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:
Apr. 10, 2012
Filed:
Dec. 18, 2008
Yoshihiro Yoshikawa, Yamatokoriyama, JP;
Kazuya Koyama, Ikoma, JP;
Masanobu Deguchi, Kashiba, JP;
Takeshi Wakabayashi, Kizugawa, JP;
Yuhsuke Yoshimoto, Yamatotakada, JP;
Yoshihiro Yoshikawa, Yamatokoriyama, JP;
Kazuya Koyama, Ikoma, JP;
Masanobu Deguchi, Kashiba, JP;
Takeshi Wakabayashi, Kizugawa, JP;
Yuhsuke Yoshimoto, Yamatotakada, JP;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A toner cartridge has a toner storage chamber, a discharge outlet, a conveying screw, and a blocking wall. The discharge outlet serves to send out toner stored in the toner storage chamber, and the conveying screw serves to convey the toner stored in the toner storage chamber. Further, before the toner cartridge mounted into an image forming apparatus, the blocking wall is located in a space between a toner area, which is an area in the toner storage chamber where the toner exists, and the discharge outlet, thereby putting the space in a blocked state. The toner cartridge further includes a driving mechanism for, when the toner cartridge has been mounted into the image forming apparatus, driving the conveying screw by power transmitted from the image forming apparatus, so as to cancel the blocked state.