Granted Patent B2

US 12,313,987 · App. 18/226,270 · Granted May 27, 2025

Inventors: Hiroshi Hosokawa (Kanagawa, JP); Shunji Kato (Kanagawa, JP); Shinji Tamaki (Tokyo, JP); Hiroshi Ikeguchi (Kanagawa, JP); Seiji Terazawa (Shizuoka, JP); Junji Yamabe (Shizuoka, JP); Kaori Mitsuishi (Shizuoka, JP); Toshihide Tomotaka (Shizuoka, JP); Tsunehiro Watanabe (Shizuoka, JP); Kenji Kikuchi (Kanagawa, JP)

Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.

G03G15/0877G03G15/0865G03G15/0872G03G15/0886

Abstract

Claims (59)

1. A powder container to contain powder, comprising:

a nozzle receiving opening at one side of the powder container in a longitudinal direction of the powder container;

a scoop, at the one side, to scoop up the powder, when the scoop is rotated about a rotational axis; and

a holder, at the one side, including an electrical terminal, the holder and the electrical terminal not intersecting the rotational axis,

wherein the electrical terminal is oblique to the rotational axis relative to a vertical direction when the powder container is in a mounted orientation, and

wherein the scoop is rotatable relative to the holder.

2. The powder container according to claim 1 , wherein:

the electrical terminal is to contact a terminal of an image forming apparatus and communicate with an electrical circuit of the image forming apparatus.

3. The powder container according to claim 1 , wherein:

the electrical terminal includes an earth terminal.

4. The powder container according to claim 1 , wherein:

the electrical terminal receives a clock signal for controlling communication.

5. The powder container according to claim 1 , wherein:

the electrical terminal includes a serial data input terminal.

6. The powder container according to claim 1 , wherein:

the electrical terminal includes a power supply terminal.

7. The powder container according to claim 1 , wherein:

the electrical terminal includes a plurality of terminals,

the plurality of terminals includes at least three terminals including an earth terminal and,

the earth terminal is between two other terminals of the plurality of terminals.

8. The powder container according to claim 7 , wherein:

the earth terminal includes a contact surface perpendicular to a contact surface of one of the other two terminals.

9. The powder container according to claim 8 , wherein:

the electrical terminal is to contact a terminal of an image forming apparatus and communicate with an electrical circuit of the image forming apparatus.

10. The powder container according to claim 8 , wherein:

the holder holds a substrate including the electrical terminal.

11. The powder container according to claim 10 , wherein:

the substrate includes a hole, a side of the hole includes the contact surface of the earth terminal.

12. The powder container according to claim 11 , wherein:

the electrical terminal is to contact a terminal of an image forming apparatus and communicate with an electrical circuit of the image forming apparatus,

the longitudinal direction is parallel to an insertion direction of the powder container into the image forming apparatus, and

the hole extends parallel to the insertion direction.

13. The powder container according to claim 8 , wherein:

the plurality of terminals are each metallic pads.

14. The powder container according to claim 7 , wherein:

the plurality of terminals is disposed in a row, and

the row is oblique to the rotational axis relative to the vertical direction when the powder container is in the mounted orientation.

15. The powder container according to claim 14 , wherein:

the rotational axis passing through the nozzle receiving opening,

the electrical terminal is oblique to the rotational axis relative to the vertical direction when the powder container is in the mounted orientation,

a line connecting the electrical terminal and the nozzle receiving opening is oblique to the vertical direction when the powder container is in the mounted orientation, and

the row is oblique to the line connecting the electrical terminal and the nozzle receiving opening.

16. The powder container according to claim 15 , wherein:

the plurality of terminals includes a rectangular metal pad terminal, and

the rectangular metal pad terminal is oblique to the vertical direction when the powder container is in the mounted orientation.

17. The powder container according to claim 1 , wherein:

the rotational axis passes through the nozzle receiving opening,

the electrical terminal is oblique to the rotational axis relative to the vertical direction when the powder container is in the mounted orientation, and

a line connecting the electrical terminal and the nozzle receiving opening is oblique to the vertical direction when the powder container is in the mounted orientation.

18. The powder container according to claim 1 , wherein:

the electrical terminal is a metallic pad.

19. The powder container according to claim 1 , wherein:

the electrical terminal includes a plurality of terminals,

the plurality of terminals includes at least four terminals,

the plurality of terminals is disposed in a row, and

the row is oblique to the rotational axis relative to the vertical direction when the powder container is in the mounted orientation.

20. The powder container according to claim 19 , wherein:

the plurality of terminals includes a rectangular metal pad terminal, and

the rectangular metal pad terminal is oblique to the vertical direction when the powder container is in the mounted orientation.

Priority Claims (6)

Continuity (10)

References Cited (335)