US 11,953,843 B2
Powder container, powder supply device, and image forming apparatus including same
Kentaro Nodera, Kanagawa (JP); Emi Kita, Osaka (JP); Akihiro Takayama, Kanagawa (JP); Susumu Tateyama, Ibaraki (JP); Shinnosuke Koshizuka, Kanagawa (JP); Tatsuya Kubo, Kanagawa (JP); and Teppei Kikuchi, Kanagawa (JP)
Assigned to RICOH COMPANY, LTD., Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Jul. 13, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/863,424.
Application 17/103,007 is a division of application No. 16/792,302, filed on Feb. 17, 2020, granted, now 10,871,729, issued on Dec. 22, 2020.
Application 16/171,633 is a division of application No. 15/690,974, filed on Aug. 30, 2017, granted, now 10,146,154, issued on Oct. 4, 2018.
Application 15/247,342 is a division of application No. 14/823,624, filed on Aug. 11, 2015, granted, now 9,459,556, issued on Oct. 4, 2016.
Application 14/823,624 is a division of application No. 13/783,528, filed on Mar. 4, 2013, granted, now 9,146,497, issued on Sep. 29, 2015.
Application 17/863,424 is a continuation of application No. 17/103,007, filed on Nov. 24, 2020, granted, now 11,422,483.
Application 16/792,302 is a continuation of application No. 16/171,633, filed on Oct. 26, 2018, granted, now 10,606,187, issued on Mar. 31, 2020.
Application 15/690,974 is a continuation of application No. 15/247,342, filed on Aug. 25, 2016, granted, now 9,835,977, issued on Dec. 5, 2017.
Claims priority of application No. 2012-059279 (JP), filed on Mar. 15, 2012; and application No. 2012-275672 (JP), filed on Dec. 18, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2022/0342347 A1, Oct. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. G03G 15/08 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/0865 (2013.01) [G03G 15/0867 (2013.01); G03G 15/0868 (2013.01); G03G 15/0879 (2013.01); G03G 15/0886 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A powder container which is attachable and detachable to and from an image forming apparatus, comprising:
a powder chamber having a powder outlet configured to discharge powder; and
a shutter system to open and close the powder outlet, the shutter system including:
a first shutter positioned at a closing position configured to close the powder outlet in a condition in which the powder container is detached from the image forming apparatus, and at an opening position configured to open the powder outlet in a condition in which the powder container is attached to the image forming apparatus; and
a second shutter positioned at a covering position configured to cover an edge portion of the first shutter in a condition in which the powder container is detached from the image forming apparatus, and at an exposing position configured to expose the edge portion of the first shutter in a condition in which the powder container is attached to the image forming apparatus.