Patent ID: 7257348

Claim:
A method of introducing powder into a refillable powder cartridge comprising a powder storing body formed with an open portion at one end, an outlet configured to discharge powder from said powder cartridge, an outlet member formed with a passage configured to deliver powder from said powder storing body to the outlet and having a shutter for selectively blocking or unblocking said passage, and a base member affixed to said open portion of said powder storing body and configured to be selectively connected to or disconnected from said outlet member, wherein said base member comprises a powder passage that allows the powder to flow therethrough, and said powder passage of said base member has an opening area, as measured at an outlet of said base member adjacent to an inlet of said outlet member, larger than an opening area of said passage of said outlet member adjacent said shutter, wherein said shutter is a cylindrical member traversing the passage of said outlet member and is removably fittable in a transverse cylindrical shutter hole of said outlet member which transverse cylindrical shutter hole is substantially transverse to the powder passage, wherein the cylindrical member traversing the passage of said outlet member has a cylinder axis parallel to an axis of the transverse cylindrical shutter hole, the method comprising the steps of: providing for said outlet member to be separated from said base member; introducing powder into said powder storing body via said powder passage of said base member while said outlet member is separated from said base member; and connecting said base member and said outlet member after powder has been introduced into said powder storing body via said powder passage of said base member while said outlet member is separated from said base member.