IP Library Granted Patent US 12,085,884
Granted Patent B2
US 12,085,884 · App. 18/014,740 · Granted Sep 10, 2024

Toner cartridge having front cover

Inventors: Jinsam Park (Seongnam-si, KR); Jinhong Kim (Seongnam-si, KR); Gun Heo (Seongnam-si, KR); Seongwoong Yang (Seongnam-si, KR)
Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
G03G21/1647G03G15/0875G03G21/1676G03G2221/1654
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,085,884
App. No.
18/014,740
Granted
Sep 10, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A toner cartridge includes: a housing to accommodate toner and including a fastening boss at a front end; a front cover including a fastening hole aligned with the fastening boss; a fastening member including a fastening portion and a head portion, the fastening portion configured to pass through the fastening hole and be fastened to the fastening boss to couple the front cover to the housing; and a separating portion to allow the fastening hole to be separated from the head portion of the fastening member by an external force acting on the front cover.

Claims (34)

1. A toner cartridge comprising:

a housing to accommodate toner and including a fastening boss at a front end;

a front cover comprising a fastening hole aligned with the fastening boss;

a fastening member comprising a fastening portion and a head portion, the fastening portion configured to pass through the fastening hole and be fastened to the fastening boss to couple the front cover to the housing; and

a separating portion to allow the fastening hole to be separated from the head portion of the fastening member by an external force acting on the front cover,

wherein a diameter of the fastening hole is less than a diameter of the head portion of the fastening member, and the separating portion comprises a separation hole extending from the fastening hole and having a diameter greater than the diameter of a head portion of the fastening member such that the head portion of the fastening member is to pass through the separation hole by an external force acting on the front cover.

2. The toner cartridge of claim 1 , wherein

the front cover comprises a handle, and

the separation hole is at an opposite side of the handle based on the fastening hole.

3. The toner cartridge of claim 2 , wherein the front cover comprises a front wall having the fastening hole and a sidewall extending from lateral edges of the front wall to a front end of the housing, and the handle is on the sidewall.

4. The toner cartridge of claim 2 , wherein the front cover comprises a front wall facing the front end of the housing, a stepped portion stepped from the front wall toward the front end, and a connection wall connecting the front wall to the stepped portion, and

the fastening hole and the separation hole are in the stepped portion.

5. The toner cartridge of claim 4 , wherein the separation hole extends to the connection wall and forms an opening in the connection wall.

6. The toner cartridge of claim 5 , wherein a distance from the stepped portion to an end of the opening toward the front wall is greater than a thickness of the head portion of the fastening member.

7. The toner cartridge of claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the fastening hole is greater than a diameter of the head portion of the fastening member, and

the separating portion comprises an elastic member between the head portion of the fastening member and the front cover, the elastic member comprising an inner diameter portion having a smaller diameter than a diameter of a head portion of the fastening member, an outer diameter portion having a diameter greater than the diameter of the head portion of the fastening member, and an elastically deformable support between the inner diameter portion and the outer diameter portion.

8. The toner cartridge of claim 7 , wherein a cutting groove extending from the inner diameter portion to the outer diameter portion is in the support.

9. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a main body comprising a mounting portion and a locking member; and

a toner cartridge attachable to and detachable from the mounting portion, and comprising:

a housing to accommodate toner and including a fastening boss and a locking hook hung on the locking member at a front end and a rear end in a longitudinal direction, respectively;

a front cover having a fastening hole aligned with the fastening boss;

a fastening member including a fastening portion and a head portion, the fastening portion configured to pass through the fastening hole and be fastened to the fastening boss to couple the front cover to the housing; and

a separating portion that allows the fastening hole to be separated from the head portion of the fastening member by an external force acting on the front cover, wherein a diameter of the fastening hole is less than a diameter of the head portion of the fastening member, and the separating portion comprises a separation hole extending from the fastening hole and having a diameter greater than the diameter of a head portion of the fastening member such that the head portion of the fastening member is to pass through the separation hole by an external force acting on the front cover.

10. The image forming apparatus of claim 9 , wherein, when the toner cartridge is mounted on the mounting portion, an entrance of the mounting portion is parallel to the front cover.

11. The image forming apparatus of claim 9 , wherein

the front cover comprises a handle, and

the separation hole is at an opposite side of the handle based on the fastening hole.

12. The image forming apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the front cover comprises a front wall facing the front end of the housing, a stepped portion stepped from the front wall toward the front end, and a connection wall connecting the front wall to the stepped portion, and the fastening hole and the separation hole are in the stepped portion.

13. The image forming apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the separation hole extends to the connection wall and forms an opening in the connection wall, and

a distance from the stepped portion to an end of the opening toward the front wall is greater than a thickness of the head portion of the fastening member.

14. The image forming apparatus of claim 9 , wherein a diameter of the fastening hole is greater than a diameter of the head portion of the fastening member, and

the separating portion comprises an elastic member between the head portion of the fastening member and the front cover, the elastic member comprising an inner diameter portion having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the head portion of the fastening member, an outer diameter portion having a diameter greater than the diameter of the head portion of the fastening member, and an elastically deformable support between the inner diameter portion and the outer diameter portion.

15. The image forming apparatus of claim 14 , wherein a cutting groove extending from the inner diameter portion to the outer diameter portion is in the support.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2023
From: PARK, JINSAM; KIM, JINHONG; HEO, GUN; YANG, SEONGWOONG
To: HP PRINTING KOREA CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 064100/0843 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2023
From: PARK, JINSAM; KIM, JINHONG; HEO, GUN; YANG, SEONGWOONG
To: HP PRINTING KOREA CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 064101/0369 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2023
From: HP PRINTING KOREA CO., LTD.
To: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
Reel/Frame 064101/0509 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2020-0084040 · Jul 8, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230273566A1 · Aug 31, 2023