Patent ID: 6314262
Filing Date: 2001-11-06
Classification: G03G,Y10S

Abstract:
A toner supply system for supplying a toner hopper with the toner from a toner cartridge via a toner entrance port formed on the toner hopper,the toner hopper including:a shutoff lid disposed movably along a top surface thereof for opening and closing the toner entrance port;a guide frame disposed along the walls def ining the toner entrance port for guiding the shutof f lid in the opening and closing directions thereof;a locking element for keeping the shutoff lid in the closed state; anda fixing element fixing the locking element and having a stepped face on one side thereof,the toner cartridge including:a releasing element which has a stepped face mating the stepped face of the fixing element and moves the fixing element so as to allow the locking element to move as the toner cartridge moves forwards; andan opening and closing element which moves the locking element so as to move the shutoff lid,characterized in that when the toner cartridge is mounted on the mount of the toner hopper, the releasing element and the fixing element are placed opposing each other with their stepped faces opposed to each other and the two stepped faces mesh with each other as the toner cartridge moves forwards, whereby the fixing element is allowed to move and the shutoff lid can be opened.