US 11,703,793 B2
Toner cartridge, toner supplying mechanism and shutter
Yosuke Kashiide, Tokyo (JP); and Takashi Kimura, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Oct. 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/506,803.
Application 17/506,803 is a division of application No. 17/231,105, filed on Apr. 15, 2021, granted, now 11,650,536.
Application 17/231,105 is a division of application No. 16/884,426, filed on May 27, 2020, granted, now 11,022,934, issued on Jun. 1, 2021.
Application 16/884,426 is a division of application No. 16/427,877, filed on May 31, 2019.
Application 16/427,877 is a division of application No. 15/417,931, filed on Jan. 27, 2017, granted, now 10,761,472, issued on Sep. 1, 2020.
Application 15/417,931 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2015/072438, filed on Jul. 31, 2015.
Claims priority of application No. 2014-158119 (JP), filed on Aug. 1, 2014; application No. 2014-158120 (JP), filed on Aug. 1, 2014; and application No. 2015-032063 (JP), filed on Feb. 20, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2022/0035302 A1, Feb. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. G03G 15/08 (2006.01); G03G 21/16 (2006.01); G03G 21/18 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 21/1647 (2013.01) [G03G 15/08 (2013.01); G03G 15/0877 (2013.01); G03G 15/0886 (2013.01); G03G 21/1676 (2013.01); G03G 21/1832 (2013.01); G03G 2215/067 (2013.01); G03G 2215/0692 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cartridge detachably attached to an apparatus main body, the cartridge comprising:
a developing unit including:
a developing roller configured to bear toner and to rotate about a first rotational axis;
a first frame having a first toner accommodating portion configured to accommodate the toner to be borne by the developing roller, the first toner accommodating portion having a first opening portion through which the toner is supplied to the first toner accommodating portion, and the first frame including a guiding portion; and
a first shutter movable with respect to the first frame between a first closed position in which the first shutter closes the first opening portion and a first open position in which the first shutter opens the first opening portion;
a toner unit detachably attached to the developing unit, the toner unit including:
a second frame having a second toner accommodating portion configured to accommodate the toner, the second toner accommodating portion having a second opening portion from which the toner is supplied to the first toner accommodating portion of the developing unit through the first opening portion;
a second shutter movable with respect to the second frame between a second closed position in which the second shutter closes the second opening portion and a second open position in which the second shutter opens the second opening portion;
a handle portion protruding from an outer surface of the second frame; and
a portion-to-be-guided protruding from an end surface of the toner unit in a direction of the first rotational axis,
wherein the toner unit is configured to have a first posture to which the toner unit is transitioned by being moved in an attaching direction that is orthogonal to the first rotational axis and a second posture to which the toner unit is transitioned by being rotated from the first posture about a second rotational axis, the second rotational axis extending in the direction of the first rotational axis and passing through the portion-to-be-guided when viewed in the direction of the first rotational axis,
wherein, while the toner unit is being transitioned from the first posture to the second posture with the portion-to-be-guided being guided by the guiding portion of the developing unit, the first shutter of the developing unit is moved with respect to the first frame from the first closed position to the first open position, and the second shutter of the toner unit is moved with respect to the second frame from the second closed position to the second open position,
wherein a width of the portion-to-be-guided in the attaching direction is longer than a width of the portion-to-be-guided in a direction orthogonal to the attaching direction when viewed in a direction of the second rotational axis when the toner unit has the first posture, the portion-to-be-guided having an abutting surface configured to abut with the guiding portion, the abutting surface being a downstream end surface of the portion-to-be-guided in the attaching direction when the toner unit has the first posture, and
wherein an entirety of the handle portion is provided so as not to overlap with a virtual line extending in the attaching direction and passing through the second rotational axis, and an abutting portion of the abutting surface of the portion-to-be-guided is provided so as to overlap with the virtual line when viewed in the direction of the second rotational axis in a state that the toner unit has the first posture.