| US 7,486,915 B2 | ||
| Toner cartridge and image forming apparatus to be mounted with the toner cartridge | ||
| Kazuya Koyama, Ikoma (Japan); and Masanobu Deguchi, Kashiba (Japan) | ||
| Assigned to Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka (Japan) | ||
| Filed on Feb. 07, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/348,327. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 2005-036418 (JP), filed on Feb. 14, 2005. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0182469 A1, Aug. 17, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. G03G 15/08 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 399—258 [399/262] | 12 Claims |
| 1. A toner cartridge to be removably mounted in an image forming apparatus including a cartridge insertion port for receiving
the toner cartridge, the toner cartridge comprising:
a toner bottle which contains toner; and
a support member which supports the toner bottle in an axially rotatable manner;
wherein the toner bottle has a toner outlet port provided in a portion thereof supported by the support member;
the support member has an outlet port shutter provided slidably on an outer surface thereof for opening and closing the toner
outlet port, and a projecting engagement portion for positioning the toner cartridge with respect to the cartridge insertion
port in the mounting of the toner cartridge;
the support member and the toner bottle respectively have a projection and a recess serving as a locking portion and a to-be-locked
portion for restricting rotation of the toner bottle with respect to the support member when the toner cartridge is not mounted
in the image forming apparatus and allowing the rotation of the toner bottle with respect to the support member and the projecting
engagement portion when the toner cartridge is mounted in the image forming apparatus.
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