Supplying New Toner Patents (Class 399/258)
  • Patent number: 9360796
    Abstract: A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner and an outlet for exiting toner from the housing. A channel in fluid communication with the outlet has an inlet positioned between the first end and the second end of the reservoir. A rotatable auger is positioned along the channel. Paddles extend from a rotatable shaft in the reservoir. A first set of one or more paddles are positioned between a first end of the reservoir and the inlet of the channel and a second set of one or more paddles are positioned between a second end of the reservoir and the inlet of the channel. The first and second sets of paddles are angled to direct toner away from the first end and the second end of the reservoir, respectively, and toward the inlet of the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Craig Leemhuis
  • Patent number: 9354550
    Abstract: A developer supply container includes a developer accommodating chamber configured to accommodate developer, a feeding portion configured and positioned to feed the developer in the developer accommodating chamber by rotation thereof, and a developer discharging chamber provided with a discharge opening configured to permit discharging of the developer fed by the feeding portion. In addition, a rotatable gear rotates the feeding portion, a pump portion acts upon at least the developer discharging chamber, with the pump portion having a volume which changes with reciprocation, and a drive converting portion converts a rotational force generated by rotation of the gear to a force for operating the pump portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuya Murakami, Toshiaki Nagashima, Fumio Tazawa, Ayatomo Okino, Yusuke Yamada
  • Patent number: 9354600
    Abstract: A process cartridge includes: a developer cartridge; and a photosensitive-member cartridge. A casing of the photosensitive-member cartridge includes: a photosensitive-member accommodating portion; and a cartridge-accommodating portion disposed next to the photosensitive-member accommodating portion in a first direction. The cartridge-accommodating portion includes a first wall and a first portion. The first wall extends in the first direction and confronts the developer cartridge in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The first wall has a first end and a second end positioned farther away from the photosensitive-member accommodating portion in the first direction than the first end from the photosensitive-member accommodating portion. The first portion extends from the second end in the second direction and protrudes further than the developer cartridge in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Mori
  • Patent number: 9354542
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes at least one developing device which may include a photoconductor and a developing roller, a light source configured to generate light to form an electrostatic latent image, a light scanner including a light window through which the light generated by the light source is transmitted, a shutter configured to open or close the light window, and a pressure member moved in response to the opening or closing operation of the shutter or the contact or separation between the photoconductor and the developing roller. The image forming apparatus can easily control the shutter without additional structures, resulting in implementation of a simplified structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ho Gun You
  • Patent number: 9348301
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an LED unit capable of being in an exposing position or a retracted position, and a cartridge capable of being inserted into or pulled out with the LED unit in the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidehiro Ushiozu, Yuji Mitsui, Keita Nakajima, Koji Miwa
  • Patent number: 9348261
    Abstract: A developer supply container detachably mountable to a developer receiving apparatus, the developer supply container includes an accommodating portion for accommodating a developer; a discharge opening for discharging the developer accommodated in the accommodating portion from the developer supply container; a developer feeding portion for feeding the developer in the accommodating portion toward the discharge opening; a rotatable drive receiving portion for receiving a rotational force; a drive transmitting portion for transmitting the rotational force received by the drive receiving portion to the feeding portion; a portion-to-be-detected for detecting rotation of the drive receiving portion; a contact surface for contacting a rotatable member provided in the developer receiving apparatus; wherein the drive receiving portion, the portion-to-be-detected and the contact are formed integrally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Enokuchi, Manabu Jimba, Ayatomo Okino
  • Patent number: 9335660
    Abstract: A developer case includes a case main body and a carrier tank. The case main body includes a toner containing space and a merging space. The toner containing space contains a toner. The merging space communicates to the toner containing space. The carrier tank is attachably/detachably installed to the case main body. The carrier tank includes a carrier containing space. The carrier containing space contains a carrier and communicates to the merging space. The toner conveyed from the toner containing space and the carrier conveyed from the carrier containing space are merged with each other in the merging space and discharged to an outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuhiko Yoshii
  • Patent number: 9329527
    Abstract: A toner case includes a case main body, a toner discharge outlet, an opening/closing member, a lever member, and a lock member. The case main body can be attached to and detached from an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus and store toner. The toner discharge outlet is formed on the case main body. The opening/closing member can be moved between an opening position and a closing position. The lever member can be operated between first and second operation positions. The lock member can be moved between: a lock position to abut on the opening/closing member and the lever member, lock the opening/closing member to the closing position and lock the lever member to the first operation position; and an unlock position to be separated from the opening/closing member and the lever member and allow the opening/closing member and the lever member to be released from locks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Takashi Morita
  • Patent number: 9329529
    Abstract: A system with a container including a protrusion, and a receiver to receive the container. The receiver includes a slide block that is movable relative to a body of the receiver, the slide block including two surfaces, a first surface, initially contacted by the protrusion of the container during insertion of the container into the receiver, having a first slope to resist movement of the container towards the receiver, and a second surface, subsequently contacted by the protrusion of the container during the insertion of the container into the receiver, having a second slope to interact with the protrusion of the container to assist movement of the container towards the receiver. This construction provides the user with a changing insertion force to indicate proper mounting of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuo Takami, Noriyuki Kimura, Eisuke Hori, Hideki Kimura, Kenji Kikuchi, Yuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9323177
    Abstract: A developer supply container includes a developer accommodating chamber configured to accommodate developer, a feeding portion configured and positioned to feed the developer in the developer accommodating chamber by rotation thereof, and a developer discharging chamber provided with a discharge opening configured to permit discharging of the developer fed by the feeding portion. In addition, a rotatable gear rotates the feeding portion, a pump portion acts upon at least the developer discharging chamber, with the pump portion having a volume which changes with reciprocation, and a drive converting portion converts a rotational force generated by rotation of the gear to a force for operating the pump portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuya Murakami, Toshiaki Nagashima, Fumio Tazawa, Ayatomo Okino, Yusuke Yamada
  • Patent number: 9316944
    Abstract: A toner cartridge for use with a developer unit of an image forming device includes a housing having a front, a rear, a top, a bottom, a first side and a second side. The housing has a reservoir for holding toner. An outlet port is positioned on the housing for transferring toner from the reservoir to the developer unit. An alignment slot on the front of the housing is open at a bottom end of the alignment slot to receive an alignment pin of the developer unit. The alignment slot has a width that narrows from the bottom end of the alignment slot to a middle section of the slot and that widens from the middle section of the alignment slot to a top end of the alignment slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle Bradley Martin, Randal Scott Williamson, David Lee Merrifield
  • Patent number: 9298131
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes plural developing devices, plural developer containers, and plural developer transport devices. The plural developing devices are arranged side-by-side in a first direction. The plural developer containers contain developer and have discharge ports disposed between the plural developing devices in the first direction. The plural developer transport devices transport the developer from the plural developer containers to the plural developing devices. The plural developer transport devices include respective transport portions arranged side-by-side. Through at least one of the transport portions, the developer is transported from a corresponding one of the discharge ports in a direction opposite to a direction in which the developer is transported from the other discharge ports through the other transport portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuji Matsumoto, Kenichi Shimada
  • Patent number: 9298132
    Abstract: A supplying apparatus includes a supply container including an accommodating portion configured to accommodate a developer, a discharge opening configured to discharge the developer out of the accommodating portion, and an expansion-and-contraction portion having a variable inside volume. The developer is supplied from the supply container through the discharge opening using an inside pressure variation of the supply container caused by expansion and contraction of the expansion-and-contraction portion. In addition, a receiving portion receives the developer supplied from the supply container and forms a feeding path along which the developer is fed, and a decomposing member is non-rotatably fixed at a position opposing, in a vertical direction, the discharge opening in the receiving portion and collides with free falling developer through the discharge opening to decompose the developer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideaki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9291989
    Abstract: A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one embodiment includes a housing having a top, a bottom, a front, and a rear positioned between a first side and a second side of the housing. The housing has a reservoir for storing toner. A rotatable shaft is positioned within the reservoir and has an axis of rotation. A magnet in the reservoir is movable in response to rotation of the shaft. An engagement member is positioned on an exterior of the top of the housing. The engagement member is aligned with a point in a path of movement of the magnet in the reservoir. The engagement member has a front surface that is unobstructed to contact and push a housing in the image forming device supporting a magnetic sensor to an operating position of the magnetic sensor during insertion of the replaceable unit into the image forming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Scott Carpenter
  • Patent number: 9285765
    Abstract: A developer supply cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes: a developer accommodating portion; a shutter portion movable between a closed position and an open position; and a movable portion for moving the shutter portion. The movable portion is movable between a first position where the shutter portion is positioned in the closed position. The movable portion performs a preventing operation for preventing movement thereof to the first position by engagement thereof with an engaging portion, provided in the main assembly side, when the movable portion is positioned in the second position during movement of the developer supply cartridge to the main assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Anan, Teruhiko Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9274455
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a replaceable container having toner stored therein includes: an image forming unit including an accumulating unit for accumulating developer containing toner and configured to form an image by using the developer in the accumulating unit; a measurement unit configured to measure a toner density in the accumulating unit; a portion to which the container is attached; a supplementing unit configured to supplement the toner from the attached container to the accumulating unit; and a controller configured to control the supplementing unit based on first information corresponding to a difference between the toner density and a target toner density and second information corresponding to an accumulated value obtained by accumulating differences, wherein the second information does not change in a period from replacement of the container by another container until a predetermined number of times of supplement is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shusuke Miura, Jiro Shirakata, Takayuki Iikura
  • Patent number: 9274456
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing roller, a developer supply path, a developer conveyance path, a supply-side conveying member and an agitating-side conveying member. The developing roller is rotatably supported in the housing. The developer supply path is arranged along the developing roller. The developer conveyance path is arranged along the developer supply path. The supply-side conveying member is a conveying member arranged in the developer supply path and includes a first receiving portion arranged to face the communication path at an upstream side in the first direction and configured to receive the developer from the developer conveyance path, and has a hollow spiral shape at a side downstream of the first receiving portion. The agitating-side conveying member is a conveying member arranged in the developer conveyance path and includes a first transferring portion arranged to face the first receiving portion at a downstream side in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Yamagishi, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Masaki Hayashi, Eiji Nimura, Koji Kuramashi
  • Patent number: 9268254
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit for accommodating a developer, a rotatable member, rotatable in the developing unit, for stirring the developer, and a pressure-detecting portion for detecting a pressure applied by the rotatable member and for outputting a voltage signal corresponding to the pressure. The pressure-detecting portion is provided on the wall surface perpendicular to the rotational axis direction of the rotatable member in the developing unit. In addition, a discriminating portion discriminates an amount of the developer in the developing unit on the basis of a change in the voltage signal outputted from the pressure-detecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masafumi Monde, Toshikazu Tsuchiya, Hidetoshi Hanamoto, Tsutomu Ishida
  • Patent number: 9268259
    Abstract: A toner cartridge is supported on a supporting apparatus and includes a chamber that holds toner therein. A shutter has a first engagement portion and is slidably mounted on the toner cartridge and is configured to open and close the opening. A second engagement portion is formed on a body of the toner cartridge. The supporting apparatus includes a supporting surface that supports the toner cartridge thereon. A first limiting element limits movement of the toner cartridge in an insertion direction of the toner cartridge. A stopper limits movement of the shutter in the insertion direction when the toner cartridge is inserted into the supporting apparatus. A second limiting element engages the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion to limit movement of the toner cartridge in a pull-out direction of the toner cartridge and movement of the shutter in the pull-out direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yukiyoshi Oda
  • Patent number: 9261851
    Abstract: A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes an elongated body extending along a lengthwise dimension between a front and a rear of the body. The body has a reservoir for holding toner. The body includes an extension downward from the bottom of the body near the rear of the body. The extension has a downward chute formed therein in fluid communication with the reservoir. A rear face of the extension is unobstructed to receive a bias force in a forward direction toward the front of the body along the lengthwise dimension. An outlet port on the bottom of the extension is in fluid communication with the chute for transferring toner out of the reservoir. The replaceable unit may include a positioning bump on the bottom of the body at a rearmost position on the bottom of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Craig Leemhuis, James Daniel Anderson, Jr., Charles Alan Bast
  • Patent number: 9244382
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a bottle which is detachably mounted on an apparatus body to store toner; a shutter which is disposed on the bottle to open and close a discharge port which discharges the toner; and a shutter slider which is disposed in the apparatus body to open and close the shutter by engaging therewith along with an insertion operation of the bottle. The shutter slider is disposed to be movable from a first position, which allows the shutter to be located at a closed position at which the discharge port is closed by the shutter when the bottle is mounted on the apparatus body, to a second position, in which the discharge port is to be opened and closed by the shutter along with an operation of attaching and detaching the bottle to and from the apparatus body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuyuki Yamamoto, Takao Nakajima
  • Patent number: 9244381
    Abstract: In one example, a toner container for an electrophotographic printer includes a toner supply reservoir having a capacity sufficient to store enough toner to print a minimum number of pages that corresponds to a predetermined expected useful life of the printer. In another example, a toner container for an electrophotographic printer includes a toner supply reservoir that, when the container is installed in the printer, extends longitudinally a distance greater than the distance between the light source and the photoconductor and laterally substantially the full axial length of the photoconductor. In another example, a toner container for an electrophotographic printer includes an opening for the imaging light beam and a toner supply reservoir that includes a lower chamber extending laterally under the opening and an upper chamber connected to the lower chamber along both sides of the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Richard L Swantner, Robin P Yergenson, Dean J Richtsmeier
  • Patent number: 9229364
    Abstract: A developer supply container includes a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer, a discharge opening for permitting discharging of the developer from the developer accommodating portion, a drive inputting portion for receiving a driving force, and a pump portion. The pump portion is driven by the driving force received by the drive inputting portion to alternate an internal pressure of the developer accommodating portion between a pressure lower than an ambient pressure and a pressure higher than the ambient pressure. In addition, a regulating portion regulates a position of the pump portion at a start of operation of the pump portion so that in an initial operational period of the pump portion, air is taken into the developer accommodating portion through the discharge opening, and a nozzle portion connected to the pump portion and has an opening at an end that is disposed adjacent to the discharge opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuya Murakami, Toshiaki Nagashima, Fumio Tazawa, Ayatomo Okino, Yusuke Yamada, Nobuo Nakajima, Tetsuo Isomura
  • Patent number: 9229360
    Abstract: An eletrophotographic image forming apparatus may include a developing unit; a toner buffer unit which feeds a toner to the developing unit, and includes an agitating member agitating the toner contained inside the toner buffer unit and a first carrying member carrying the toner contained inside the toner buffer unit to the developing unit; a toner cartridge which feeds the toner to the toner buffer unit, and includes a second carrying member carrying the toner contained inside the toner cartridge to the toner buffer unit; and a control unit which controls a first driving unit driving the second carrying member and a second driving unit driving the agitating member and the first carrying member, and the control unit includes a first feed mode, a second feed mode and a toner supplement mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun-cheol Lee, Dae-ho Kim, Jin-hong Kim
  • Patent number: 9229369
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner case, an apparatus main body and a cover. The toner case includes a case main body, a shutter and a manipulation portion. The case main body has a discharge port configured to discharge a toner. The shutter opens/closes the discharge port. The manipulation portion is movable between a first position to make the shutter open the discharge port and a second position to make the shutter close the discharge port. To the apparatus main body, the toner case is detachably attached. The cover is openably/closably attached to the apparatus main body. The cover includes an interfering member. The interfering member is movable between an interfering position where the interfering member interferes with the manipulation portion being in the second position and an interference release position where the interfering member does not interfere with the manipulation portion being in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Takeshi Iketani
  • Patent number: 9213262
    Abstract: A developer supply container includes a developer accommodating portion for accommodating developer; a discharge opening for discharging the developer from said developer accommodating portion; a pump portion capable of changing an internal pressure of said developer accommodating portion so as to discharge the developer through said discharge opening; a venting portion for permitting venting between an inside and an outside of said developer accommodating portion while preventing flowing of the developer out of said developer accommodating portion; and a ventilation blocking portion for blocking venting of said venting portion at least when said pump portion operates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiaki Nagashima, Katsuya Murakami, Fumio Tazawa, Ayatomo Okino, Yusuke Yamada
  • Patent number: 9207577
    Abstract: A toner cartridge for use in an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for containing toner therein. The housing has an exit port in fluid communication with the reservoir. A shutter is positioned at the exit port that is movable between an open position and a closed position. The shutter is biased toward the closed position. A linkage is operatively connected to the shutter to open the shutter upon being actuated by a first engagement feature in the image forming device. An interlock is operatively engaged with the linkage and biased toward a locked position preventing the linkage from opening the shutter. The interlock is movable to an unlocked position that is disengaged with the linkage when the interlock is actuated by a second engagement feature in the image forming device permitting the linkage to open the shutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Keith Newman, Matthew Lee Rogers, Christopher Gene Vowels
  • Patent number: 9207575
    Abstract: A developer container includes: an accommodating frame, provided with an opening through which a developer is passable, for accommodating the developer; a first shutter and a second shutter which are movable between an open position where the opening opens and a closed position where the opening is closed; a first lever, provided on the first shutter, for moving the first shutter by being urged and moved; and a second lever, provided on the second shutter, for moving the second shutter by being urged and moved. Each of the first shutter and the second shutter is moved from the closed position to the open position by moving the first shutter and the second shutter in mutually spacing direction to open the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9195210
    Abstract: A developer container includes: a developer accommodating chamber provided with an opening; a first shutter, including a first portion-to-be-urged, movable between a closing position and an opening position; a second shutter, including a second portion-to-be-urged and being provided outside the first shutter with respect to the opening, movable between a closing position and an opening position; and a partitioning portion provided so as to block between the first and second portions-to-be-urged along moving ranges of the first and second portions-to-be-urged. Movement distances, when the first and second shutters are moved simultaneously from the closing positions, of the first and second shutters from the closing positions to the opening positions are different from each other so that after one of said first and second shutters reaches the opening position, the other shutter is moved to the opening position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9195171
    Abstract: A toner case is directly or indirectly connected to a housing 31 that contains toner at a first connection portion 43 and a second connection portion 44, and includes: a bracket portion 33 that is formed so as to link the first connection portion 43 and the second connection portion 44; protrusions 51 and 52 that are formed on the bracket portion 33, allow for attachment of the housing 31 to an apparatus body of a specific model, and do not allow for attachment of the housing 31 to the apparatus body of other models except for the specific model; and a functional member 55 that is installed on the bracket portion 33 and that fulfills a predetermined function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Takashi Morita
  • Patent number: 9195170
    Abstract: A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes: a frame; a flexible container, provided with an opening at a side thereof and provided inside the frame, for accommodating a developer; and a feeding member, provided below the flexible container and provided between the flexible container and the frame, for feeding the developer. The feeding member is capable of discharging the developer discharged through the opening of the flexible container into between the flexible container and the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Batori
  • Patent number: 9195173
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer to carry by rotation developer to a development range facing a latent image bearer, a developer container to contain developer and having a pressure-release vent to discharge air from the developer container to outside the developing device, and a filter provided to the pressure-release vent to inhibit developer from being discharged through the pressure-release vent. The filter includes a porous fluoroplastic film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Ogawa, Atsushi Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 9188949
    Abstract: A support member that supports developer cartridges is configured to be moved in a predetermined direction between a mounted position and a pulled-out position. A moving mechanism is configured to move a supply member in the developer cartridge between a communication position and an interrupt position when the support member is in the mounted position. When the supply member is in the communication position, a supply opening and a reception opening are in communication with each other and the support member is incapable of moving in the predetermined direction. When the supply member is in the interrupt position, the supply member is moved away from a corresponding image forming unit in the axial direction to interrupt communication between the supply opening and the reception opening and the support member is movable toward the pulled-out position in the predetermined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Hiroshi Igarashi
  • Patent number: 9182704
    Abstract: A developer conveyance device includes a developer reservoir for containing developer, and a positive-displacement pump to alternately generate positive pressure and negative pressure by varying a volume of space therein to transport developer from the developer reservoir to a destination. When Qp represents a volume of developer moved by a single pumping action of the pump, calculated by multiplying a maximum flow amount of the pump per unit time by an operation time of the pump; Qd represents a volume of developer contained in the developer reservoir; and Qe represents a volume of developer present in a virtual columnar space defined by vertically raising the developer outlet to a level of developer contained in the developer reservoir, either Qp>Qd or Qp>Qe is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Matsumoto, Kiyonori Tsuda, Nobuo Takami, Yutaka Takahashi, Kentaro Mikuniya
  • Patent number: 9182733
    Abstract: A developer supply cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes: a developer accommodating portion; a shutter portion movable between a closed position and an open position; and a movable portion for moving the shutter portion. The movable portion is movable between a first position where the shutter portion is positioned in the closed position. When the movable portion is positioned in a position other than a first position provided in an apparatus main assembly side of an image forming apparatus before being engaged with the first engaging portion, the movable portion is moved, until being engaged with the first engaging portion, to the first position by engagement thereof with a second engaging portion provided in the accommodate main assembly side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadashi Horikawa, Sadaaki Tani, Takahito Ueno
  • Patent number: 9182702
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner container. The toner container includes an opening/closing portion and an operation portion. The image forming apparatus includes a drive transmission portion and a detection portion. When the lever of the operation portion is swingingly operated, the operation driving force of the operation is transmitted to the opening/closing portion via a first rotation portion and a second rotation portion. This allows a shutter cylinder to move from a closing position to an opening position. In addition, when the second rotation portion is rotated, a detected bar of the detection portion moves from a second position to a first position. The detection portion detects that a toner discharge outlet is opened, by detecting that the detected bar has moved to the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Atsuhiro Wakimoto
  • Patent number: 9176423
    Abstract: A developer container includes: a developer container body including a developer supply port and a first shutter movement restriction groove on a surface of the developer container body; a shutter member movable from a close position to an open position of the developer supply port, the shutter member including a second shutter movement restriction groove such that the first and second shutter restriction grooves define a guide path when the shutter member closes the developer supply port at the close position; and a restriction member movable in the guide path and configured, when the restriction member is positioned in both the first and second shutter movement restriction grooves depending on an inclination of the developer container body, to prevent the shutter member from moving from the close position to the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Atsushi Ota
  • Patent number: 9164421
    Abstract: A first shutter covers a first supply port formed in an outer peripheral surface of a main body, and can move in an outer peripheral direction along the outer peripheral surface of the main body. A pair of guiding members respectively formed on both ends of the first shutter guide the first shutter in the outer peripheral direction. A lock mechanism fixes the first shutter to achieve a closed state of the first supply port. The lock mechanism includes a protrusion provided to the first shutter, the protrusion being capable of engaging with a recess formed in the outer peripheral surface. Fixing by the lock mechanism is released when the protrusion elastically deforms and is disengaged from the recess. The protrusion, the recess, and the first supply port are disposed along a virtual curve between the pair of guiding members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Hideji Hayashi, Kengo Asai
  • Patent number: 9164427
    Abstract: A powder accommodation container includes an accommodation container body that accommodates powder, a transport member and a discharge port. The transport member is arranged in an inside of the accommodation container body, rotates about a rotating shaft, and transports powder in the inside of the accommodation container body. The discharge port is provided on the accommodation container body and discharges the powder accommodated in the accommodation container body to an outside of the accommodation container body. The transport member includes a first transport piece transporting the powder toward the discharge port at a position corresponding to the discharge port, and a second transport piece arranged on a downstream side in a rotating direction of the rotating shaft than the first transport piece. The second transport piece has a length that is in non-contact with the inner surface at an immediate downstream of the discharge port in the rotating direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akihiro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9141029
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus is provided. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a main body having an opening; a developing cartridge, detachably installed in the main body through the opening in a first direction, which includes a photosensitive drum and a cleaning member for removing a toner remaining in the photosensitive drum; and a toner recycle unit, detachably installed in the developing cartridge through the opening in the first direction, which recovers the toner removed by the cleaning member, filters the recovered toner, and supplies the toner again to the developing cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jong-in Kim, Dong-uk Kim, Ki-hyun Yoo
  • Patent number: 9116468
    Abstract: A powder storage container capable of preventing erroneous opening of a powder loading port. The powder storage container includes a powder storage part configured to store a developer used for image forming, a powder discharge part provided on one end part of the powder storage part to discharge the developer stored in the powder storage part, a gripping part protruding through an end face of the one end part side of the powder storage part, a powder loading port causing an inner space of the powder storage part and an outer portion of the powder storage part to communicate with each other, and a sealing member capable of sealing the powder loading port. The powder loading port is enclosed by the gripping part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Seiji Terazawa, Atsushi Inoue, Kaori Mitsuishi, Yuki Oshikawa, Tadashi Hayakawa, Michitaka Sasaki, Hiroyuki Iwasa
  • Patent number: 9116466
    Abstract: A cartridge includes: a toner chamber; and a toner supplying chamber for supplying a toner through a developer supply opening communicating with the toner chamber. The toner chamber includes: a feeding portion, including a rotatable member and a feeding sheet connected with the rotatable member, for feeding the toner from the toner chamber to the toner supplying chamber; and a toner seal member, including a first end portion and a second end portion, for unsealing the toner supply opening by being wound up by the rotatable member. During start of unsealing of the toner supply opening, the feeding portion is located below a powder surface of the toner with respect to a direction of gravitation, and the feeding sheet is located in a position where the feeding sheet is contactable to an inner wall of the toner chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Makiguchi, Yoshiyuki Batori, Ryuta Murakami, Toshiaki Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 9110403
    Abstract: A toner-container support unit is provided. The toner-container support unit includes: a toner container housing toner; a container mount including an internal space to accommodate the toner container; a toner-container receiver which is provided on an internal end side of the internal space of the container mount; a positioning hole formed on the back end surface of the toner container; a positioning pin provided in the toner-container receiver; a retracting assembly retracting a back end portion of the toner container to a toner-container receiver side when inserting the toner container into the container mount; and an inclination stopper which prevents the inclination of the toner container when the back end portion of the toner container is retracted by the retracting assembly toward the toner-container receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Fujimori, Hideki Kosugi, Tatsuya Kubo, Kentaro Nodera, Shinnosuke Koshizuka, Teppei Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 9091961
    Abstract: A movable member installed in a bottom portion of a housing is configured such that, if the amount of a toner existing within the housing is equal to or larger than a predetermined amount, the movable member lies down in a lying-down position where the movable member extends along an inner wall surface of the bottom portion of the housing and, if the amount of the toner existing within the housing is less than the predetermined amount, the movable member moves from the lying-down position to a protruding position where at least a portion of the movable member protrudes from the inner wall surface of the bottom portion of the housing. A stirring sheet is configured such that, if the stirring sheet moves in a state that an engaging portion engages with the movable member, the base end portion of the stirring sheet is detached from the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Takeshi Iketani
  • Patent number: 9086652
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an insertion entrance through which a toner container is inserted, and an entrance peripheral wall surrounding the insertion entrance and including an upper wall and a projecting bottom wall projecting beyond the upper wall to an upstream side in an insertion direction in which the toner container is inserted. The toner container includes a toner outlet in a substantially center portion of a bottom of the toner container in a width direction perpendicular to the insertion direction and a shutter to open and close the toner outlet. A recess recessed in the insertion direction is provided in a center portion of the projecting bottom wall in the width direction, and the recess in the projecting bottom wall is longer than the shutter in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Goro Katsuyama
  • Patent number: 9069288
    Abstract: Toner housing container includes: container body mountable on toner conveying device and housing toner supplied into toner conveying device; conveying portion provided in container body and conveying toner from longer direction one end of container body to other end at which container opening portion is provided; pipe receiving port provided at container opening portion and receiving conveying pipe fixed to toner conveying device; and uplifting portion to move toner conveyed by conveying portion toward toner receiving port of conveying pipe. Toner has loose apparent density of 0.28 g/cm3 to 0.53 g/cm3. Container body includes protruding portion protruding from container body interior side of container opening portion toward one end. Uplifting portion includes uplifting wall surface extending from internal wall surface of container body toward protruding portion, and curving portion curving to conform to protruding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Kojima, Junichi Awamura, Tsuneyasu Nagatomo, Shingo Sakashita, Tomoki Murayama, Masaya Fukuda, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Katoh, Shinji Tamaki, Hiroshi Ikeguchi, Kenji Kikuchi, Michiharu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9063458
    Abstract: A toner container includes a toner container body having a toner chamber for housing a toner inside, a toner discharge port provided at one end of the toner container body, a cover portion having front edge and rear edge. The toner container also includes a projection provided near the discharge port and at one end of a top surface of the cover portion in a longitudinal direction, wherein a height of a surface of the projection facing the rear edge is declined towards the rear edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tsutomu Sato
  • Patent number: 9063465
    Abstract: Disclosed is a toner cartridge. The toner cartridge comprises a rotary container body, a toner discharge port, a sealing component, a connection component and a transmission component. The toner discharge port is placed on the rotary container body. The sealing component is placed inside the toner discharge port. The connection component is slide-connected with the toner discharge port. The transmission component is slide-connected with the connection component. When the transmission component is driven to rotate, it drives the connection component, the toner discharge port, and the rotary container body to rotate together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: PRINT-RITEā€¢ UNICORN IMAGE PRODUCTS CO., LTD. OF ZHUHAI
    Inventors: Zongqian Huang, Honghui Zhou
  • Patent number: 9057985
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a development device, a supply developer container, a supply developer supply member, a toner density detecting portion, and a controller. The controller controls an image formation condition based on first information regarding a humidity of the developer accommodated in the developing device, second information regarding a humidity of the developer accommodated in the supply device, and third information regarding a supply amount supplied by the supply device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigeru Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20150147095
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner case, an apparatus main body and a cover. The toner case includes a case main body, a shutter and a manipulation portion. The case main body has a discharge port configured to discharge a toner. The shutter opens/closes the discharge port. The manipulation portion is movable between a first position to make the shutter open the discharge port and a second position to make the shutter close the discharge port. To the apparatus main body, the toner case is detachably attached. The cover is openably/closably attached to the apparatus main body. The cover includes an interfering member. The interfering member is movable between an interfering position where the interfering member interferes with the manipulation portion being in the second position and an interference release position where the interfering member does not interfere with the manipulation portion being in the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Takeshi IKETANI