The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 09, 1994
Filed:
May. 28, 1992
Kuniaki Nakano, Nara, JP;
Kunio Nakai, Osaka, JP;
Masahiro Sako, Osaka, JP;
Shigeo Kurando, Osaka, JP;
Minoru Kishigami, Osaka, JP;
Masahiro Higashitani, Osaka, JP;
Yasuhiro Matsuo, Osaka, JP;
Toshinori Nishimura, Osaka, JP;
Tsugio Nakanishi, Osaka, JP;
Yasuyuki Hirai, Osaka, JP;
Shingo Mori, Nara, JP;
Mita Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
It is a major object of the present invention to break down and level a heap-up of toner built in the hopper through dropping from the cartridge when feeding toner into the hopper and to prevent toner from leakage from the cartridge due to erroneous operation with a remarkably simple and cheap construction. Namely, the leveling member moves a plurality of number of times in line with engaging and disengaging operation of the cartridge for the hopper and opening and closing operation of the cartridge in the same direction of the shutter, thereby causing a heap-up of toner built in the hopper housing of the hopper to be effectively broken down and leveled. Furthermore, only when the shutter is in its closed status for the cartridge, the cartridge can be removed from the opening of the hopper.