Patent ID: 6337965
Filing Date: 2002-01-08
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
A toner supply device comprising; an annular toner bottle provided with a toner delivery outlet on a lateral side portion and an inside helical protrusion for movement of fine particle toward said toner delivery outlet;a bottle holder which holds the toner bottle removably and rotates integrally with said toner bottle; a latch mechanism which connects the bottle holder and said toner bottle; a toner transfer mechanism which feeds toner delivered from said toner bottle to a toner cartridge for development and is disposed on a lower side of said bottle holder; driving means which drives the bottle holder to rotate or stop, and a control portion which controls the driving means at a predetermined timing, wherein said latch mechanism comprises a protruding portion protruding from a lateral side of said toner bottle and a incised groove which is engaged to said protruding portion and formed in the bottle holder along an inserting direction of said toner bottle, a ring member which holds said toner bottle rotatably and prevents said toner bottle from being removed out of said bottle holder is disposed on the inserting side of the toner bottle of said bottle holder, a incised portion which permits a passage of a protrusion of said toner bottle is provided in a portion of the ring member, and the incised portion is provided in a position slightly rotated from a position of said incised groove specified when said toner delivery outlet face upward.