US 11,860,567 B2
Drum cartridge and image forming apparatus having residual toner conveying pipe
Enao Yamada, Nagoya (JP); and Shougo Sato, Seto (JP)
Assigned to BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed by BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed on Dec. 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/067,811.
Application 18/067,811 is a continuation of application No. 17/689,398, filed on Mar. 8, 2022, granted, now 11,561,499.
Application 17/689,398 is a continuation of application No. 17/153,188, filed on Jan. 20, 2021, granted, now 11,300,920, issued on Apr. 12, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-013019 (JP), filed on Jan. 29, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0124989 A1, Apr. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. G03G 21/00 (2006.01); G03G 21/10 (2006.01); G03G 21/18 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 21/105 (2013.01) [G03G 21/1817 (2013.01); G03G 21/0064 (2013.01); G03G 2221/1624 (2013.01); G03G 2221/1654 (2013.01); G03G 2221/1861 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A process cartridge comprising:
a drum cartridge configured to support a photosensitive drum, the photosensitive drum being rotatable about a drum axis extending in an axis direction; and
a toner cartridge configured to accommodate toner to be supplied to the photosensitive drum,
the drum cartridge comprising:
a drum cleaner configured to remove transfer residual toner from the photosensitive drum;
a toner receiving hole receiving toner from the toner cartridge; and
a conveyor device configured to convey transfer residual toner from the drum cleaner to a transfer residual toner discharge hole discharging transfer residual toner from the drum cartridge,
the toner cartridge comprising:
a toner chamber configured to accommodate toner having a toner discharge hole discharging toner from the toner cartridge;
a transfer residual toner chamber configured to accommodate transfer residual toner received through a transfer residual toner receiving hole receiving transfer residual toner from the drum cartridge; and
a first toner shutter,
wherein the toner cartridge is movable between a first position and a second position, the toner cartridge being removable from the drum cartridge in a state the toner cartridge is located in the first position, the toner cartridge being unremovable from the drum cartridge in a state the toner cartridge is located in the second position,
wherein the first toner shutter is movable between a first-toner-shutter-closed position and a first-toner-shutter-opened position in conjunction with movement of the toner cartridge, the first toner shutter being configured to:
close the toner discharge hole in a case the first toner shutter is located in the first-toner-shutter-closed position, and
open the toner discharge hole in a case the first toner shutter is located in first-toner-shutter-opened position,
wherein in the state the toner cartridge is located in the second position,
in a case the transfer residual toner discharge hole of the drum cartridge communicates with the transfer residual toner receiving hole of the toner cartridge, the toner cartridge is not movable from the second position to the first position, and
in a case the transfer residual toner discharge hole does not communicate with the transfer residual toner receiving hole, the toner cartridge is movable from the second position to the first position, and
wherein in the state the toner cartridge is located in the second position,
in a case the toner discharge hole of the toner cartridge communicates with the toner receiving hole of the drum cartridge, the toner cartridge is not movable from the second position to the first position, and
in a case the toner discharge hole does not communicate with the toner receiving hole, the toner cartridge is movable from the second position to the first position.