2. The detachable device according to claim 1 , wherein the concave portion is a part of a groove in a vertical direction.

3. The detachable device according to claim 2 , wherein the groove includes
a container guiding portion to attach the detachable device to the image forming apparatus; and
a container positioning portion to position the detachable device with respect to the image forming apparatus, the container positioning portion being above the container guiding portion.

4. The detachable device according to claim 3 , wherein a width of the positioning portion is smaller than a width of the container guiding portion.

5. The detachable device according to claim 1 , wherein the container gear, the convex portion, and the concave portion are at one end of the detachable device.

6. The detachable device according to claim 1 , wherein one end of the detachable device is biased by a biasing member of the image forming apparatus.

7. The detachable device according to claim 1 , wherein the convex portion is at a gear cover to store the container gear.

8. The detachable device according to claim 1 , wherein the convex portion is to contact a lower end of the image forming apparatus groove.

9. The detachable device according to claim 1 , wherein a length from a center of the convex portion to the concave portion is greater than a length from the convex portion to the contact position.

10. The detachable device according to claim 1 , wherein toner is stored inside the detachable device.

11. The detachable device according to claim 10 , wherein carrier particles are further stored inside the detachable device.

12. The detachable device according to claim 10 , wherein the container gear is at an end of a conveyor to convey the toner.

13. The detachable device according to claim 1 , wherein the detachable device is to be attached to the image forming apparatus in a vertical direction.

14. A detachable device to be detachably attached to an image forming apparatus, the detachable device comprising:
a container gear to be driven by a main body gear at a contact position;
a convex portion to insert into an image forming apparatus groove; and
a concave portion into which an image forming apparatus protrusion is inserted;
wherein the contact position is a position between the convex portion and the concave portion in a direction of a rotational shaft of the container gear.

15. The detachable device according to claim 14 , wherein the concave portion is a part of a groove in a vertical direction.

16. The detachable device according to claim 15 , wherein the groove includes
a container guiding portion to attach the detachable device to the image forming apparatus; and
a container positioning portion to position the detachable device with respect to the image forming apparatus, the container positioning portion being above the container guiding portion.

17. The detachable device according to claim 16 , wherein a width of the positioning portion is smaller than a width of the container guiding portion.

18. The detachable device according to claim 14 , wherein the container gear, the convex portion, and the concave portion are at one end of the detachable device.

19. The detachable device according to claim 14 , wherein one end of the detachable device is biased by a biasing member of the image forming apparatus.

20. The detachable device according to 14 , wherein the convex portion is at a gear cover to store the container gear.

21. The detachable device according to claim 14 , wherein the convex portion is to contact a lower end of the image forming apparatus groove.

22. The detachable device according to claim 14 , wherein a length from a center of the convex portion to the concave portion is greater than a length from the convex portion to the contact position.

23. The detachable device according to claim 14 , wherein toner is stored inside the detachable device.

24. The detachable device according to claim 23 , wherein carrier particles are further stored inside the detachable device.

25. The detachable device according to claim 23 , wherein the container gear is at an end of a conveyor to convey the toner.

26. The detachable device according to claim 14 , wherein the detachable device is to be attached to the image forming apparatus in a vertical direction.

Assignees

• Kubota Tomohiro
• Nakatake Naoki
• Shimizu Yoshiyuki
• Tsuritani Shoh
• Hamada Manabu
• Tsuji Masato
• Fujita Masanari
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kubota Tomohiro
• Nakatake Naoki
• Shimizu Yoshiyuki
• Tsuritani Shoh
• Hamada Manabu
• Tsuji Masato
• Fujita Masanari

Classifications

• G03G15/0865 Primary

  Arrangements for supplying new developer · CPC title

• G03G15/0886 Primary

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

• G03G15/0891

  for conveying or circulating developer, e.g. augers · CPC title

• G03G21/1676

  for the developer unit · CPC title

• G03G21/1647 Primary

  Mechanical connection means · CPC title