82results about How to "Prevent Toner Leakage" patented technology

A toner container for installation in a toner supply device is provided. The toner container includes a toner accommodation member and a cap member freely attachable to and detachable from the toner accommodation member. The toner accommodation member includes a bag member having an opening, and a connection member attached to the opening of the bag member and having a toner supply opening. The cap member is configured to receive toner supplied from the toner supply opening of the connection member of the toner accommodation member and to discharge the received toner. Either of the connection member of the toner accommodation member and the cap member includes a groove part and the other includes a protrusion part to engage with the groove part, and the cap member is attached to the toner accommodation member by engaging the groove part and the protrusion part with each other. The protrusion part elastically deforms to engage with the groove part.

A toner cartridge and a process cartridge, individually, have a shutter which makes sliding movement by opening and closing their toner inlet and toner outlet. When those cartridges are attached to a color printer and fixed together by a fixing lever, the shutters of both cartridges and the fixing lever can move together as one. When they make sliding movement together, both of the shutters are opened and toner supply becomes available. There are thus realized a toner cartridge, a process cartridge, an imaging cartridge, and an image forming apparatus to which those cartridges are attachable, all of which can prevent toner leakage from both a toner housing portion and a process portion and enables even an unaccustomed user to attach each cartridge without making surroundings dirty.

A toner cartridge (20) has a shutter (40) adapted to be changed between a closed posture (S1) and an open posture (S1) for opening a toner supply port (322), a lever (50) to be operated manually to change the posture of the shutter (40), and a postural-change restriction mechanism (60) for controlling a postural change of the shutter (40). The postural-change restriction mechanism (60) includes a lock groove (53) in the lever (50), and a restriction pawl (62) integrally formed with a cartridge body (30). The restriction pawl (62) engages the lock groove (53) when the lever (50) is operated to set the shutter (40) in the closed posture (S1), to block a postural change of the shutter (40), and to be elastically deformed when the cartridge body (30) is attached to a development device, in a manner to allow the postural change.

A developing device includes a developing container, provided with an opening, for containing a developer; a developing roller, provided at the opening, for forming a developer image on an image bearing member; a seal member, provided at the opening along an end portion of the developing roller, for preventing toner leakage from a gap between the opening and the developing roller; and a developer supplying roller, including a core material and a cylindrical elastic member which is provided around the core material and is contacted to the developing roller, for supplying the developer to the developing roller. The cylindrical elastic member has an end surface and a central portion with respect to a longitudinal direction thereof. The end surface has an outer diameter larger than that of the central portion so as to be in non-contact with the seal member.

A toner supplying container has a container body having a toner discharge opening, a shutter member, a lever member, and a locking member. The lever member at its closing position causes the elastic portion of the locking member to be elastically deformed to urge the locking member to the locking position. When the container body is mounted on the image-forming machine body, the locking member is displaced to a lock-releasing position, permitting the lever member to be turned from the closing position to the opening position.

A packaging made from an air cushioning material with excellent cushioning characteristics, which provides enough cushioning to prevent the leakage of toner and so forth even when dropped from a considerable height. The packaging is constituted by a pair of bag materials forming a side wall component that surrounds the perimeter of a process cartridge, which is an object to be packaged, in frame-like fashion, and a holding pouch fused to these bag materials. Each bag material consists of a total of three layers: the top side comprising one layer of bag top and the bottom side comprising two layers of bag middle and bag bottom. The bag middle and bottom that make up the two layers of the bottom side have a relief shape in which the bag bottom inclines outward. The edges along one of the short sides of the holding pouch form an opening, while the edges in the longitudinal direction are fused at the boundary between the bag top and the bag middle of the side walls.

A toner container of the present invention stores powdery toner to be replenished via a toner outlet thereof and includes a container body. A shutter device is positioned in the toner outlet for selectively opening or closing the toner outlet. The shutter device includes an opening / closing member, a resilient member constantly biasing the opening / closing member from the inside toward the outside of the container body, and a support member supporting the resilient member and opening / closing member. The toner container is simple and easy to mount and dismount from an image forming apparatus while surely preventing the toner from leaking.

A process cartridge for an image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum; a cleaning member having a blade contacted to end drum; a sheet contacted to end drum; an end seal provided at an end of a frame and contacted to the drum, end blade and end sheet; and a sealing mold, integrally molded at the end portion of end frame by injection molding, end sealing mold including a first seal provided between end cleaning member and end frame and extending in a direction crossing with the longitudinal direction, a second seal provided between the end seal and end frame and continuously molded with end first seal, and a third seal provided between end sheet and end frame and continuously molded with end second seal.

An image forming device includes a process unit, a toner containing portion, and a trapping member. The toner containing portion is arranged in relation to the process unit and connected to the process unit so as to define a toner transporting mechanism. The toner transporting mechanism includes a toner receiving / supplying portion having a toner receiving port and a toner supplying port such that the toner receiving port and the toner supplying port can be removably connected to each other. The trapping member is attached to a surface of a portion adjacent to the toner receiving / supplying portion and traps leaked toner.

A toner cartridge and a process cartridge, individually, have a shutter which makes sliding movement by opening and closing their toner inlet and toner outlet. When those cartridges are attached to a color printer and fixed together by a fixing lever, the shutters of both cartridges and the fixing lever can move together as one. When they make sliding movement together, both of the shutters are opened and toner supply becomes available. There are thus realized a toner cartridge, a process cartridge, an imaging cartridge, and an image forming apparatus to which those cartridges are attachable, all of which can prevent toner leakage from both a toner housing portion and a process portion and enables even an unaccustomed user to attach each cartridge without making surroundings dirty.

A developer cartridge includes a developer storing portion in which a developer is stored, a developer supplying portion for supplying the developer to a main body of an image forming unit, an opening-and-closing member that opens and closes the developer supplying portion, an operating member for operating the opening-and-closing member, and an engaging portion engagable with a to-be-engaged portion formed on the main body of the image forming unit. The opening-and-closing member takes one of an opening position where the opening-and-closing member opens the developer supplying portion and a closing position where the opening-and-closing member closes the developer supplying portion, when the engaging portion engages the to-be-engaged portion. The opening-and-closing member takes the closing position where the opening-and-closing member closes the developer supplying portion, when the engaging portion disengages from the to-be-engaged portion.

A seal assembly for inhibiting toner leakage comprises a j-seal received by a developer housing in a toner cartridge. The j-seal has an upper seat portion engagably sealing with a doctor blade seal and a leg for slidably sealing of a developer roll. The upper seat portion has an upper seat inner seal wall and an upper seat outer seal wall spaced apart a preselected distance from said upper seat inner seal wall and defining a gap therebetween. A doctor blade seal engages the upper seat inner and outer seal walls and a doctor blade bracket assembly disposed adjacent the j-seal and the doctor blade seal. The doctor blade seal further has a tongue disposed within the gap for interlocking said j-seal and sealably engaging the doctor blade bracket assembly.

A doctor blade and a development unit having the same are disclosed. The doctor blade includes: an elastic blade having one edge contacting a developer roller with a predetermined pressure to control a toner layer formed on the developer roller; and a supporting member supporting the other edge portion of the elastic blade, wherein a middle portion of the supporting member is larger than each end portion of the supporting member. Accordingly, contact pressure between the elastic blade and the developer roller is uniformly distributed along a length direction of the elastic blade.

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 cover is mounted on an exterior portion of the housing that is pivotable between a closed position blocking the exit port and an open position unblocking the exit port. The cover is biased toward the closed position. The cover has a projection extending therefrom such that a force on the projection causes the cover to move toward the open position.

The present invention provides a refill adapter for coupling a closure of a toner bottle to a toner reservoir, the refill adapter comprising: a base having an insertion area for receiving the closure inserted therein and an opening mechanism for opening the closure, wherein the opening mechanism is configured to hold a first closure member of the closure and to move a second closure member of the closure relative to the first closure member along an axis between a closed position, in which the second closure member cooperates with the first closure member to close or seal an outlet opening of the closure, and an open position for dispensing toner from the toner bottle through the outlet opening into the toner reservoir; a sealing device comprising a first sealing part, which is fixed to the base, and a second sealing part, which is movable relative to the first sealing part, wherein the second sealing part is configured to be moved together with the second closure member along the axis and to thereby contact the second closure member for isolating an outer region of the closure from an inner region of the closure, which is in contact with toner. Furthermore, the invention provides a corresponding method of coupling a toner bottle to a toner reservoir and a printing system comprising such a refill adapter and / or for performing such a method.

A developing unit of the present invention includes a case which accommodates toner containing pigment, a developing roller, a supply roller formed of an elastic member arranged to be pressed against a surface of the developing roller in such a manner as to supply toner to the surface of the developing roller. The toner contains a first and second additive having a specific covering ratio to the surface matrices in the toner.

A developer cartridge includes a developer storing portion in which a developer is stored, a developer supplying portion for supplying the developer to a main body of an image forming unit, an opening-and-closing member that opens and closes the developer supplying portion, an operating member for operating the opening-and-closing member, and an engaging portion engagable with a to-be-engaged portion formed on the main body of the image forming unit. The opening-and-closing member takes one of an opening position where the opening-and-closing member opens the developer supplying portion and a closing position where the opening-and-closing member closes the developer supplying portion, when the engaging portion engages the to-be-engaged portion. The opening-and-closing member takes the closing position where the opening-and-closing member closes the developer supplying portion, when the engaging portion disengages from the to-be-engaged portion.

A developing device includes a developing container, provided with an opening, for containing a developer; a developing roller, provided at the opening, for forming a developer image on an image bearing member; a seal member, provided at the opening along an end portion of the developing roller, for preventing toner leakage from a gap between the opening and the developing roller; and a developer supplying roller, including a core material and a cylindrical elastic member which is provided around the core material and is contacted to the developing roller, for supplying the developer to the developing roller. The cylindrical elastic member has an end surface and a central portion with respect to a longitudinal direction thereof. The end surface has an outer diameter larger than that of the central portion so as to be in non-contact with the seal member.

A method of manufacturing a toner carrier roller that is shaped like a cylinder on an outer circumferential surface of which concave and convex sections for carrying toner are provided, includes: preparing a roller base member which is shaped like a cylinder; forming helix-like first grooves on the outer circumferential surface of the roller base member; and forming helix-like second grooves, which cross the first grooves, on the outer circumferential surface of the roller base member, wherein a pitch ratio of the first grooves and the second grooves is a non-integer ratio.

An image forming apparatus capable of removing leaked toner includes: a toner cartridge storing a toner and having a toner supply window for supplying the toner; a housing for detachably accommodating the toner cartridge; and a toner receptacle provided to the housing receiving the toner leaking from the toner cartridge when the toner cartridge is detached from the housing. The image forming apparatus also includes a toner remover to remove the toner adhered to the outer periphery of the toner cartridge. As a result, the inner and outer peripheries of the image forming apparatus are not polluted, and the components of the image forming apparatus function properly.

A seal assembly for inhibiting toner leakage comprises a j-seal received by a developer housing in a toner cartridge. The j-seal has an upper seat portion engagably sealing with a doctor blade seal and a leg for slidably sealing of a developer roll. The upper seat portion has an upper seat inner seal wall and an upper seat outer seal wall spaced apart a preselected distance from said upper seat inner seal wall and defining a gap therebetween. A doctor blade seal engages the upper seat inner and outer seal walls and a doctor blade bracket assembly disposed adjacent the j-seal and the doctor blade seal. The doctor blade seal further has a tongue disposed within the gap for interlocking said j-seal and sealably engaging the doctor blade bracket assembly.

To provide a developing roller which makes it possible to sufficiently prevent toner leakage, with the driving torque of the developing roller being scarcely increased, and a mono-component developing apparatus having such a developing roller.A developing roller for a mono-component developing apparatus, which transports toner supported on an outer circumferential face of a center portion 12 toward a developing area by rotating while frictionally sliding on a sealing member on each of two end portions 11a, 11b, comprising:surface processing areas 13 having a spiral shape, placed on each of outer circumferential faces of the two end portions,wherein an angle θ, made by a spiral direction y of each surface processing area and the rotation direction x, is allowed to have an acute angle, and a mono-component developing apparatus having such a developing roller.

There is provided an image forming apparatus in which occurrence of defective cleaning is prevented, replacement is easy, and occurrence of toner spillage can also be prevented. A cleaner unit of an image forming apparatus of the invention includes a cleaning member that is brought into contact with a toner bearing body in order to collect toner from the toner bearing body bearing the toner, a toner removal member to remove the toner from the cleaning member, and a waste toner storage part to store the removed toner, the cleaning member, the toner removal member and the waste toner storage part are integrally constructed into a unit structure, and the unit is constructed to be attachable to and detachable from the toner bearing body or a main body of the image forming apparatus.

An image forming apparatus capable of removing leaked toner includes: a toner cartridge storing a toner and having a toner supply window for supplying the toner; a housing for detachably accommodating the toner cartridge; and a toner receptacle provided to the housing receiving the toner leaking from the toner cartridge when the toner cartridge is detached from the housing. The image forming apparatus also includes a toner remover to remove the toner adhered to the outer periphery of the toner cartridge. As a result, the inner and outer peripheries of the image forming apparatus are not polluted, and the components of the image forming apparatus function properly.

A developing device includes a photosensitive body (18) on which a latent image formed, and a developing roller (2) that rotates to supply a toner to the photosensitive body (18). Seal members (6a) are provided on both end portions of the developing roller (2). The thickness of each seal member (6a) increases along the rotational direction of the developing roller (2) from the upstream to the downstream, so that the pressure with which the seal member (6a) is pressed against the developing roller (2) increases along the rotational direction of the developing roller (2) from the upstream to the downstream.

A process cartridge usable with an image forming apparatus includes a developing cartridge including a toner inlet and a shutter to open and close the toner inlet, and a toner cartridge detachably mounted to the developing cartridge and including a toner supply port to correspond with the toner inlet when connected with the developing cartridge. The shutter may be moved in a direction in which the toner cartridge is connected when the toner cartridge is connected to the developing cartridge, thereby opening the toner inlet, and the shutter may be moved in a direction in which the toner cartridge is detached when the toner cartridge is separated from the developing cartridge, thereby closing the toner inlet. Accordingly, when the toner cartridge is separated from the developing cartridge, the toner inlet of the developing cartridge is closed, thereby preventing leakage of toner through the toner inlet.

A toner sealing system is described including a seal having first and second alignment features. The seal is selectably installable on one of a first toner container of a first type and a second toner container of a second type. The first alignment feature is matable with a first corresponding alignment feature on the first toner container when the seal is installed on the first toner container for aligning the seal to the first toner container. The second alignment feature is matable with a second corresponding alignment feature on the second toner container when the seal is installed on the second toner container for aligning the seal to the second toner container. Embodiments include those wherein the first alignment feature does not align the seal to the second toner container, and the second alignment feature does not align the seal to the first toner container.

A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes: an accommodating portion for accommodating a developer; a recess provided in an outer wall of a frame for forming the accommodating portion; and a sheet member provided so as to cover the recess. The sheet member and the recess are configured so that an amount of flexure of the sheet member is larger than that of the recess when the cartridge is griped on the sheet member.