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:
Nov. 06, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 27, 2000
Hisashi Kunihiro, Yamabe-gun, JP;
Akira Nakakuma, Kitakatsuragi-gun, JP;
Fumito Mizoguchi, Yamatokoriyama, JP;
Kenichi Nagata, Shiki-gun, JP;
Yoshiki Ichikawa, Kashihara, JP;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, , JP;
Abstract
A shutoff lid of a toner hopper is formed with locking elements for locking the lid and a fixing element for fixing the locking elements. In the front face of a bottle slider, a pair of projected abutments abutting the fixing element are arranged on the left and right sides and a pair of switching portions for moving the locking elements are formed. The rear face of the fixing element is shaped with a stepped face which corresponds to the projected abutments. As the bottle slider moves forwards, each projected abutment abuts the stepped face of the fixing element and moves the fixing element, to thereby cancel restraint of the fixing element on the locking elements. A further advancement of the bottle slider causes the locking elements to move and release the locked state. If a projected abutment does not match the fixing element, the fixing element cannot be moved thus making release of the lock impossible. On the other hand, when the bottle slider has reached the toner supply position, contact portions of the releasing elements oppose a guide frame. When the releasing element is rotated about bridges by holding its handle, the contact portions abut the guide frame and function as the fulcrum so as to act a leverage force on the bridges, whereby it is possible to break off the bridges by a weak force. Thus, the releasing element is separated from the bottle slider and then a sealing element is peeled off.