Developer supply container Number:7,155,138 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) owispatent A developer supply container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, the developer supply container comprising a discharge opening for permitting discharging of a developer; a container body for accommodating the developer; a snap hook member having an engaging projection for snap-hook engagement with an engageable member of the image forming apparatus; a feeding portion for feeding the developer from the container toward the discharge opening by a rotating force received by the engaging projection from the engageable member; wherein snap hook member has a bending modulus of 1400 20000 MPa.<H container, Developer, Developer, suppl, 7155138.html, Patent, pto, 7155138

Title: Developer supply container

Abstract: A developer supply container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, the developer supply container comprising a discharge opening for permitting discharging of a developer; a container body for accommodating the developer; a snap hook member having an engaging projection for snap-hook engagement with an engageable member of the image forming apparatus; a feeding portion for feeding the developer from the container toward the discharge opening by a rotating force received by the engaging projection from the engageable member; wherein snap hook member has a bending modulus of 1400 20000 MPa.

Patent Number: 7,155,138 Issued on 12/26/2006 to Yamada

Inventors: Yamada; Yusuke (Moriya, JP)
Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Tokyo, JP)

Appl. No.: 11/012,175

Filed: December 16, 2004

Foreign Application Priority Data


Dec 22, 2003 [JP]			2003-425721

Current U.S. Class: 399/106 ; 399/258; 399/262

Current International Class: G03G 15/08 (20060101)

Field of Search: 399/106,258,262

References Cited [Referenced By]

U.S. Patent Documents


5513679	May 1996	Yamada
5520229	May 1996	Yamada
5842962	December 1998	Yamada et al.
6137972	October 2000	Playfair et al.
6314261	November 2001	Omata
6879789	April 2005	Yamada et al.
6952549	October 2005	Kato et al.
6993273	January 2006	Yamada
2002/0031638	March 2002	Yamada et al.
2002/0106215	August 2002	Ban et al.
2002/0122676	September 2002	Yamada et al.
2004/0009006	January 2004	Yamada et al.
2004/0013445	January 2004	Yamada et al.
2004/0028427	February 2004	Isomura et al.
2004/0052553	March 2004	Isomura et al.
2004/0131389	July 2004	Tazawa et al.
2004/0223791	November 2004	Yamada
2005/0025529	February 2005	Isomura et al.
2005/0047818	March 2005	Yamada et al.
2005/0191094	September 2005	Kato et al.

Foreign Patent Documents


1 089 136	Apr., 2001	EP
1 357 447	Oct., 2003	EP
1 460 487	Sep., 2004	EP
2002-318490	Oct., 2002	JP
2003-206915	Jul., 2003	JP
2003-287944	Oct., 2003	JP

Other References

Patent Abstracts of Japan, Publication No. 2002318490, Oct. 31, 2002. cite- d by other .
Patent Abstracts of Japan, Publication No. 2003320915, Jul. 25, 2003. cite- d by other.

Primary Examiner: Benson; Walter
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A developer supply container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, said developer supply container comprising: a discharge opening for permitting discharging of a developer; a container body for accommodating the developer; a snap hook member having an engaging projection for snap-hook engagement with an engageable member of the image forming apparatus; a feeding portion for feeding the developer from said container toward said discharge opening by a rotating force received by said engaging projection from the engageable member; wherein snap hook member has a bending modulus of 1400 20000 MPa.

2. A developer supply container according to claim 1, wherein snap-hook member has a bending modulus of 2600 5590 MPa.

3. A developer supply container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said snap-hook member has a movable portion on which said engaging projection is provided, and wherein a ratio b/L of a width b of said engaging projection to a length L of the movable portion is 0.11 0.5.

4. A developer supply container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said snap-hook member has a movable portion on which said engaging projection is provided, and wherein a ratio t/L of a thickness t of said engaging projection to a length L of the movable portion is 0.05 0.15.

5. A developer supply container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said snap-hook member has a movable portion on which said engaging projection is provided, and wherein a ratio h/L of a height h of said engaging projection a length L of the movable portion is 0.04 0.25.

6. A developer supply container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said snap-hook member has a movable portion on which said engaging projection is provided, and wherein a ratio b/L of a width b of said engaging projection to a length L of the movable portion is 0.11 0.5, wherein a ratio t/L of a thickness t of said engaging projection to a length L of the movable portion is 0.05 0.15, and wherein a ratio h/L of a height h of said engaging projection a length L of the movable portion is 0.04 0.25.

7. A developer supply container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said snap-hook member has a force receiving portion for receiving a force in a direction of a rotational axis from said engageable member to open and close said discharge opening.

8. A developer supply container according to claim 7, wherein said snap-hook member has a sealing portion for sealing said discharge opening, and the force received by said force receiving portion imparts a relative movement between said sealing portion and said container body.

9. A developer supply container according to claim 7, wherein said force receiving portion is provided on said engaging projection.

10. A developer supply container according to claim 1, wherein said snap-hook member has a releasing projection for receiving, from a hollow cylindrical member provided in the image forming apparatus, a force for displacement said engaging projection to release the snap-hook engagement with said engageable member.

11. A developer supply container according to claim 1, wherein said snap-hook member has a transmitting portion for transmitting the rotating force to the container.

12. A developer supply container according to claim 11, wherein said feeding portion has a plate-like member fixed on said container, and a projection provided inclined relative to the rotational axis on the plate-like member.

13. A developer supply container according to claim 11, wherein said feeding portion has a projection provided and extended helically on an inner surface of said container body.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART

The present invention relates to a developer supply container used by an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimileing machine, a multifunction apparatus capable of performing two or more functions of the preceding image forming apparatuses, etc.

Particulate toner has long been used as the developer for an electrostatic image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a printer, etc. It has been common practice to use a toner supply container to supply the main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus with toner, as the toner in the main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus is depleted of toner by consumption.

Here, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus means an apparatus which forms an image on recording medium with the use of an electrophotographic image forming method. It includes an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (for example, laser beam printer, LED printer, etc.), a facsimileing machine, a wordprocessor, etc.

Toner is in the form of extremely small particulate. Therefore, toner is likely to scatter when supplying the main assembly of an image forming apparatus with it. Thus, a method in which a toner supply container is placed in the main assembly to prevent toner from scattering, and toner is discharged from the toner supply container little by little through a small opening has been known.

All of the toner supply containers for those apparatuses described above are structured so that they are driven by some means or other from the main assembly side of an image forming apparatus. As they receive driving force from the main assembly side, the convey member or container proper on the toner supply container side is driven to discharge toner from them.

An example of such toner supply containers is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application 2002-318490. The toner supply container disclosed in this patent application comprises a cylindrical main structure, or container proper, and a toner outlet. The toner outlet is smaller in diameter than the container proper, and projects from the container proper. It is fitted with a sealing member removably attachable to the toner outlet to seal or unseal the toner outlet. The toner supply container is structured so that as it receives rotational driving force from the main assembly of an image forming apparatus, the container proper rotates to discharge toner little by little from the toner outlet to supply the main assembly with toner as necessary.

This toner supply container is characterized in that the rotational driving force from the main assembly of an image forming apparatus is transmitted to the container proper through the sealing member attached to one of the lengthwise ends of the toner supply container. In other words, not only is this sealing member given the function of keeping the toner outlet sealed, but also, the function of the coupling for receiving the rotational force from the main assembly of an image forming apparatus.

More specifically, as the main front cover of the main assembly of an image forming apparatus is closed after the placement of the toner supply container in the main assembly, the toner supply container is engaged with the driving portion of the main assembly by the closing movement of the main cover. Then, the sealing member is partially separated from the toner outlet, unsealing the toner supply container, and the container proper is rotationally driven by the force transmitted through the sealing member.

Giving all the functions necessary to supply the main assembly of an image forming apparatus with toner, that is, the functions of "coupling", "sealing and unsealing", and "driving", to a single component, that is, the sealing member, makes it possible to integrate the mechanism for opening or closing the cap of the toner supply container, with the mechanism for rotationally driving the toner supply container, on the main assembly side of the image forming apparatus, not only making it therefore possible to reduce in size the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, but also, improving the image forming apparatus in usability.

The sealing member disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application 2002-318490 is provided with a coupling which snap-fits with the driving portion of the main assembly of an image forming apparatus, in order to improve the sealing member in terms of the above described functions.

The snap-fitting portion of this coupling is structured so that as it is engaged with the driving portion of the main assembly of an image forming apparatus, it partially separates the sealing member from the toner outlet of the container proper of the toner supply container, unsealing thereby the toner supply container (toner outlet). After partially separating the sealing member from the toner outlet, it remains engaged with the driving portion of the main assembly to receive the rotational force from the main assembly and transmit it to the container proper of the toner supply container.

The snap-fitting portion of a sealing member such as the above described one which is formed of elastic material to utilize the elasticity of the material is given not only the function of "coupling", but also, the function of receiving (and transmitting) the rotational driving force.

However, in spite of being excellent in structure as described, the toner supply container disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application 2002-318490 is problematic in that it may suffer from the following problems because of the properties of the substance used as the material for the snap-fitting portion of the sealing member.

That is, if a substance low in "flexural elastic modulus", that is, the value representing one of the mechanical properties of a substance, is used as the material for the snap-fitting portion of a sealing member, it is possible that as the snap-fitting portion receives the rotational driving force from the main assembly of an image forming apparatus, it will break, or will be reduced in durability, allowing that the snap-fitting portion will be smaller in the amount of force necessary to make the snap-fitting portion snap-fitted with the driving portion of the main assembly.

On the other hand, if a substance high in flexural elastic modulus is used as the material for the snap-fitting portion of a sealing member, it is possible that the force necessary for the snap-fitting portion to be snap-fitted (made to overlap) with the driving portion of the main assembly will be substantial, allowing that there will be little possibility that as the snap-fitting portion receives the rotational driving force from the main assembly of an image forming apparatus, it will break, or will be reduced in durability. The amount of the increase in the force necessary for the snap-fitting portion of a sealing member to be snap-fitted with the main assembly of the image forming apparatus assembly leads to the decrease in the usability of an image forming apparatus, which is not a thing to be mentioned in favorable terms, in particular, if an image forming apparatus is structured so that the snap-fitting portion of a sealing member is to be engaged with the driving portion of the main assembly by a user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a developer supply container having a snap-fitting member satisfactory not only in terms of the function of snap-fitting with the snap-fitting portion of the main assembly of an image forming apparatus, but also, in terms of the function of receiving rotational driving force from the snap-fitting portion of the main assembly.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an example of an image forming apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the top portion of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1, showing the procedure for mounting a toner supply container into the image forming apparatus.

FIGS. 4(a), 4(b), and 4(c) are sectional views of the toner supply container, showing the working of the container at the beginning of the mounting of the toner supply container, during the mounting, and at the completion of the mounting, respectively.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the snap-fitting portions of the sealing member and main assembly of the image forming apparatus from FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a partially broken perspective view of the toner supply container in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a partially broken perspective view of one of the modified versions of the toner supply container in accordance with the present invention.

FIGS. 8(a), 8(b), 8(c), and 8(d) are a perspective view, a front view, sectional view at the line D--D in 8(b), and a sectional view at the line E--E in 8(b), of the container proper of the toner supply container in accordance with the present invention.

FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b) are perspective views of the sealing member in accordance with the present invention, as seen from the right and left sides thereof.

FIGS. 10(a), 10(b), 10(c), 10(d), and 10(e) are a front view, a left side view, a right side view, a top view, and a sectional view at line A--A in 10(b), of the sealing member of the toner supply container in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a partially broken perspective view of the sealing member of the toner supply container, driving force transmitting portion of the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, and their adjacencies, showing the state of engagement between the sealing member and driving portion.

FIGS. 12(a), 12(b), and 12(c) are sectional views of the sealing member portion of the toner supply container and the driving force transmitting portion of the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, showing the process of coupling the sealing member with the driving transmitting portion, immediately prior to the insertion of the toner bottle (toner supply container), during the insertion, and immediately after the unsealing of the toner bottle, respectively.

FIGS. 13(a), 13(b), and 13(c) are sectional views of the sealing member portion of the toner supply container and the driving force transmitting portion of the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, showing the process of uncoupling the sealing member from the driving force transmitting portion, immediately prior to the uncoupling, during the uncoupling, and at the completion of the uncoupling, respectively.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged sectional view of the snap-fitting portion of the sealing member, showing the relationship among the dimensions of the various portions of the snap-fitting portion.

FIG. 15 is a table giving the results of the test in which the effects of the flexural elastic modulus of the material for the sealing member upon the performance of the sealing member were studied.

FIG. 16 is a table giving the results of the test in which the effects of the relationship between the width b and length L of the snap-fitting portion of the sealing member upon the performance of the sealing member were studied.

FIG. 17 is a table giving the results of the test in which the effects of the relationships between the thickness t and length L of the snap fitting portion of the sealing member upon the performance of the sealing member were studied.

FIG. 18 is a table giving the results of the test in which the effects of the relationship between the height h and length L of the snap fitting portion of the sealing member upon the performance of the sealing member were studied.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, the preferable embodiments of the sealing member and developer supply container in accordance with the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the appended drawings.

First, referring to FIG. 1, an example of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which a toner supply container, as a developer supply container, which is equipped with the sealing member in accordance with the present invention will be described regarding its structure.

[Electrophotographic Image Forming Apparatus]

As an original 101 is placed on the original placement glass platen 102 of the main assembly of the electrophotographic copying machine 100 (which hereinafter will be referred to simply as "apparatus main assembly"), an optical image reflecting the image formation data of the original 101 is formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum 104 (which hereinafter will be referred to as "photosensitive drum") as an image bearing member by a plurality of mirrors M and lenses Ln of the optical portion 103 of the main assembly. Designated by referential numbers 105 108 are cassettes, from among which the cassette containing recording mediums (which hereinafter may be referred to simply as papers) P, which agree in size with the information inputted by an operator through the control panel 100a, or are most suitable to the size of the original 101, is selected, based on the information regarding the sizes of the papers in the cassettes 105 108. The recording medium does not need to be limited to paper. For example, an OHP sheet or the like may be used as necessary.

The papers P are conveyed one by one by separating and conveying apparatuses 105A 108A, to a pair of registration rollers 110 by way of a paper conveyance path 109. Then, each paper P is conveyed further by the pair of registration rollers 110 in synchronism with the rotation of the photosensitive drum 104 and the scanning timing of the optical portion 103. In the transfer station, the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 104 is transferred onto the paper P by a transfer discharging device 111. Then, the paper P on which the toner image has just been transferred is separated from the photosensitive drum 104 by the separation discharge device 112.

Thereafter, the paper P is further conveyed by a paper conveying portion 113 to the fixation station 114, in which the toner image on the paper P is fixed by heat and pressure. Then, when the copying machine is in the single-sided print mode, the paper P is moved through the reversing station 115, without being placed upside down, and is discharged into the delivery tray 117 by a pair of discharge rollers 116. When the machine is in the two-sided print mode, the flapper 118 of the reversing station 115 is controlled so that the paper P is conveyed to the pair of registration rollers 110 by way of re-feeding conveyance paths 119 and 120. Then, the paper P is made to move through the same paths as those through which the paper P is moved when the machine is in the single-sided print mode, and is discharged into the delivery tray 117.

When the machine is in the multilayer print mode, the paper P is sent through the reversing station 115 so that it is stopped after it is partially extended outward from the main assembly by the pair of discharge rollers 116. More specifically, it is stopped immediately after the trailing edge of the paper P is moved past the flapper 118, while the paper P is remaining pinched by the pair of discharge roller 116. Then, the flapper 118 is switched in position, and the pair of discharge rollers 116 are rotated in reverse so that the paper P is conveyed back into the main assembly. Thereafter, the paper P is conveyed to the registration rollers 110 through paper re-conveyance paths 119 and 120. Then, it is moved through the same paths as those through which it is moved when the machine is in the single-side print mode, and discharged into the delivery tray 117.

In the main assembly 100 of the copying machine structured as described above, the developing apparatus 201, cleaning apparatus 202, primary charging device 203, etc., are disposed in the adjacencies of the peripheral surface of the drum 104.

The developing apparatus 201 is an apparatus for developing, with the use of developer, the electrostatic latent image formed on the peripheral surface of the drum 104 by exposing the uniformly charged peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 10 by the optical station 103, based on the image formation data extracted from the original 101. The toner supply container 1 for supplying this developing apparatus 201 with toner as developer is to be removably mounted in the main assembly 100 of the copying machine by a user. Incidentally, not only is the present invention is compatible with a toner supply container for supplying the main apparatus of an image forming apparatus with pure toner, but also, with a toner supply container for supplying the apparatus main assembly with a mixture of toner and carrier. This embodiment, however, will be described with reference to the former container.

The developing apparatus 210 comprises a toner hopper 201a as a toner storing means, and a developing device 201b. The toner hopper 201a is provided with a stirring member 201c for stirring the toner supplied from the toner supply container 1. After being stirred by the stirring member 201c, the toner supplied from the toner supply container 1 is sent to the developing device 201b by a magnetic roller 201d. The developing device 201b comprises a development roller 201f and a toner forwarding member 201e. After being sent from the toner hopper 201a by the magnetic roller 201d, the toner is sent to the development roller 201f by the toner forwarding member 201e, and then, is supplied to the photosensitive drum 104 by the development roller 201f.

The cleaning apparatus 202 is for removing the toner remaining on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 104. The primary charger 203 is for charging the photosensitive drum 104.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, as the front cover 15 for the replacement of a toner supply container (which hereinafter will be referred to as "exchange cover"), which constitutes a part of the external shell of the main assembly 100, is opened as shown in FIG. 3, a toner supply container tray 50, which is a part of the toner supply container mounting means, is pulled out by a driving system (unshown) to a predetermined location. The user is to place the toner supply container 1 on the container tray 50. When necessary to remove the toner supply container 1 from the apparatus main assembly 100, the user is to pull out the container tray 50, and remove the toner supply container 1 from the container tray 50. The toner replenishment front cover is a cover dedicated to the operation for mounting or dismounting (exchanging) the toner supply container 1; it is opened or closed only for mounting or dismounting the toner supply container 1. For the maintenance of the apparatus main assembly, the front cover 100c is to be opened.

The apparatus main assembly 100 may be structured without the container tray 50 so that the toner supply container 1 can be directly mounting into, or removed from, the apparatus main assembly 100.

[Process of Supplying Apparatus Main Assembly With Toner]

First, referring to FIGS. 4(a) 4(c), the process of supplying the apparatus main assembly 100 with toner with the use of the toner supply container 1 (which hereinafter may be referred to as "toner bottle") will be described. FIGS. 4(a) 4(c) show distinctive stages of the process in which the toner bottle 1 is inserted into the apparatus main assembly 100 and the apparatus main assembly 100 is supplied with the toner from the toner bottle 1.

As shown in FIG. 4, the apparatus main assembly 100 is provided with a toner supplying apparatus 400, and the toner supplying apparatus 400 is provided with a driving portion 20 (coupling) as a connector which engages with the toner bottle 1 to rotationally drive the toner bottle 1. The driving portion 20 is rotatably supported by an unshown bearing, and is structured so that it is rotationally driven by an unshown motor disposed in the apparatus main assembly 100.

The apparatus main assembly 100 is provided with a partition wall 25, which constitutes a part of the toner supply passage 24 leading to the toner hopper 201a, and to which inward and outward bearings 26a and 26b, which also seal the toner supply passage 24, are firmly attached. The apparatus main assembly 100 is also provided with a screw 27, which is disposed in the toner supply passage 24 to convey the supplied toner to the hopper 201a.

FIG. 4(a) shows the initial stage of the insertion of the toner bottle 1 into the apparatus main assembly 100. The toner bottle 1 is provided with a cylindrical toner outlet la (which hereinafter may be referred to simply as "outlet"), which is located at one of the lengthwise ends of the toner bottle 1. In the stage shown in FIG. 4(a), the opening of the outlet is sealed with a sealing member 2.

As the toner bottle 1 is further inserted, the snap-fitting portion as a snap-and-hook portion, that is, the end portion, of the sealing member 2 enters the driving portion 20 of the apparatus main assembly 100 in such a manner that the snap-fitting portion of the sealing member overlaps with the cylindrical wall of the driving portion 20. As a result, a latching projection 3 of the end portion of the snap-fitting portion snaps into the catching hole of the driving portion 20, preventing thereby the sealing member from disengaging from the driving portion 20. FIG. 4(b) shows the stage of the insertion of the toner bottle 1 immediately after the engagement of the snap-fitting portion with the driving portion 20.

The engagement between the driving portion and snap-fitting portion occurs in the following manner: As a user inserts the toner bottle 1, the driving portion 20 comes into contact with the top surface (pressure receiving portion) of the latching projection 3, and then, as the user inserts the toner bottle 1 deeper, the latching projection 3 is pressed down (displaced toward axial line of sealing member) by the driving portion 20. Then, as the toner bottle 1 is inserted even deeper by the user, the latching projection 3 is relieved of the downward pressure from the driving portion 20, allowing the snap-fitting portion (portion which supports latching projection 3) to recover by its own resiliency, moving thereby the latching projection 3 back into the original position in terms of the radius direction of the sealing member. As a result the sealing member becomes securely engaged with the driving portion. In other words, in this embodiment, the so-called "snap-fitting system" is employed as the means for coupling the sealing member of the toner supply container 1 with the driving portion of the apparatus main assembly 100.

After the engagement between the sealing member 2 and driving portion 20, the surface 3b, as the surface by which the latching projection 3 engages with the driving portion, which is perpendicular to the thrust direction (perpendicular to axial line of sealing member), remains in contact with the internal surface of the latching projection catching hole of the driving portion 20. Therefore, the sealing member 2 remains locked (presence of slight play is permissible) with the driving portion 20 unless this engagement between the surface 3b and the internal surface of the latching projection catching hole is dissolved.

After the completion of the coupling of the snap-fitting portion of sealing member 2 with the driving portion 20, the toner bottle exchange front cover 15 is closed. As the cover 15 is closed, the sliding member 300 is retracted in the direction indicated by an arrow mark b by the movement of the cover 15, causing the toner bottle 1 to moved backward. However, the sealing member 2 is locked with the driving portion 20 of the apparatus main assembly 100. Therefore, the sealing member 2 is moved in the direction to be separated from the toner bottle 1 in relative terms. As a result, the outlet 1a is unsealed, making it thereby possible for the toner in the toner bottle 1 to be supplied to the apparatus main assembly 100, as shown in FIG. 4(c).

Then, an unshown motor in the apparatus main assembly 100 is started. As the motor is started, the rotational driving force from the motor is transmitted to the driving force receiving surface 3a, as driving force receiving portion, of the latching projection 3 of the sealing member 2 through the driving portion 20 of the apparatus main assembly 100, and is transmitted further to the toner bottle 1 from the sealing member 2. As a result, the toner bottle 1 is rotated, conveying thereby the toner therein and discharging it. In other words, the snap-fitting portion of the sealing member 2 has the function of unsealing (or resealing) the toner outlet 1a, and also, the function of transmitting the rotational driving force from the main assembly side of the image forming apparatus to the toner bottle side.

The toner bottle 1 is rotatably supported by the bottle supporting rollers 23 of the toner bottle tray 50. Therefore, it can be smoothly rotated by a very small amount of torque. There are four bottle supporting rollers 23, which are optimally distributed for the bottle proper 1A of the toner bottle 1 to saddle. The bottle supporting rollers 23 are rotatably attached to the toner supplying apparatus 400 of the apparatus main assembly 100. As the toner bottle 1 is rotated as described above, the toner in the toner bottle 1 is gradually discharged through the outlet 1a into the toner supply passage 24, and is conveyed to the hopper 201a of the apparatus main assembly 100 by the screw 27 located in the toner supply passage 24; in other words, the apparatus main assembly 100 is supplied with toner.

[Method for Exchanging Toner Supply Container]

Next, the method for exchanging the toner bottle in accordance with the present invention will be described.

As virtually the entirety of the toner in the toner bottle 1 is consumed by image formation, it is detected by a detecting means (unshown) of the apparatus main assembly 100 for detecting whether or not the toner bottle 1 is empty, that the toner bottle 1 is depleted of toner, a user is given this information through a displaying means 100b (FIG. 2) such as an LCD.

The toner bottle 1 in this embodiment is to be exchanged by a user himself. The procedure for exchanging the toner bottle 1 is as follows:

First, a user is to rotate the closed toner bottle exchange front cover 15 about the hinge 18 to open it as shown in FIG. 2. As the toner bottle exchange front cover 15 is opened, the bottle proper 1A, which is in the state shown in FIG. 4(c), is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow mark a in FIG. 4(a), which is opposite to the direction indicated by the arrow mark b in FIG. 4(c), by an unshown toner supplying portion moving (opening or closing) means, which is moved by the movement of the toner bottle exchange front cover 15. As a result, the sealing member 2, which has remained partially separated from the bottle proper 1A, having therefore left the toner outlet 1a open, is pressed into the toner outlet 1a, resealing thereby the toner outlet 1a, as shown in FIG. 4(b). In this state, the sealing member 2 still remains locked with the main assembly 100. Then, as pressure is applied to the unlatching projection 4 by the releasing member 21 (FIG. 5), which will be described later, the latching projection 3 is pressed down together with the unlatching projection 4, freeing thereby the sealing member 2 from the driving portion 20, making it possible for the bottle proper 1A to be moved backward. Then, as the toner bottle 1 is pulled backward, the procedure for disengaging the sealing member 2 from the apparatus main assembly 100 is completed.

Next, the user is to pull out the empty toner bottle 1 disengaged from the apparatus main assembly 100, in the opposite direction from the direction indicated by the arrow mark a in FIG. 4(a), that is, the direction indicated by the arrow mark b in FIG. 4(c), from the apparatus main assembly 100. Next, the user is to insert a new toner bottle 1 into the apparatus main assembly 100 in the direction indicated by the arrow mark a in FIG. 4(a), and to close the toner bottle exchange front cover 15. As the toner bottle exchange front cover 15 is closed, the sealing member 2 of the new toner bottle, which has just been engaged with the apparatus main assembly 100, is partially separated from the bottle proper 1A, unsealing thereby toner outlet 1a (FIG. 4(c)). The above is the procedure for exchanging the toner supply container 1.

[Toner Bottle]

Next, referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the developer supply container 1 in this embodiment will be described. The developer supply container 1 is roughly cylindrical. It has the toner outlet 1a, as a toner discharging port, which is attached to the approximate center of the one of the end surfaces of the container proper (bottle proper). The toner outlet 1a is smaller in diameter than the cylindrical bottle proper 1A. The outlet 1a is fitted with the sealing member 2, which seals or unseals the outlet 1a. As will have been understood through the description given above with reference to FIGS. 4(a) 4(c), the outlet 1a and sealing member 2 are structured so that as the sealing member 2 is slid relative to the outlet 1a in the lengthwise direction (direction indicated by arrow mark a or b) of the developer supply container 1, the outlet 1a is automatically sealed or unsealed.

The opposite end portion of the sealing member 2 from the container proper 1A is cylindrical, and is provided with the unlatching projections 4 for unlocking the latching projections 3 from the driving portion 20 of the apparatus main assembly 100. This cylindrical end portion, which supports the these latching projections 3 and unlatching projections 4, is structured so that it is allowed to elastically deform (it is provided with slits which extend from its tip to base portion, in order to make it easier for its projection supporting portions to elastically deform; this will be described later). Each of these lo latching projections 3 is structured so that it latches with the driving portion 20 of the apparatus main assembly 100 to transmit to the developer supply container 1 the driving force from the apparatus main assembly 100. The structure of the latching projection 3 of the sealing member 2 will be described later in detail.

First, referring to FIG. 6, the internal structure of the developer supply container 1 will be described. As described above, the developer supply container 1 has a roughly cylindrical shape. It is roughly horizontally placed in the apparatus main assembly 100, and is structured so that as it receives driving force from the apparatus main assembly 100, it rotates.

There is a baffling member 40 as a toner conveying member in the bottle proper 1A of the toner bottle 1. It is in the form of a plate, and is firmly attached to the internal walls of the bottle proper 1A, in such a manner that it is virtually impossible for the baffling member 40 to rotating relative to the bottle proper 1A. The baffling member 40 is provided with a plurality of ribs, which are attached to both surfaces of the baffling member 40, being angled relative to the direction of the rotational axis of the developer supply container 1. The slanted rib 40a, which is closest to the toner outlet 1a, is in contact with the toner outlet 1a by one end.

The developer supply container 1 is structured so that the toner therein is conveyed by the baffling member 40 toward the outlet 1a, and finally, is discharged from the developer supply container 1 through the outlet 1a by being assisted by the slanted rib 40a closest to the outlet 1a.

As for the principle of toner discharge, as the developer supply container 1 is rotated by the rotational force which the snap-fitting portion receives, the toner in the developer supply container 1 is scooped upward by the baffling member 40, and then, slides down on the surfaces of the baffling member 40 while being guided forward (toward the toner outlet 1a) of the slanted ribs 40a. Since the developer supply container 1 is continuously rotated, the above described process of being scooped up and sliding down is repeated by the toner. As a result, the toner is gradually conveyed toward the outlet 1a while being stirred, and then, is discharged through the outlet 1a. The baffling member 40 in the form of a plate is formed independently from the container proper 1A of the developer supply container 1, and is anchored to the container proper 1A by the anchoring ribs 51 so that it will rotate with the container proper 1A.

The internal structure of the developer supply container 1 in accordance with the present invention does not need to be limited to the above described one. In other words, the internal structural arrangement for the developer supply container 1, and the shapes of the internal components of the developer supply container 1, are optional, as long as the toner in the developer supply container 1 is discharged from the developer supply container 1 as the developer supply container 1 receives driving force from the main assembly of an image forming apparatus.

For example, instead of the above described structural arrangement, the container proper 1A of the developer supply container 1 may be placed in the main assembly of an image forming apparatus so that it is virtually impossible for the developer supply container 1 to be rotated. In this case, the toner supply container is structured so that the rotational driving force which the snap-fitting portion receives from the driving portion of the apparatus main assembly is transmitted to the rotatable screw, or the like, as a toner conveying member, disposed in the container proper 1A. In other words, as far as the internal structure of the developer supply container 1 is concerned, the toner conveying portion may be in the form of the above described baffling member, or a member different in structure from the above described baffling member.

For example, the internal structure of the bottle proper 1A of the toner bottle 1 may be as shown in FIG. 7, which shows one of the modified versions of this embodiment. In this modified version, the toner bottle 1 is in the form of the so-called spiral bottle. The toner bottle 1 is provided with a spiral rib 1c, as a toner conveying member, which is attached to the internal surface of the cylindrical bottle proper 1A. Thus, as the toner supply container 1 rotates, the toner is conveyed by the spiral rib 1c in the direction parallel to the axial line of the container proper 1A, and then, is discharged from the toner supply container 1 through the outlet 1a attached to one of the end surfaces of the container proper 1A.

Next, referring to FIG. 8, the bottle proper 1A of the toner bottle 1 will be described. The bottle proper 1A is provided with the toner outlet 1a, which is attached to one of the lengthwise ends thereof. There is a driving force receiving portion 1b in the toner outlet 1a. The driving force receiving portion 1b is an integral part of the bottle proper 1A. The driving force receiving portion 1b receives the driving force from the driving force transmitting portion 5 of the sealing member 2, and rotates the bottle proper 1a. The toner outlet 1a of the toner bottle 1 in this embodiment is provided with a pair of driving force receiving portions 1b, which are disposed in a manner to oppose each other. However, the position, number, shape, measurements (height, length, etc.) of the driving force receiving portion 1b is optional; they are not specifically limited.

As depicted in detail in FIG. 8, the toner outlet 1a has two portions different in wall thickness, having therefore a surface 1g comparable to the riser portion of a stair step. This surface 1g comes into contact with the surface 5b of the driving force transmitting portion 5 to regulate the amount by which the sealing member 2 is allowed to slide outward. The driving force transmitting portion 5 will be described later.

[Sealing Member]

Next, referring to FIGS. 9 11, the structure of the sealing member 2 which best characterizes the present invention will be described further.

FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b) are perspective views of the sealing member 2 in this embodiment, as seen from the right and left sides thereof, respectively. FIGS. 10(a), 10(b), 10(c), 10(d), and 10(e) are a front view, a left side view, a right side view, a top view, and a sectional view at line A--A in 10(b), of the sealing member in this embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a partially broken perspective view of the toner outlet portion of the toner supply container, and the driving force transmitting portion 20, in this embodiment, while the toner is supplied from the toner supply container to the apparatus main assembly 100 after the coupling of the toner supply container 1 and the driving portion 20.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the sealing member 2 is provided with a sealing portion 2b for sealing or unsealing the toner outlet 1a of the developer supply container 1, and a roughly cylindrical coupling portion 2c, as a snap-hooking portion, which couples with the driving portion 20 of the apparatus main assembly 100. The sealing portion 2b, or the cylindrical portion with a larger diameter, is externally fitted with a pair of seals 2a, the diameters of which are larger by an appropriate amount than that of the internal diameter of the toner outlet 1a. The seals 2a are for sealing the gap between the peripheral surface of the sealing portion 2b of the sealing member 2, and the internal surface of the toner outlet 1a. Therefore, the seals 2a are desired to have a proper amount of elasticity. Thus, in this embodiment, the seals 2a are integrally formed with sealing member 2, of an elastomer, which is different from the material for the main body of the sealing member 2, by two color injection molding.

As the sealing portion 2b is pressed into the toner outlet 1a, the outlet 1a as the toner discharging port, is sealed with the sealing member 2.

The sealing member 2 performs a plurality of functions for the toner supply container 1. The primary functions of the sealing member 2 are: (1) to unseal the toner outlet 1a by engaging with the apparatus main assembly 100; (2) to receive rotational force from the apparatus main assembly 100; (3) to transmit the received driving force to the bottle proper 1A of the toner bottle 1; and (4) to disengage the toner supply container 1 from the apparatus main assembly 100.

As described above, the sealing member 2 performs a plurality of important functions by itself. This is why the sealing member 2 in this embodiment has this unique structure.

Next, the sealing member 2 will be described in detail regarding the various structural features for performing the abovementioned functions.

[Coupling Portion]

Next, the referring to FIGS. 9 11, the structure of the coupling portion 2c of the sealing member 2 in accordance with the present invention will be described.

The sealing member 2 in accordance with the present invention is provided with the cylindrical coupling portion 2c. Thus, not only does the sealing member 2 function as a sealing member, but also, it functions as a driving force receiving member. It is enabled to receive the driving force from the driving force transmitting portion 20 of the toner supplying apparatus 400.

The cylindrical coupling portion 2c, as the snap-hooking portion, of the sealing member 2, comprises four portions capable of elastically deforming, and each of the four portions capable of elastically deforming has the latching projection 3. Thus, the slanted top surface of each of the tapered latching projections 3 is pressed by the driving portion 20, the portion with the latching projection 3 easily and elastically deforms. The cylindrical coupling portion 2c is also provided with the four unlatching projections 4, as the disengagement force receiving portion, for receiving from the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, the force for displacing the latching projections 3 to free the snap-fitting coupling portion 2c from the driving portion 20. They are on the peripheral surface the cylindrical coupling portion 2c. More specifically, they project, one for one, from the portions with the latching projection 3; there are four elastic portions with the latching projection 3. In other words, the cylindrical coupling portion 2c of the sealing member 2 in this embodiment is provided with four elastically deformable portions, which are evenly distributed in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical coupling portion 2c, and each elastically deformable portion is provided with the latching projection 3 and unlatching projection 4; the coupling portion 2c is provided with two pairs of mutually opposing latching projections 3, and two pairs of mutually opposing unlatching projections 4.

As for the structural arrangement on the main assembly side, the driving portion 20 of the apparatus main assembly 100 is provided with holes 20h for catching the latching projections 3 of the sealing member 2. Each of the latching projection catching hole 20h (which hereinafter will be referred to simply as "catching hole") is structured so that the latching projection 3 of the sealing member 2 fits into the catching hole 20h (surface 3b of latching projection 3 comes into contact with internal surface of hole 20h). In order to allow the sealing member 20 to smoothly enter the driving portion 20, the edge of the coupling hole of the driving portion 20 is tapered (provided with tapered surface 20b) to gradually reduce the diameter of the entry portion of the coupling hole. With the provision of this tapered surface 20b, the sealing member 2 is smoothly guided into the driving portion 20.

The driving portion 20 is provided with a plurality of ribs 20a, which are for transmitting the rotational driving force to the sealing member 2 by coming into contact with the driving force receiving surface 3a of the latching projection 3 after the engagement of the latching projections 3 into the catching holes 20h. In this embodiment, the driving portion 20 is provided with a pair of ribs 20a, which are disposed in a manner to oppose each other across the driving portion 20 in terms of the direction perpendicular to the rotational axis of the driving portion 20.

[Snap-fitting Portion]

Next, referring to FIGS. 9 11, the snap-fitting portion will be described in more detail.

In order to enable the sealing member 2 to receive the driving force from the apparatus main assembly 100, each of the snap-fitting portions of the sealing member 2 is provided with the latching projection 3, which is located at the tip portion of the snap-fitting portion. Each latching projection 3 projects perpendicularly outward in the radius direction of the sealing member 2 from the peripheral surface of the cylindrical coupling portion 2c. The latching projection 3 has the driving force receiving surface 3a, as the driving force receiving portion, by which the sealing member 2 receives the rotational force from the apparatus main assembly 100, and the load bearing surface 3b which comes, and remains, in contact with the internal surface of one of the catching holes 20h of the driving portion 20 of the apparatus main assembly 100, as the sealing member 2 is moved into the driving portion 20. This load bearing contact surface 3b is the surface by which the sealing member 2 remains engaged with the driving portion 20 when the sealing member is partially separated from the toner bottle 1 (when unsealing toner outlet 1a).

In other words, each latching projection 3 performs two different functions: the function performed by the driving force receiving surface 3a, that is, the function as a coupler for coupling the sealing member 2 with the driving portion 20 in order to make it possible for the sealing member 2 to receive the rotational driving force from the apparatus main assembly 100; and the function performed by the load bearing contact surface 3b, that is, the function as a latching (locking) portion for keeping the sealing member 2 engaged with the driving portion 20 in order to make it possible for the toner outlet 1a to be automatically unsealed as the sealing member 2 is slid outward relative to the bottle proper 1A.

Further, while the sealing member 2 receives the driving force from the driving portion 20, with the load bearing contact surface 3b remaining in contact with the internal surface of the catching hole 20h, the distance by which the sealing member 2 was pulled out from the toner bottle 1 is kept constant. Therefore, the amount by which the toner is discharged per unit length of time through the toner outlet 1a is kept constant, rendering the toner bottle 1 very accurate in terms of the amount by which toner is discharged per unit length of time. Further, the sealing member 2 reliably remains engaged with the driving portion 20 of the apparatus main assembly 100. Therefore, there is no possibility that the sealing member 2 will become disengaged from the drive shaft 1b while the toner is discharged. In other words, this embodiment assures that the toner is satisfactorily discharged.

With the provision of the above described structural arrangement, the function of automatically unsealing or resealing the toner outlet 1a of a toner supply container, and the function of receiving the driving force from the main assembly of an image forming apparatus and transmitting the received driving force to the container proper 1A of the toner supply container, can be carried out by a single component, that is, the sealing member 2. Therefore, it is possible to provide a toner supply container which is simple in structure and inexpensive.

Not only is the latching projection 3 required to have the latching function, but also, driving force receiving function. Therefore, it is desired to have a certain amount of rigidity. Thus, the coupling portion 2c of the sealing member 2 is provided with a plurality of pairs of slits 2e, which extend in the direction parallel to the axial line of the sealing member 2 from the base portion of the coupling portion 2c to its tip, being positioned so that each pair of slits 2 sandwich one of the latching projections 3. With the provision of these slits 2e, each of the portions of the coupling portion 2c having the latching projection 3 is enabled to freely and elastically deform toward the axial line of the coupling portion 2c. Another reason for provision of these slits 2e is for enabling the latching projections 3 to be displaced by the action from the apparatus main assembly 100 in order to disengage the sealing member 2 (toner supply container 1) from the apparatus main assembly 100.

Although each of the latching projections 3 in this embodiment is integrally formed as a part of the sealing member 2, this embodiment is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. In other words, the latching portion 3 as a part of the snap-fitting portion of the sealing member 2 may be integrally formed with the sealing member 2, or the latching projection and sealing member 2 may be formed independently from each other.

Also in this embodiment, each of the latching projections 3 is tapered; it is provided with the surface 3c as the contact surface, in order to enable the sealing member 2 to smoothly enter the driving portion 20 of the apparatus main assembly 100. This contact surface 3c is the surface which comes into contact with the internal surface of the cylindrical driving portion 20, and receives from the internal surface of the cylindrical driving portion 20, the force for displacing the latching projection 3 (snap-fitting portion) toward the axial line of the sealing member 2 so that the sealing member 2 is allowed to enter the driving portion 20, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. As the sealing member 2 enters deeper into the driving portion 20, the contact surface 3b comes closer to the catching hole 20h of the driving portion 20. Then, as the sealing member 2 enters even deeper into the driving portion 20, the latching projection 3 is moved past the edge of the catching hole 20h. As a result, the slanted surface 3c becomes disengaged from the internal surface of the driving portion 20, and therefore, the pressure being applied to the latching projection 3 disappears, allowing the portion of the coupling portion 2c, from which the latching projection 3 projects, to regain its original shape. Therefore, the contact surface 3b of the latching projection 3 comes into contact with the internal surface of the catching hole 20h, ending the processing of the coupling the sealing member 2 (snap-fitting portions of sealing member 2) with the apparatus main assembly 100 (driving portion 20 of apparatus main assembly 100).

After the completion of the coupling process, the bottle proper 1A is slid backward a predetermined distance by the mechanism of the apparatus main assembly 100 which is moved by the movement of the toner bottle exchange front cover 15, as described above. As a result, the sealing member 2 is apparently moved relative to the container proper 1A, unsealing the toner outlet 1a to enable the toner