US RE40,021 E1
Toner bottle and developer cartridge for use in an image forming apparatus
Tokihiko Ise, Yokohamashi (Japan); Yoshiharu Taniyama, Kawasakishi (Japan); and Shinichi Itoh, Yokohamashi (Japan)
Assigned to Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (Japan)
Filed on Dec. 24, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/745,476.
Application 10/745476 is a reissue of application No. 09/506327, filed on Feb. 18, 2000, now 6,334,037, filed on Dec. 25, 2001.
Int. Cl. G03G 15/08 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 399—262  [399/260] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
[ 30. A toner bottle for use in an image forming apparatus to discharge toner from the toner bottle upon rotation of the toner bottle in the image forming apparatus, wherein the toner bottle is adapted for insertion into the image forming apparatus along a direction of a rotation axis of the toner bottle, the toner bottle comprising:
an elongated cylindrical body portion having an outer surface, said body portion having a rotation axis extending longitudinally of the cylindrical body portion defining the rotation axis of the toner bottle;
a first end portion at a first end of the cylindrical body portion, the first end portion including an end face;
a toner outlet port positioned at the first end portion;
a ring-shaped cartridge shutter positioned at the first end portion and configured to be axially movable, along the direction of the toner bottle rotation axis in response to the insertion of the toner bottle into the image forming apparatus, between a closed position that covers the toner outlet port and an open position that opens the toner outlet port; and
at least one disconnection prevention projection formed at the first end portion to limit axial movement of the cartridge shutter in a direction toward the end face, thereby preventing the cartridge shutter from disconnecting from the toner bottle,
wherein the cartridge shutter has a substantially constant outer diameter and comprises axial ends that are free of radially outward extending projections.]