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:
Dec. 31, 1996
Filed:
Jan. 30, 1995
Haruhisa Oshida, Hatogaya, JP;
Keiji Okano, Tokyo, JP;
Masahide Kinoshita, Yokohama, JP;
Koji Takahashi, Yokohama, JP;
Yasushi Shimizu, Tokyo, JP;
Akira Domon, Kawasaki, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A process cartridge detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus light emitting means and light receiving means cooperative with the light emitting means to detect amount of toner in a part of the process cartridge, the process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member; process means actable on the electrophotographic photosensitive member; a toner container, adapted for being mounted in the part, for containing the toner to be used for developing a latent image formed in the electrophotographic photosensitive member; a light transmitting member, provided in the toner container, for transmitting light emitted from the light emitting means to permit detection of the amount of the toner in the toner container when the process cartridge is mounted to a main assembly of the image forming apparatus; a cover member movable between a protecting position for protecting the electrophotographic photosensitive member and a retracted position wherein the cover is retracted from the covering position; wherein upon movement of the cover member from the protecting position to the retracted position when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly, the cover member is retracted toward the toner container beyond a position of the light transmitting member.