Patent ID: 6137972
Filing Date: 2000-10-24
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
In a dry particulate imaging material dispensing system, including a dispensing container, for a printing apparatus, wherein said dry particulate imaging material is supplied from said dispensing container, which dispensing container is adapted to engage with said printing apparatus in a defined engagement position for the removal of said dry particulate imaging material from said dispensing container into said printing apparatus, and wherein said dispensing container is also disengageable from said printing apparatus for the replacement of one said dispensing container with another, the improvement comprising:a dispensing aperture in said dispensing container through which said dry particulate imaging material is so supplied from said dispensing container into said printing apparatus,a sealing plug, normally sealing said dispensing aperture in said dispensing container to prevent inadvertent escape of said dry particulate imaging development material from said dispensing container,said sealing plug having an integral gripping system,a gripper system integral said printing apparatus positioned in said defined engagement position to engage and grip said sealing plug gripping system as said dispensing container is engaged with said printing apparatus,said gripper system being adapted to grip said gripping system of said sealing plug and to forcibly push said sealing plug inside said dispensing container while retaining said sealing plug gripped by said gripper system to open said dispensing aperture of said dispensing container for said supplying of said dry particulate imaging material from said dispensing container into said printing apparatus automatically upon said engagement of said dispensing container with said printing apparatus,said gripper system being adapted to continue to grip said gripping system of said sealing plug until said dispensing container is disengaged from said printing apparatus;wherein said sealing plug has a defined internal diameter, andwherein said integral sealing plug gripping system is centrally spaced inside of and out of contact with said defined internal diameter of said sealing plug, andwherein said integral sealing plug gripping system comprises an expandable snap-lock gripping recess defined by expandable gripper fingers andwherein said gripper system integral said printing apparatus is in a fixed position and is automatically forced into said snap-lock gripping recess by expanding said gripper fingers upon the insertion of said dispensing container into said printing apparatus in said defined engagement position to snap-lock said sealing plug to said gripper system before said sealing plug is forcibly pushed inside said dispensing container.