Toner cartridge and image forming apparatus
View Patent ↗A toner cartridge includes a toner container which contains toner, the toner container having at one end portion thereof a discharge port which discharges the toner, and a member which is attached to an outer peripheral surface of the one end portion. The member has a first part which is engaged with the one end portion, and a second part which has, at a position corresponding to the discharge port, a passage hole through which the toner discharged from the discharge port passes.
1. A toner cartridge comprising:
a cylindrical toner container configured to contain a toner, the toner container having at one end portion thereof a filling port through which the toner is fed;
a cap configured to close the filling port;
a toner discharge port formed in the toner container at another end portion thereof;
a guide member attached to said another end portion of the toner container;
a discharge plate formed on an outer periphery of the guide member integral therewith;
a passage hole formed in the discharge plate, and opposing the discharge port when the guide member is attached to the toner container;
a shutter configured to slide relative to the discharge plate to open or close the passage hole; and
a seal member interposed between the shutter and the discharge plate of the guide member.
2. The toner cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the toner container includes a first toner container, and a second toner container having a smaller diameter than the first toner container, the second toner container including the toner discharge port.
3. The toner cartridge according to claim 1 , further comprising a first positioning member formed on the guide member, and a second positioning member formed on the toner container and to be engaged with the first positioning member.
4. The toner cartridge according to claim 3 , wherein:
the first positioning member includes a discharge member provided on an outer surface thereof;
the discharge member includes the discharge plate and an engagement step; and
the engagement step extends from an end of the discharge plate toward the cap.
5. The toner cartridge according to claim 4 , wherein the engagement step is thicker than the discharge plate.
6. The toner cartridge according to claim 5 , further comprising a sloping surface which gently connects an outer surface of the engagement step to an outer surface of the discharge plate.
7. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a photoconductor drum;
an image forming unit configured to form an electrostatic latent image on a surface of the photoconductor drum;
a developing unit configured to develop, using a toner, the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoconductor drum;
a transfer unit configured to transfer, to a sheet of paper, a toner image developed on the surface of the photoconductor drum;
a fixing device which fixes the transferred toner image on the sheet of paper; and
a toner cartridge;
wherein:
the toner cartridge includes:
a cylindrical toner container configured to contain a toner, the toner container having at one end portion thereof a filling port through which the toner is fed;
a cap configured to close the filling port;
a toner discharge port formed in the toner container at another end portion thereof;
a guide member attached to said another end portion of the toner container;
a discharge plate formed on an outer periphery of the guide member integral therewith;
a passage hole formed in the discharge plate, and opposing the discharge port when the guide member is attached to the toner container;
a shutter configured to slide relative to the discharge plate to open or close the passage hole; and
a seal member interposed between the shutter and the discharge plate of the guide member.
8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the toner container includes a first toner container, and a second toner container having a smaller diameter than the first toner container, the second toner container including the toner discharge port.
9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising a first positioning member formed on the guide member, and a second positioning member formed on the toner container and to be engaged with the first positioning member.
10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein:
the first positioning member includes a discharge member provided on an outer surface thereof;
the discharge member includes the discharge plate and an engagement step; and
the engagement step extends from an end of the discharge plate toward the cap.
11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the engagement step is thicker than the discharge plate.
12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising a sloping surface which gently connects an outer surface of the engagement step to an outer surface of the discharge plate.
13. A toner cartridge comprising:
cylindrical toner containing means for containing a toner, the toner containing means having at one end portion thereof a filling port through which the toner is fed;
cap means for closing the filling port;
toner discharge means formed in the toner containing means at another end portion thereof;
guide means attached to said another end portion of the toner containing means;
discharge means formed on an outer periphery of the guide means integral therewith;
passage means formed in the discharge means, and opposing the discharge means when the guide means is attached to the toner containing means;
shutter means for sliding relative to the discharge means to open or close the passage means; and
seal means interposed between the shutter means and the discharge means of the guide means.
14. The toner cartridge according to claim 13 , wherein the toner containing means includes a first toner container, and a second toner container having a smaller diameter than the first toner container, the second toner container including the toner discharge means.
15. The toner cartridge according to claim 13 , further comprising a first positioning means formed on the guide means, and a second positioning means formed on the toner containing means and to be engaged with the first positioning means.
16. The toner cartridge according to claim 15 , wherein:
the first positioning means includes a discharge member provided on an outer surface thereof;
the discharge member includes the discharge means and an engagement step means; and
the engagement step means extends from an end of the discharge means toward the cap means;
the engagement step means being thicker than the discharge means.
17. The toner cartridge according to claim 16 , further comprising a sloping surface which gently connects an outer surface of the engagement step means to an outer surface of the discharge means.