IP Library › Granted Patent US 12693622
Granted Patent B2
US 12693622 · App. 18/983,732 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Developer supply container and developer supplying system

Inventors: Yohei Gamo (Abiko, JP); Daijiro Kato (Abiko, JP); Yusuke Oizumi (Toride, JP); Ayatomo Okino (Moriya, JP)
Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
G03G21/1647G03G15/0867G03G15/087G03G15/0877G03G15/0886G03G21/1676
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12693622
App. No.
18/983,732
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A developer supply container is detachably mountable to a developer receiving apparatus, the developer receiving apparatus including a developer receiving portion provided with a receiving port for receiving a developer and including a portion-to-be-engaged of displacing integrally with the developer receiving portion. The developer supply container includes a discharging portion provided with a shutter opening for discharging the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating portion, and an engaging portion. The engaging portion engages with the portion-to-be-engaged with a mounting operation of the developer supply container to displace the developer receiving portion so as to bring the receiving opening into fluid communication with the shutter opening. The engaging portion includes a curved portion having an angle relative to a mounting direction of the developer supply container, the angle decreasing with approach toward an upstream side in the mounting direction.

Claims (16)

1 . A developer supply container comprising:

a developer accommodating body configured to accommodate developer, the developer accommodating body being provided with a gear portion;

a developer discharging body in fluid communication with the developer accommodating body, the developer discharging body having a discharge opening, with the discharge opening being configured to form at least a part of a discharge passageway through which developer may be discharged to outside of the developer supply container, with an end of the discharge passageway being positioned at a bottommost side of the developer supply container, and with the developer accommodating body being rotatable about a rotational axis thereof relative to the developer discharging body;

a track including a fixed portion fixed on the developer discharging body and an elastically deformable portion extending from the fixed portion to a free end portion that is displaceable from the developer discharging body such that the elastically deformable portion intersects a horizontal plane that is parallel to the rotational axis; and

a shutter movable relative to the developer discharging body between an open position wherein the discharge opening is open and a closed position wherein the discharge opening is closed by the shutter,

wherein the developer discharging body is provided with a shutter support movably supporting the shutter, and

wherein, as viewed in a direction towards the bottommost side of the developer supply container, the shutter support extends at least from the discharge opening toward the developer accommodating body but does not overlap the gear.

2 . A developer supply container according to claim 1 , further comprising a projection projected from each of opposite sides of the developer discharging body, each projection having a portion that is in a movable range of the elastically deformable portion of the track on the same side of the developer discharging body.

3 . A developer supply container comprising:

a developer accommodating body configured to accommodate developer, the developer accommodating body being provided with a gear portion;

a developer discharging body in fluid communication with the developer accommodating body, the developer discharging body having a discharge opening, with the discharge opening being configured to form at least a part of a discharge passageway through which developer may be discharged to outside of the developer supply container, with an end of the discharge passageway being positioned at a bottommost side of the developer supply container, and with the developer accommodating body being rotatable about a rotational axis thereof relative to the developer discharging body; and

a track provided at each of opposite sides of the developer discharging body, each track including a fixed portion fixed on the developer discharging body and an elastically deformable portion extending from the fixed portion to a free end portion that is displaceable from the developer discharging body such that the elastically deformable portion intersects a horizontal plane that is parallel to the rotational axis;

a shutter movable relative to the developer discharging body between an open position wherein the discharge opening is open and a closed position wherein the discharge opening is closed by the shutter;

wherein the developer discharging body is provided with a shutter support movably supporting the shutter, and

wherein, as viewed in a direction towards the bottommost side of the developer supply container, the shutter support extends at least from the discharge opening toward the developer accommodating body but does not overlap the gear.

4 . A developer supply container according to claim 3 , further comprising a projection projected from each of the opposite sides of the developer discharging body, each projection having a portion that is in a movable range of the elastically deformable portion of the track on the same side of the developer discharging body.