Abstract: A receiving apparatus for a toner container has a toner cavity over which the containing portion of the container is slid. To prevent skiving of toner into the workings of the machine, a guide forces at least the leading part of the containing portion through a higher path with respect to the cavity as it moves over the cavity than the path it takes moving back to a position beside the cavity. A toner container for such a receiving apparatus includes a flange with extensions of the flange away from the container for cooperating with the guide of the apparatus.

Abstract: A developing apparatus including a developer housing for holding a two-component type developer including toner and a carrier, and a toner housing holding toner to be used to replenish the developer. The developer housing and toner housing are interconnected by a passageway shaped so that toner supplied to the developing housing and the developer contained therein form an interface adjacent to the passageway, in the developer housing. By so shaping the passageway, the amount of toner added to the developer can be adequately controlled, without the use of regulating devices.

Abstract: A toner cartridge is modified by the addition of a low toner sensing mechanism internal to the cartridge. An arm is pivotably mounted within the cartridge; the suspended end of the arm having a magnet secured thereto. When the cartridge is filled to a relatively high level with toner and rotated, the suspended arm is at least partially submerged in the toner bed and is subjected to a viscous drag force which moves the arm from the vertical position and prevents the arm from returning to the vertical or plumb orientation until a sufficiently low toner level occurs. At this point the arm is sufficiently free from the viscous drag effects of the rotating toner bed and attains a plumb position which brings it into alignment with a switching circuit which is closed by action of the proximate magnet. The switching circuitry generates signals which are used to produce a visible or audible signal to the operator, and/or which cause machine shut down to occur.

Abstract: The toner container (10) described has a bottom in the shape of a funnel, with a very deep toner storage region. The side walls of the container consist of flat surfaces, whereby at least one wall (12) of the container forms a support surface for the toner container (10). In order to prevent the adhesion of the toner on the walls of the container, said walls are sloped. The toner container (10) is emptied by means of a vertically movable suction spout arranged in a vertically movable manner. In this way, it can be used both as a transfer tank for fresh toner and as a collection tank for used toner.

Abstract: A toner cartridge comprises a cylindrical cartridge body having a toner discharge port formed in a part of a peripheral surface thereof along its longitudinal direction, a pivot shaft disposed at the axis of the body, and a toner pressure feeding member joined to the pivot shaft through a plurality of connecting rods and adapted to discharge toner contained in the body from the toner discharge port. The toner pressure feeding member is disposed in parallel with the pivot shaft. Connecting rods, which are not locate in a position corresponding to the toner discharge port, are diagonally disposed with respect to the pivot shaft with an end of each of the group of connecting rods joined with the pivot shaft situated at the side where they attach toner discharge port. The group of connecting rods are provided at the side of the to with a toner guiding portion. Thos connecting rods opposite the toner discharge port are perpendicular to the pivot shaft.

Abstract: A developer cartridge for supplying developer to a latent image developing device, comprising a container accommodating the developer therein and having a developer discharge opening, and a sealing member detachably adhered to the container to seal the opening, wherein an adhesion portion between the container and the sealing member includes an enclosure area surrounding the opening, a peeling force absorbing area, and a peeling force reducing area.

Abstract: A toner collecting device for collecting residual toner removed from an image retainer by a cleaning device after a toner image formed in the image retainer has been transferred to a sheet of paper. The toner collecting device has therein a conveyor device for carrying the residual toner. The conveyor device has its leading end portion disposed at a central portion of the toner collecting device. The upper surface of the toner collecting device has functions to guide transfer paper and to support a transfer electrode, and the leading end portion of the conveyor device is provided with a toner distributing diffusion blade member.

Abstract: A container for supplying toner to a receiving apparatus of a copier or printer includes a containing portion having an opening in its bottom. A cover for the opening is slidable between positions covering and uncovering the opening. The cover includes a hinge permitting rotating a major portion of the cover to an unprotruding position when the cover is not covering the opening.

Abstract: A toner cartridge is provided for use in replenishing toner to a toner storing section of an imaging machine, such as a copying machine, which uses toner to produce a visible image. The toner cartridge includes a container having an opening, a folded over seal member having one end fixed to the container and another end fixed to a roller, and means for winding up the seal member which includes a roller provided with a shaft. When the shaft is rotated, the seal member is peeled off the container to unseal its opening. The toner drops from the container into the toner storing section. The seal member can be easily peeled off from the container, and toner is kept from being spilled and from soiling the operator.

Abstract: A toner cartridge dispensing system is provided which is particularly useful for xerographically plotting documents of above average length, such as engineering drawings. In one embodiment, a modulated electronic input is scanned across a photoreceptor surface. The electronic input is monitored and data bits are counted to obtain a preview of how much information will be required to be developed. The dispensing cycle is controlled to dispense toner based on this prediction. As another feature, the recognition that the amount of toner dispensed from a toner cartridge lessens with each subsequent cycle results in a compensation by weighting the dispensing rate so that the dispensing cycle frequency is effecting increased by a factor consistent with the total number of dispense cycles already accomplished by the cartridge.

Abstract: A developing apparatus is provided for use in an electrophotographic apparatus. The developing apparatus includes a developer case in which a developer having a mixture of a toner and a carrier is stored, a developing roll which is located in the developer case and which is partially exposed to the outside of the developer case adjacent to a photosensitive drum, a front stirring roll which is located below the developing roll in the developer case to make a flow of developer in the developer case and below the developing roll, a rear stirring roll which is located rearwardly of the front stirring roll in the developer case to create a flow of developer in a direction opposite to the direction of flow of the developer produced by the front stirring roll, and a guide plate located between the front and rear stirring rolls for guiding most of the developer which falls form the developing roll towards the front stirring roll.

Abstract: A reproduction machine having a rotatable toner supply cartridge which dispenses toner into a developer sump, the cartridge being inclined at an angle with respect to the horizontal axis so as to dispense toner, assisted by gravity in controlled amounts only from the end of the cartridge extending beneath the horizontal.

Abstract: A toner cartridge for supplying a toner to a photo-copy machine and collecting a waste portion of the toner after a copy operation with the photo-copy machine, comprising; a cylindrical body for providing a supplement toner containing room and a waste toner collecting room by means of a separating wall inside, the separating wall for dividing the supplement toner containing room and the waste toner collecting room, an outlet being located on the wall of the cylindrical body at the side of the supplement toner containing room for supplying the toner contained in the room into the photo-copy machine, and an inlet being located on the wall of the cylindrical body at the side of the waste toner collecting room for collecting the waste portion of the toner from the photo-copy machine, in which the separating wall is angled so that its surface is leaned toward the supplement toner containing room or the waste toner collecting room.

Abstract: A toner cartridge comprising a toner container body having an opening and a mouth ring member provided at the opening. The mouth ring member has a bonding and non-bonding region where the sealing film is attached at the bonding region. A lid is supported under the sealing film by the non-bonding region in such a manner that when the sealing film is peeled off, the lid slides and allows the toner to dispense into the toner box.

Abstract: A developing device comprising: a developing magnet roller for feeding developer onto a photoreceptor; a shutter mechanism for switching from feeding developer to the developing magnet roller to suspending the above supply, or vice versa; a delivery magnet roller for receiving developer from the developing magnet roller and conveying it to a path leading to the shutter mechanism; a toner feed path for interconnecting a toner hopper disposed at the upper end of a main body of the developing device and the space above the shutter mechanism.

Abstract: A toner cartridge is modified so as to improve the dispensing of toner through discharge ports extending longitudinally along the cartridge. A flexible flap member is secured external to the cylinder and overlies the ports so as to prevent toner from exiting the ports except along the preferred dispense zone, e.g., from the 4 o'clock to the 8 o'clock position.

Abstract: A toner supply device for supplying a toner to a developing apparatus of an electrophotographic copier or similar image recorder is implemented by a cylindrical toner tank mounted on the apparatus and a toner cartridge filled with a toner and removably loaded in the toner tank. A hook-like yieldable stop is fitted on the toner tank, while lugs having contiguous inclined surface are provided on the toner cartridge for urging the stop when the cartridge is inserted into the tank. The stop and lugs allow only a toner cartridge of exclusive kind associated with the image recorder to be inserted into the toner tank.

Abstract: For decanting toner from a supply bottle into the toner reservoir, an under-pressure is generated in the toner reservoir with the assistance of an exhauster fan. The toner reservoir is connected via a flexible hose to a suction nozzle that can be inserted into the transport container. This suction nozzle is composed of an inside tube that is in communication with the flexible line and of an outside tube that completely surrounds the inside tube at a distance therefrom, this outside tube being open to the environment in its upper part and comprising toner entry openings in its lower part. The air flowing through draws the toner through the toner entry openings. The toner reservoir itself is divided into a settling space and into a suction space, these spaces being separated by a filter. The filter arcs under the influence of the flowing air stream. When it arcs back, the toner adhering thereto breaks off and falls into the settling space.

Abstract: A developer dispensing apparatus includes a coiled spring auger which is rotated through a developer bed in a direction to dispense developer through a dispensing opening. The spring auger has an unsupported free end which is non-fixedly placed over a hold down mechanism attached to one end of the developer housing and which projects inwardly into the toner bed. As the spring auger rotates a tendency of the free end to vertically rise from the developer is inhibited by making contact with the hold down mechanism. By proper configuration of the contacting surface of the hold down mechanism, a thumping or antibridging action is imparted to the toner by periodically causing the coiled end to wind and unwind storing and releasing energy along the developer bed length.

Abstract: An efficient, clean and inexpensive apparatus for adding fresh toner to a development station in an electrostatographic copier or printer includes a pivotable member for holding and transporting a container of such toner, without retouching, regrasping or directly rehandling such container, between a first position in which the container, substantially in an upright orientation, is non-slidably attachable to the pivotable member, and a second position in which the container is fully inverted over the development station automatically locating such container in place for toner therein to flow gravitationally into the development station.

Abstract: The invention provides a toner recovery device for collecting toner from a cleaning device into a recovery toner container. The device includes a toner conveyance, an operating lever and a shutter. The tone conveyance has a conveyance pipe whose base end portion is rotatably connected to the cleaning device and tip end portion with an outlet opening is detachably coupled to an inlet opening of the recovery toner container so that the tip end portion is pivotted around the base end portion so as to take the coupled position and the detached position. The operating lever is linked to the conveying pipe for pivotting the tip end portion between the coupled position and the detached position. The shutter is adapted to move on the conveying pipe interlockingly with the movement of the operating lever so that the shutter closes the outlet opening of the conveying pipe on the detached position and opens the outlet opening on the coupled position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus provided with a toner replenishing device attachable to a position of any one of a plurality of developing units. The toner replenishing device replenishes toner to another developing unit through the space of a developing unit to which the toner replenishing device is interchangeably attached.

Abstract: Apparatus for storing and dispensing particulate material comprising a container defining a chamber for storing particulate material having an opening in the surface for dispensing particulate material which may be closed and sealed.

Abstract: A toner cartridge, the cartridge having a first and second section. A toner material is located in the first section and maintained in the first section by a gasket. The gasket comprises a flexible substrate having attached to one surface thereof, a sealing material. The gasket is inserted between the first and second sections such that the substrate is in contact with the first section and the sealing material is preferably in contact with the second section. When the gasket is removed from the toner cartridge, toner material present in the first section is allowed to pass into the second section and into operable contact with a toner carrying apparatus operably connected to the second section of the toner cartridge.

Abstract: A second chamber containing a developer and a first chamber within which a developing roller for applying the developer to an image bearing member is arranged are partitioned by a flexible film. The second chamber includes a developer conveying member by which the developer is conveyed into the first chamber through an opening formed in the flexible film. The opening is formed by tearing the flexible film by means of a tear tape.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing material in which a housing is adapted to store a supply of material therein. The housing has an exit aperture for discharging the material therefrom. The exit aperture is sealed by inner and outer seals. The outer seal prevents access to the inner seal when the exit aperture is in a closed position. When the housing is moved from the closed position to an open position, the inner seal moves over the outer seal to an open position wherein the exit aperture is spaced from both the inner and outer seals so that material may be discharged therefrom.

Abstract: Dry toner removable developing cartridge of the disposable type, for electrophotographic printers, comprising a photoconductive drum, a donor sleeve contacting the photoconductive drum and partially housed in a developing tank having a stirrer for the developing material contained therein, the donor sleeve conveying to the photoconductive drum a predetermined amount of developing material, and a cylindrical reservoir, in communication with the development tank through a peripheral arc and containing radial diaphragms supported by a rotatable control shaft, which diaphragms define in the cylindrical reservoir a plurality of compartments in form of cylindrical sectors, filled with developing material, the sectors being sequentially brought into communication with the developing tank by rotation of the shaft and sequentially feeding the developing tank with developing material dropped from the compartments.

Abstract: A developing device for a copier has a cartridge detachably attached to its housing. An outlet and an inlet provided with lids connect the interiors of the cartridge and the housing but developing agent can be supplied from the cartridge to the housing only if the cartridge is properly attached to the housing because the outlet lid is otherwise not opened. When developing agent is deteriorated and to be discarded for replacement, a transporting unit is activated and deteriorated developing agent is collected into the cartridge through its inlet. A sensor for detecting toner concentration inside the housing controls the operation of the transporting unit. Mechanisms are also provided to warn the user if a cartridge which has already been used is inadvertently set.

Abstract: A developer reservoir in which a flexible seal member is separably bonded to the circumferential surface of an opening in a bottom portion of a reservoir body containing a developer for sealing the same opening. A portion extended from the bonded flexible seal member is spot-bonded on a plurality of portions of the bottom portion of the reservoir body so that when a considerably large pulling out force is applied to the seal member the seal member is separated first from the spot-bonded portions of the bottom portion of the reservoir body and then from the circumferential surface of the opening of the reservoir body. A sliding cover is also included below the seal member so that the sliding cover can be drawn in a right angle direction to the separating direction of the seal member.

Abstract: A toner replenishing device for replenishing toner to a toner storage area, from where the toner is supplied to a developing section, includes a holder for releasably holding a cartridge containing therein a quantity of toner, which may be located at a cartridge mounting and dismounting position and at a replenishing position, in which the cartridge is held substantially horizontally and driven to rotate thereby discharging the toner to a toner transporting path leading to the toner storage area. The cartridge is provided with a first mating member and the holder is provided with a second mating member corresponding in position and receiving the first mating member.

Abstract: A cartridge dispenser for dispensing toner through the use of a plurality of baffles positioned within the cartridge which serve to collect a prescribed amount of toner and dispense it during different strokes of oscillation of the cartridge.

Abstract: A latent electrostatic image developing device, including a cartridge loading section having an open top and a toner cartridge adapted to be removably loaded into the cartridge loading section. The cartridge loading section includes a pair of upwardly facing supporting shoulder surfaces extending longitudinally in laterally spaced-apart relationhsip, guiding side surfaces rising respectively from the outside edges of the shoulder surfaces, and a guiding rear surface extending between the rear ends of the guiding side surfaces. The guiding side surfaces respectively having holding protrusions provided at their front end portions. Engaging protrusions are provided behind of the holding protrusions at a predetermined distance therefrom. The toner cartridge includes a loading flange having side flange portions disposed in correspondence to the pair of shoulder surfaces and a closing member extending above the loading flange while surrounding both sides and the rear end thereof.

Abstract: In storing toner waste collected from the surface of an image carrier within an image forming apparatus, the toner waste is compressed within a container by a resilient cantilever member. A diaphragm located within the container expands through an opening of the container based on the pressure exerted on the diaphragm by the compressed toner waste. Upon traveling a predetermined distance, the diaphragm forces a switch to close which triggers an alarm indicating that the container is full of toner waste.

Abstract: A replaceable seal assembly (10) for a used Canon brand developer station (100) having a peripheral recess (106) created by the removal of the original toner reservoir seal; wherein, the seal assembly (10) having a seal unit (11) including a generally rigid seal member (13) having a generally flexible seal member (14); and, a bracket unit (12) which is adapted to frictionally engage the generally rigid seal member (13) relative to the peripheral recess (106); whereby, the seal unit (11) may be inserted and removed from said peripheral recess (106) in the course of recharging the developer station (100) with fresh toner.

Abstract: A copier wherein charge director is supplied to a liquid developer in response to a conductivity measurement thereof. Toner concentrate deficient in charge director is supplied to the liquid developer in response to an optical transmissivity measurement thereof. Conductivity is measured by a pair of spaced electrodes immersed in the developer and through which a variable alternating current is passed. A variable capacitor neutralizes the inherent capacitance of the electrodes. A phase sensitive detector is provided with a reference voltage having the same phase shift as that caused by capacitive effects. The conductivity measurement is corrected in response to a developer temperature measurement.

Abstract: A toner container is detachably attached to a developing device and used for supplying a developing agent held therein to the developing device. The toner container, after completing supply of the toner, is then detachably attached at a position suitable for recovering developing agent remaining on an electrostatic latent image carrier, and allowed to accommodate therein the recovered developing agent. A main body of the toner container accommodates the developing agent. A mouth is formed in the main body, and is adapted to effect supply or recovery of the developing container. A form-changing member effects a change in the form of the main body when the main body is attached in the position for recovery of the remaining developing agent to indicate that the toner container has already been used as a supply container.

Abstract: A developer apparatus for electrostatographic printing machine includes a developer assembly having a developer housing containing a developer sump, a developer exit port at the top portion of the sump to purge developer material and a removable developer waste sump for cooperative association with the developer exit port which includes a developer storage chamber, an opening through which developer may enter the chamber which is in developer receiving engagement with the developer exit port on the housing. The developer waste sump has at least one exhaust port above and in communication with the storage chamber to permit air which has any entrained toner removed therefrom to escape from the waste sump and including a pin on the bottom of the waste sump which is releasably secured to a fastening device on the housing.

Abstract: An improved toner module for use in an electrophotographic print engine. A decorator or developer roller with a rotatable core provides an apparatus for, and an improved method of, replacing developer. The decorator roller has a core that is partially magnetic and partially nonmagnetic. By rotating the decorator core to adjust the position of the non-magnetic portion of the decorator core, developer can be both removed and added without the use of any additional equipment. A mixing roller within the toner module provides for greater quantity of developer to be stored within the toner module. The disclosed toner module therefore has a greater capacity for storage of developer.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus which tranfers a toner image to a sheet in accordance with image information, a first connector, is fixed to the outside of a developing device which supplies a developing agent to the apparatus. The first connector electrically connects the body and the developing device. A second connector, adapted to be connected to the first connector, is fixed to a mounting portion for holding the developing device in the apparatus. When the developing device is attached to the mounting portion, the first and second connectors are connected to each other. The apparatus also includes a movable handle which would or would not allow a removable lid to fully close.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for filling toner from a transport container into a toner reservoir from where the toner is then supplied to a developing station of an electro-photographic printer or copying device contains a toner reservoir which is divided into a settling space and into a suction space. The settling space and the suction space are separated via a filter. For transferring the toner from a transport container into the toner reservoir, the transport container is connected to the settling space via a flexible line. An evacuation pump connected to the suction space generates an underpressure, whereby the toner settles on the filter means of the settling space. A metering device situated at the floor of the settling space conveys the toner to the developing station.

Abstract: A toner density control method and apparatus of a copying device for copying continuously from a plurality of documents onto recording sheets optically detect the density of a patch image of a reference density plate formed on the surface of a photosensitive drum of the copying device so as to control the toner density. The patch image is formed prior to formation of an image of a first one of a plurality of the documents, the density of the patch image is detected, and a toner replenishment amount during a copying operation of the plurality of documents is maintained constant on the basis of the detected density.

Abstract: The present invention provides a particle dispensing apparatus comprising, an elongate transport guide apertured along its length; a transport device within the guide for transporting particles introduced through an entrance port into the guide and along the guide until they fall through the apertures to the outside of the guide; an elastic plate is secured to the guide, has a shaped edge portion partially covered with the opening area of the aperture in the guide and the guide is supported so as to be free to move in response to vibratory forces.

Abstract: A process for maintaining the triboelectric stability of an electrophotographic developer composition, comprising:a. providing a first developer composition comprising first toner particles and virgin carrier particles;b. determining the tribo product of said first developer composition;c. providing an aged developer composition by subjecting said first developer composition to at least 5,000 electrophotographic imaging cycles, wherein the tribo product of said aged developer composition is from about 10 to about 200%.multidot..mu.C/g;d. determining the tribo product of said aged developer composition;e. providing a second developer composition comprising second toner particles and said virgin carrier particles;f. incorporating said second developer composition into an electrophotographic imaging device; andg.

Abstract: A toner collecting device for collecting residual toner removed from an image retainer by a cleaning device after a toner image formed on the image retainer has been transferred to a sheet of paper. The toner collecting device has therein a conveyor device for carrying the residual toner. The conveyor device has its leading end portion disposed at a central portion of the toner collecting device. The upper surface of the toner collecting device has functions to guide transfer paper and to support a transfer electrode, and the leading end portion of the conveyor device is provided with a toner distributing diffusion blade member.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a developing roller confronting an image support member for generating an electrostatic latent image on its surface, an accommodating tank for accommodating developing material therein, and a supply roller disposed to confront the developing roller so as to supply the developing material accommodated within the accommodating tank onto the developing roller, and is characterized in that a developing material supply width of the supply roller is smaller than the effective developing width of the developing sleeve.

Abstract: A refillable cartridge for a copier, laser printer or similar xerographic printing process device, is provided. A method of manufacture of the refillable cartridge is also provided. The cartridge of the invention includes an upper portion with an upper chamber for clean toner and includes a lower portion with a lower chamber for toner waste. The upper portion has a refill hole, opening into the upper chamber. The lower portion has a discharge hole opening into the lower chamber. The refill hole and the discharge hole have respective seal members. The method of manufacture of the cartridge includes the steps of mounting on a support a plastic cartridge having an upper portion with an upper chamber, forming a refill hole in the upper portion by using, for example a hot iron rod for heating the respective adjoining plastic portion until the refill hole is formed; and forming a discharge hole in the lower portion.

Abstract: An apparatus in which particles are dispensed from an open ended chamber of a container into a transport adapted to move the particles therefrom. The apparatus prevents the bridging and caking of particles in the chamber. A member, positioned in the chamber of the container in the region of the open end thereof, is in engagement with the transport. The member is resiliently coupled to the container and agitated as the transport moves the particles. This causes the springs resiliently coupling the member to the container to vibrate. As the springs vibrate, bridging and caking of the particles is prevented and the particles are dispensed from the open end of the chamber in the container.

Abstract: A toner cartridge mounted in a developing device for supplying toner includes a container which stores toner therein. One half of a doubled seal member is stuck to an open portion of the container, and the other half is fixed to a take-up roller which is journalled to the container. A cover is slidably mounted to the container to open and close the open portion of the latter. A rack which is provided on the inner surface of the cover is held in mesh with a gear which is integral with the take-up roller.

Abstract: A development station for a low cost copier or printer has a housing having walls that divide the housing into two separate chambers. The first chamber contains a developer mix including carrier particles and toner. The second chamber holds a supply of toner particles. The second chamber holds a single supply of fresh toner particles that are periodically metered to the first chamber. The second chamber is fully enclosed and sealed so that the supply of toner in the second chamber cannot be replenished. A plate in the second chamber rests on top of the toner supply and urges the toner downwardly in the chamber as the toner supply is delivered to the first chamber. When the toner supply is exhausted, the plate blocks the passageway for toner from the second chamber to the first chamber. Thus, if an opening is formed in the top of the second chamber and a new supply of toner is provided to the chamber through the opening, the plate prevents delivery of the new toner supply to the first chamber.

Abstract: The invention is a single component development system including a housing with a sump containing a supply of toner, an ultrasonic transducer having one end extending into the source of the toner and the other end disposed adjacent a photoreceptor, and a current source electrically connected to the ultrasonic transducer to charge the toner and move the toner from the sump to the photoreceptor.