toner cartridge

Abstract

A toner cartridge includes a barrel, a base, a slide, and a rotating member. The barrel has an opening. The base has a cover portion coupled to the opening, a powder outlet provided on the cover portion, and at least one abutting portion provided on an outer wall of the cover portion. The slide has a body slidably provided on the base, a through slot provided on the body, and a first through hole provided on the body. The body is movable from a first position to a second position relative to the barrel. The rotating member has a pivot portion pivotally coupled to the slide, an abutting portion extended from the pivot portion and abutted by the abutting portion of the base, a push door portion extended from the pivot portion, and a second through hole provided on the push door portion. When the slide is moved from the first position to the second position, the rotating member is rotated by the abutting portion of the base. When the slide is located at the second position, the powder outlet, the first through hole, and the second through hole are in communication with each other. Thus, the toner cartridge can open the originally closed powder outlet and communicate with the powder inlet of the electronic imaging device when the toner cartridge is assembled into the electronic imaging device, so as to input the toner into the electronic imaging device, thereby avoiding the leakage of the toner during the assembly process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to electronic imaging devices, and in particular to a toner cartridge with a toner outlet alignment mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] Most electronic imaging devices, such as photocopiers or office machines, have toner cartridges. When storing or transporting toner cartridges, their outlets must be sealed. When installing a toner cartridge in an electronic imaging device, the outlet of the toner cartridge must be aligned with the inlet of the electronic imaging device to allow toner to be input into the device. Since the inlet structures of different models of electronic imaging devices vary, a compatible toner cartridge must be designed to ensure that toner is successfully input from the cartridge into the device. Summary of the Invention

[0003] One objective of this invention is to provide a toner cartridge that, when assembled into an electronic imaging device and positioned, opens its originally closed toner outlet and connects to the toner inlet of the electronic imaging device to input toner into the electronic imaging device, thereby preventing toner leakage during assembly.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the toner cartridge of the present invention includes a cylindrical body, a base, a slide, and a rotating member; the cylindrical body has an opening at one end, the base includes a cover sleeved to the opening, a toner outlet disposed on the cover, and at least one outer wall abutting the top of the cover; the slide has a body slidably disposed on the base, a through groove disposed on the body, and a first through hole disposed on the body, the body being movable from a first position toward the cylindrical body to a second position; the rotating member... The device has a pivot portion pivotally connected to the slide, a receiving portion extending from the pivot portion in one direction for the abutment top of the base to abut against, a push-door portion extending from the pivot portion in another direction, and a second through hole in the push-door portion. When the slide moves from a first position to a second position, the rotating member rotates due to the abutment top, causing the push-door portion to rotate synchronously and pass through the through slot from top to bottom. When the slide is in the second position, the toner outlet, the first through hole, and the second through hole are interconnected. This allows the toner cartridge to open its originally closed toner outlet and connect with the toner inlet of the electronic imaging device when it is assembled into the electronic imaging device, thus inputting toner into the device and preventing toner leakage during assembly. Attached Figure Description

[0005] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a toner cartridge according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0006] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a toner cartridge according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0007] Figure 3This is a partial perspective view of a toner cartridge according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0008] Figure 4 This is a partial exploded view of a toner cartridge according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0009] Figures 5-12 This is a schematic diagram of the operation of the toner cartridge according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] [Symbol Explanation]

[0011] 1 toner cartridge

[0012] 2 tubes

[0013] 4 openings

[0014] 10 bases

[0015] 12-piece cover

[0016] 13 powder outlets

[0017] 14 to the top

[0018] 15 Sliding Joint

[0019] 16 long slots

[0020] 18 First Seal

[0021] 19 First central hole

[0022] 20 slides

[0023] 22Ontology

[0024] 23 Arc-shaped section

[0025] 24 slots

[0026] 26 First perforation

[0027] 28 flexible arms

[0028] 29 convex hooks

[0029] 30 rotating parts

[0030] 31 Pivot

[0031] 311 shaft

[0032] 32 Receiving Department

[0033] 33 First Arm

[0034] 34 First Bridge Section

[0035] 35. Door opening section

[0036] 36 Second Arm

[0037] 37 Second Bridge Section

[0038] 38 Second perforation

[0039] 39 Second seal

[0040] 391 Second Middle Hole

[0041] 40 elastic elements

[0042] 44 cover pieces

[0043] 50 powder entry port

[0044] 52 doors sealed

[0045] 54 recess

[0046] 56 Third seal Detailed Implementation

[0047] The technical content and features of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to a preferred embodiment and accompanying drawings. Figures 1-4 As shown in Figures 6 and 7, a toner cartridge 1 provided in a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a cylindrical body 2, a base 10, a slide 20, a rotating member 30, two elastic members 40, and a cover 44.

[0048] The cylinder 2 is cylindrical and is used to hold carbon powder, with an opening 4 at one end.

[0049] The base 10 includes a cover 12 fitted onto the opening 4, a powder outlet 13 located on the bottom side of the cover 12, two abutments 14 located on the outer side walls of the cover 12, a sliding joint 15 located below the cover 12, and two elongated grooves 16 located on the left and right sides of the sliding joint 15. The cover 12 is cylindrical, the powder outlet 13 communicates with the opening 4, and the abutments 14 are strip-shaped, but their shape is not limited. A first sealing element 18 is located on the bottom side of the base 10 corresponding to the powder outlet 13, and the first sealing element 18 has a first central hole 19 corresponding to the powder outlet 13. The base 10 is made of plastic, but the material is not limited; the first sealing element 18 is made of foam sponge.

[0050] The slide block 20 has a body 22 slidably mounted on a sliding joint 15 of a base 10, a U-shaped through groove 24 on the body 22, a first through hole 26 on the body 22, and two elastic arms 28 extending from the left and right sides of the body 22. Each end of the two elastic arms 28 has a protruding hook 29 extending outwards, which penetrates the two long grooves 16 of the base 10. The body 22 can move from a first position P1 towards the cylinder 2 to a second position P2. The bottom side of the body 22 has an arc-shaped portion 23 surrounding the first through hole 26, and the surface of the arc-shaped portion 23 is curved. The slide block 20 is made of plastic, but the material is not limited.

[0051] The rotating member 30 has a pivot portion 31 pivotally connected to the slide block 20, a receiving portion 32 extending upward from the pivot portion 31 and allowing the abutment top 14 of the base 10 to abut against it, a push-door portion 35 extending forward from the pivot portion 31, and a second through hole 38 provided in the push-door portion 35. The pivot portion 31 has two pivot shafts 311. The receiving portion 32 includes two first arms 33 extending upward from the two pivot shafts 311, and a first bridge portion 34 connecting the two first arms 33. The two first arms 33 are for the two abutment tops 14 to abut against. The push-door portion 35 includes two second arms 36 extending forward from the two pivot shafts 311, and a second bridge portion 37 connecting the two second arms 36. The second through hole 38 is provided in the second bridge portion 37. The second bridge portion 37 is provided with a second sealing element 39, which has a second central hole 391 corresponding to the second through hole 38. The rotating member 30 is made of plastic, but the material is not limited, while the second sealing element 39 is made of foam.

[0052] The two elastic elements 40 are respectively provided at their two ends on the cover portion 12 of the base 10 and the abutment portion 32 of the rotating member 30, which can make the operation of the rotating member 30 more reliable. In this embodiment, the elastic element 40 is a tension spring, but it can also be replaced by other equivalent elements.

[0053] The cover 44 is snapped together with the base 10, which can protect other internal components and make the structure of the base 10 (especially the sliding part 15) more stable.

[0054] When the toner cartridge 1 is inserted into the electro-imaging device, the toner outlet 13 needs to overlap with a toner inlet 50 to facilitate the delivery of toner into the electro-imaging device. Figures 5-6 As shown, the toner outlet 13 is originally sealed by the body 22 of the slide 20 located at the first position P1, while a pivotable sealing door 52 is provided next to the toner inlet 50 of the electronic imaging device to cover the toner inlet 50, allowing the toner cartridge 1 to advance (i.e., towards) Figure 6During the leftward movement, the protrusion 29 extending from the long groove 16 will first embed into the recess 54 of the electronic imaging device, such as... Figure 7 As shown, this prevents the slide block 20 and the rotating member 30 from advancing along with the cylinder body 2 and the base 10. The advancing base 10, with its top 14 abutting against the abutting portion 32 of the rotating member 30, causes the rotating member 30 to rotate around the pivot portion 31, and causes the push-door portion 35 to rotate synchronously and pass through the through slot 24 from top to bottom. Figure 8 , 9 As shown, when the base 10 advances further, the abutment 14 continues to push against the rotating member 30, causing the push-door portion 35 to rotate further. The push-door portion 35 will then push open the sealing door 52 and open the powder inlet 50, as shown. Figure 10 As shown. Finally, as Figures 11-12 As shown, when the toner cartridge 1 moves forward to the positioning position, the slide 20 moves relative to the base 10 to the second position P2. The toner outlet 13, the first through hole 26, the second through hole 38, and the toner inlet 50 are arranged from top to bottom and are correspondingly connected to each other. With the first sealing member 18 located between the base 10 and the slide 20, the second sealing member 39 located between the arc-shaped portion 23 of the slide 20 and the second bridge portion 37 of the push-door portion 35 of the rotating member 30, and the third sealing member 56 above the toner inlet 50 abutting against the second bridge portion 37, a sealed channel is formed, allowing the toner in the toner cartridge 1 to be smoothly transported to the electronic imaging device, and toner leakage during the assembly process can be avoided, thereby achieving the purpose of the present invention.

[0055] Based on the design spirit of this invention, the structure of the toner cartridge 1 may be varied. For example, the elastic elements 40 may be omitted, and the structure of the slide 20 and the rotating element 30 may be changed. All such easily conceivable structural changes should be covered by the scope of the patent application of this invention.

Claims

1. A toner cartridge, characterized in that, Includes: A cylindrical body, with an opening at one end; A base includes a cover portion fitted onto the opening, a powder outlet disposed on the cover portion, and at least one outer wall abutting the top of the cover portion; A sliding block has a body slidably disposed on a base, a through groove disposed on the body, and a first through hole disposed on the body, the body being movable from a first position to a second position on the cylinder; and A rotating member has a pivot portion pivotally connected to the slide block, a receiving portion extending from the pivot portion in one direction and for the abutting top of the base to abut against, a pushing portion extending from the pivot portion in another direction, and a second through hole provided in the pushing portion. When the slide moves from the first position to the second position, the rotating member is pushed by the top and rotates, causing the push door to rotate synchronously and pass through the groove from top to bottom. When the slide is in the second position, the powder outlet, the first through hole and the second through hole are interconnected.

2. The toner cartridge as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes at least one elastic member with its two ends respectively disposed on the cover portion of the base and the abutment portion of the rotating member.

3. The toner cartridge as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The slide block also includes two elastic arms extending from the body, each of which has a protruding hook extending outward. The base also includes two long grooves through which the two protruding hooks pass.

4. The toner cartridge as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating member includes two first arms extending from the pivot portion and a first bridge portion connecting the two first arms, wherein the first arms are for the abutting top to abut.

5. The toner cartridge as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The sliding door portion of the rotating member includes two second arms extending from the pivot portion and a second bridge portion connecting the two second arms, and the second through hole is provided in the second bridge portion.

6. The toner cartridge as described in claim 1 or 5, characterized in that, The groove of the slide is U-shaped.

7. The toner cartridge as described in claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes a second seal disposed on the second bridge portion, the second seal having a second central hole corresponding to the second through hole.

8. The toner cartridge as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The slide body has an arc-shaped portion located around the first perforation.

9. The toner cartridge as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a first seal disposed on the base and abutting against the slide, the first seal having a first central hole corresponding to the powder outlet.

10. The toner cartridge as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a cover that snaps into the base.

11. The toner cartridge as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, When the slide is in the second position, the powder outlet, the first perforation, and the second perforation are arranged from top to bottom.

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