US-12619174-B2 - Toner cartridge attachable to image forming apparatus

US12619174B2US 12619174 B2US12619174 B2US 12619174B2US-12619174-B2

Abstract

Toner cartridge includes a housing, an agitator, an auger, a first protrusion, and a second protrusion. The housing includes a first toner accommodating portion having and a second toner accommodating portion. The auger is rotatable about a second axis extending in a first direction and is configured to convey toner from a first toner accommodating portion to the second toner accommodating portion. The first protrusion is positioned at a first side of the second toner accommodating portion. The first protrusion extends in the first direction. The second protrusion is positioned at a second side of the second toner accommodating portion and extends in the first direction.

Inventors

Hideshi Nishiyama
Keita SHIMIZU

Assignees

BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20240626
Priority Date: 20160331

Claims (11)

1 . A method of attaching a toner cartridge to a developing unit, the toner cartridge including: a housing accommodating toner therein and having a first opening allowing toner to be discharged therefrom; a first protrusion extending in a first direction and rotatable relative to the housing; and a second protrusion extending in the first direction, the developing unit having a second opening, the method comprising: inserting the first protrusion into a first groove of the developing unit and the second protrusion into a second groove of the developing unit in an inserting direction; and in a state where the first protrusion is received in the first groove and the second protrusion is received in the second groove, pivoting the housing of the toner cartridge relative to the developing unit from a first position to a second position, wherein, in a state where the toner cartridge is at the second position, the first opening faces downward in the inserting direction, and the second opening allows toner in the toner cartridge to enter the developing unit through the second opening.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein in the state where the first protrusion is received in the first groove and the second protrusion is received in the second groove, the housing of the toner cartridge is pivoted relative to the developing unit, with the first protrusion and the second protrusion being positioned at a center of a pivotal movement of the housing.
3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the second protrusion is fixed to the housing of the toner cartridge, and wherein the housing of the toner cartridge is pivoted relative to the developing unit, thereby causing the second protrusion to be pivoted together with the housing of the toner cartridge relative to the developing unit.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the toner cartridge includes a first gear part provided to the housing and having gear teeth, wherein the developing unit includes: a casing configured to accommodate therein toner supplied from the toner cartridge; and a second gear part movable relative to the casing and having gear teeth, and wherein the housing of the toner cartridge is pivoted relative to the developing unit, thereby causing the gear teeth of the first gear part of the toner cartridge to be brought into meshing engagement with the gear teeth of the second gear part of the developing unit.
5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein after the gear teeth of the first gear part are brought into meshing engagement with the gear teeth of the second gear part, the housing of the toner cartridge continues being pivoted relative to the casing of the developing unit in a state where the gear teeth of the first gear part are in meshing engagement with the gear teeth of the second gear part.
6 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the toner cartridge further includes a cover shutter which is rotatable together with the first protrusion relative to the housing and which is formed with a third opening, wherein the first opening is covered by the cover shutter when the housing is at the first position, the first opening being in communication with the second opening through the third opening of the cover shutter when the housing is at the second position.
7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the toner cartridge includes a first gear part provided to the housing and having gear teeth, wherein the developing unit includes: a casing configured to accommodate therein toner supplied from the toner cartridge, the casing having the second opening allowing toner to enter the casing; and a second gear part movable relative to the casing and having gear teeth, and wherein the housing of the toner cartridge is pivoted relative to the casing of the developing unit such that the first gear part pivots together with the housing of the toner cartridge relative to the casing of the developing unit.
8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the housing of the toner cartridge is pivoted relative to the casing of the developing unit, thereby causing the gear teeth of the first gear part of the toner cartridge to be brought into meshing engagement with the gear teeth of the second gear part of the developing unit, and wherein after the gear teeth of the first gear part are brought into meshing engagement with the gear teeth of the second gear part, the second gear part moves together with the first gear part relative to the casing of the developing unit in a state where the gear teeth of the second gear part are in meshing engagement with the gear teeth of the first gear part.
9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second protrusion is fixed to the housing of the toner cartridge, and wherein the housing of the toner cartridge is pivoted relative to the developing unit, thereby causing the second protrusion to be pivoted together with the housing of the toner cartridge relative to the developing unit.
10 . A method of attaching a toner cartridge to a developing unit, the toner cartridge including a housing accommodating toner therein and having a first opening allowing toner to be discharged therefrom, a first protrusion extending in a first direction, the first protrusion being rotatable relative to the housing, and a second protrusion extending in the first direction, the method comprising: inserting the first protrusion into a first groove of the developing unit and the second protrusion into a second groove of the developing unit; and in a state where the first protrusion is received in the first groove and the second protrusion is received in the second groove, pivoting the housing of the toner cartridge relative to the developing unit, wherein the toner cartridge includes a first gear part provided to the housing and having gear teeth, wherein the developing unit includes: a casing configured to accommodate therein toner supplied from the toner cartridge; and a second gear part movable relative to the casing and having gear teeth, and wherein the housing of the toner cartridge is pivoted relative to the developing unit, thereby causing the gear teeth of the first gear part of the toner cartridge to be brought into meshing engagement with the gear teeth of the second gear part of the developing unit.
11 . A method of attaching a toner cartridge to a developing unit, the toner cartridge including a housing accommodating toner therein and having a first opening allowing toner to be discharged therefrom, a first protrusion extending in a first direction, the first protrusion being rotatable relative to the housing, and a second protrusion extending in the first direction, the method comprising: inserting the first protrusion into a first groove of the developing unit and the second protrusion into a second groove of the developing unit; and in a state where the first protrusion is received in the first groove and the second protrusion is received in the second groove, pivoting the housing of the toner cartridge relative to the developing unit, wherein the toner cartridge includes a first gear part provided to the housing and having gear teeth, wherein the developing unit includes: a casing configured to accommodate therein toner supplied from the toner cartridge; and a second gear part movable relative to the casing and having gear teeth, and wherein the housing of the toner cartridge is pivoted relative to the casing of the developing unit such that the first gear part pivots together with the housing of the toner cartridge relative to the casing of the developing unit.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/302,507, filed Apr. 18, 2023, now U.S. Pat. No. 12,092,974, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/526,251, filed Nov. 15, 2021, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,635,707, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/872,893 filed May 12, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,181,852, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/193,613 filed Nov. 16, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,705,456, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/464,977 filed Mar. 21, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,180,640, which claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-073399 filed Mar. 31, 2016. The entire contents of the priority applications are incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a toner cartridge attachable to an image forming apparatus. BACKGROUND A toner cartridge that is attachable in an image-forming apparatus is known in the art. The toner cartridge accommodates toner. SUMMARY A toner cartridge in the prior art, for example, has a housing for accommodating toner, an opening for discharging toner, and an agitator for conveying the toner toward the opening. The toner cartridge further includes a first protrusion that protrudes from one side surface of the toner cartridge in an axial direction aligned with the rotational shaft of the agitator, and a second protrusion that protrudes from the other side surface of the toner cartridge in the axial direction of the agitator. When the toner cartridge is attached to or mounted in a developing unit, the first and second protrusions on the toner cartridge are fitted into grooves formed in the developing unit, thereby fixing the position of the cartridge relative to the developing unit during the attaching operation. Subsequently, the toner cartridge is pivoted about the first and second protrusions. The discharge opening in the toner cartridge is formed at a central position between the first and second protrusions. The agitator is positioned between the first and second protrusions and conveys toner in a direction that intersects the axial direction of the agitator shaft. While the toner cartridge described in the art has an agitator for conveying toner in a direction that intersects the axial direction of the agitator shaft, in some cases it is desirable to further convey the toner along the axial direction of the agitator. However, the prior art does not suggest or disclose a toner cartridge having a structure (an auger, for example) for conveying toner along the axial direction of the agitator. Further, the prior art does not suggest or disclose the structure for fixing the position of a toner cartridge having this configuration in a developing unit or image-forming apparatus during the attaching operation of the toner cartridge. In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a toner cartridge having an agitator for conveying toner in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the agitator and a structure for further conveying the toner along the axial direction of the agitator, and that is capable of being fixed in position in a developing unit or image-forming apparatus during an operation for attaching the toner cartridge in the developing unit or image-forming apparatus. According to one aspect, the disclosure provides a toner cartridge including a housing, an agitator, an auger, and a first protrusion, and a second protrusion. The first toner accommodating portion has a first interior space elongated in the first direction. The second toner accommodating portion is positioned at one side in the second direction of the first toner accommodating portion and has a second interior space in communication with the first interior space. The second interior space is elongated in the first direction. The housing has a first opening portion at one side in the first direction of the second toner accommodating portion. The first opening portion is configured to discharge toner therefrom. The agitator is rotatable about a first axis extending in the first direction. The agitator is configured to agitate the toner in the first interior space and is configured to convey the toner from the first interior space to the second interior space. The auger is rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction and configured to convey the toner from the second interior space to the first opening portion. The first protrusion is positioned at the one side in the first direction of the second toner accommodating portion and at the one side in the first direction of the first opening portion. The first protrusion extends in the first direction. The second protrusion is positioned at another side in the first direction of the second toner accommodating portion and extends in the first direction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The pa