Patent Publication Number: US-6658226-B2

Title: Process cartridge toner supply arrangement for image forming apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a process cartridge and, more particularly, to a process cartridge toner supply arrangement used in a laser printer for controlling the toner passage between the toner container and the developing device. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A regular process cartridge for a laser printer is generally comprised of an electrophotographic photosensitive member, developing means, charging means, cleaning means, and a toner container. When the toner container is used up, the whole assemble of the process cartridge becomes useless and must be thrown away. It is not economical to throw the whole assembly of the process cartridge away after the process cartridge is emptied. Further, the waste process cartridge may cause pollution to the environment if it is not disposed of in a proper manner. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished to eliminate the aforesaid drawbacks. In one aspect, the present invention relates to a sliding cover device arrangement for controlling toner passage between the toner container and the developing device of an image forming apparatus, which enables the user to replace the toner container without throwing the whole assembly of the process cartridge away when the toner of the toner container is depleted. In one embodiment of the present invention, the process cartridge toner supply arrangement comprises a receiving member (developing device), the receiving member comprising a plurality of toner receiving openings and a toner accommodating portion adapted for accommodating toner received from the toner receiving openings, a supplying member (toner container), the supplying member comprising a toner accommodating portion adapted for accommodating toner and a plurality of toner supplying openings adapted for supplying toner from the toner accommodating portion of the supplying member to the toner accommodating portion of the receiving member through the toner supplying openings and the toner receiving openings; and a blocking member provided between the receiving member and the supplying member and moved to close/open the toner passage between the toner receiving openings and the toner supplying openings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an elevational assembly view of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a back side view of the developing device, showing the first sliding cover moved to the open position and the toner receiving openings opened according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3 but showing the first sliding cover moved to the close position and the toner receiving openings closed according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a back side view of the toner container, showing the second sliding cover moved to the opening position and the toner supplying openings opened according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5 but showing the second sliding cover moved to the close position and the toner supplying openings closed according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional elevation of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the toner container coupled to the developing device. 
     FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 is an elevational assembly view of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a process cartridge toner supply arrangement is shown comprised of a receiving member, a replaceable supplying member, and a blocking member. The receiving member is a developing device  1 . The supplying member is a toner container  2 . The developing device  1  comprises a first end  31 , an opposite second end  33 , and a body  35  defined between the first end  31  and the opposite second end  33 , wherein the body  35  has a plurality of toner receiving openings  11  arranged in a line on one side thereof, and a toner accommodating portion adapted for accommodating toner. There are electrophotographic photosensitive means, developing means, charging means, and cleaning means provided inside the toner accommodating portion of the developing device  1 . Because the internal structure of the developing device  1  is of the known art and not within the scope of the claims of the present invention, no further detailed description on this part is necessary. 
     Referring to FIG.  5  and FIG. 1 again, the toner container  2  comprises a first end  41 , an opposite second end  43 , and a body  45  defined between the first end  41  and the opposite second end  43 , wherein the body  45  has an interior surface defining a volume for accommodating toner, and wherein the body  45  has a plurality of toner supplying openings  21  arranged in a line on one side thereof corresponding to the toner receiving openings  11  of the developing device  1  and adapted for guiding toner from the toner accommodating portion defined inside the toner container  2  to the toner accommodating portion of the developing device  1  through the toner supplying openings  21  and the toner receiving openings  11 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 through 4 and FIG. 1 again, the aforesaid blocking member, according to a first embodiment of the present invention, comprises a first sliding cover  13  of the developing device  1 , a second sliding cover  23  of the toner container  2 , and engagement means. The developing device  1  comprises two elongated guide members  12  arranged in parallel at different elevations above and below the toner receiving openings  11 . The first sliding cover  13  is inserted in between the guide members  12  and moved to close/open the toner receiving openings  11  of the developing device  1 . The first sliding cover  13  comprises a plurality of openings  14  corresponding to the toner receiving openings  11 . The aforesaid engagement means comprise a sliding slot  15  formed on the developing device  1  in line with the toner receiving openings  11  at one side and a projection rod  16  protruded from one end of the first sliding cover  13  and adapted for engaging the sliding slot  15 , wherein when the projection rod  16  is positioned within the sliding slot  15 , the projection rod  16  is movable between a first predetermined position that is at the end of the sliding slot  15  proximate to the first end  31  of developing device  1  and a second predetermined position that is at the other end of the sliding slot  15  distant from the first end  31  of the developing device  1 , and wherein when the projection rod  16  is positioned at the first predetermined position, the first sliding cover  13  closes the plurality of toner receiving openings  11  of the developing device  1 , and when the projection rod  16  is moved from the first predetermined position to the second predetermined position, the movement of the projection rod  16  causes the first sliding cover  13  to shift in direction to open the plurality of toner receiving openings  11  of the developing device  1 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 5 through 6 and FIG. 1 again, the toner containers  2  [further] comprises two elongated guide members  22  arranged in parallel at different elevations above and below the toner supplying openings  21 . The second sliding cover  23  is inserted in between the guide members  22  and moved to close/open the toner supplying openings  21 . The second sliding cover  23  comprises a plurality of openings  24  corresponding to the toner supplying openings  21 . The aforesaid engagement means further comprise a retaining hole  25  formed on the toner container  2  in line with the toner supplying openings  21  and adapted for receiving the projection rod  16  of the developing device  1 . The aforesaid engagement means may further comprise a plurality of projections  26  respectively protruded from the second sliding cover  23  around each of the openings  24  and adapted for engaging the toner receiving openings  11  of the developing device  1 . 
     Referring to FIG.  7  and FIG. 1 again, when the toner container  2  is to be mounted on the developing device  1  at a predetermined position, the projection rod  16  of the developing device  1  is positioned in the first predetermined position and received in the retaining hole  25  so as to engage with the toner container  2 , and the projections  26  are, respectively, engaged into the toner receiving openings  11  of the developing device  1 . When the toner container  2  is shifted to be mounted on the developing device  1  at the predetermined position, the shifting movement of the toner container causes the projection rod  16  to move by the engagement between the projection rod  16  and the retaining hole  25  from the first predetermined position to the second predetermined position, and the movement of the projection rod  16  causes the first sliding cover  13  and the second sliding cover  23  to shift in between the respective guide members  12  and  22  in a direction with the toner container  2  to force the plurality of openings  14  into alignment with the toner receiving openings  11 , respectively. At this time, the toner supplying openings  21  of the toner container  2  are respectively positioned at the toner receiving openings  11  of the developing device  1  for the passing of toner from the toner container  2  to the developing device  1 . 
     On the contrary, when the toner container  2  is shifted in the reverse direction, for example, to be dismounted from the developing device  1 , the shifting movement of the toner container causes the projection rod  16  to move by the engagement between the projection rod  16  and the retaining hole  25  from the second predetermined position to the first predetermined position, and the movement of the projection rod  16  causes the first sliding cover  13  and the second sliding cover  23  to shift in the direction with the toner container  2  to close the toner receiving openings  11  and the toner supplying openings  21 , and therefore, the toner passage between the toner container  1  and the developing device  2  is terminated. 
     Referring to FIG. 7 again, sponge linings  10  and  20  are, respectively, installed in between the developing device  1  and the first sliding cover  13  around the toner receiving openings  11  and in between the toner container  2  and the second sliding cover  23  around the toner supplying openings  21  to prevent leakage of the toner during toner a supplying operation. 
     Referring to FIG. 8, the aforesaid blocking member, according to a second embodiment of the present invention, comprises a first strippable strip of sealing film  101  positioned on one side of the developing device  1  to seal the toner receiving openings  11 , and a second strippable strip of sealing film  201  positioned on one side of the toner container  2  to seal the toner supplying openings  21 . Alternatively, the blocking member can be made having only one strippable strip of sealing film positioned on one side of the developing device  1  (or toner container  2 ) to seal the toner receiving openings  11  (or supplying openings  21 ). 
     Referring to FIG.  9  and FIG. 8 again, when the toner container  2  and the developing device  1  coupled together, the first strippable strip of sealing film  101  and the second strippable strip of sealing film  201  are pulled outwardly away from the developing device  1  and the toner container  2  respectively, thereby causing the toner passage between the toner receiving openings  11  of the developing device  1  and the toner supplying openings  21  of the toner container  2  to be opened. 
     A prototype of process cartridge toner supply arrangement has been constructed with the features of FIGS.  1 ˜ 8 . The process cartridge toner supply arrangement functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier. 
     Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.