US 12,411,437 B2
Toner container and image forming apparatus including the toner container
Hirofumi Tsuji, Osaka (JP); and Masahiro Ueno, Osaka (JP)
Assigned to KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc., Osaka (JP)
Filed by KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc., Osaka (JP)
Filed on Jul. 22, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/779,358.
Claims priority of application No. 2023-122339 (JP), filed on Jul. 27, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2025/0036044 A1, Jan. 30, 2025
Int. Cl. G03G 15/08 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/0872 (2013.01) [G03G 15/0886 (2013.01)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A toner container comprising:
a container body, being cylindrical-shaped, which rotates while containing toner;
a transmission gear, being cylindrical-shaped, which is fitted to a one-end-side outer circumferential surface of the container body under a circumferential-movement restricted condition, and which transmits rotation driving force to the container body;
a cap member which covers an opening provided at one end portion of the container body in its rotational-axis direction, and which retains a rotation-halted state while the container body and the transmission gear are rotating; and
a seal member which is placed between the container body and the cap member, and which is at least partly formed from an elastic material,
the toner container being fittable to and removable from an image forming apparatus, wherein
the transmission gear has a large-diameter portion larger in outer diameter than the other portions, and
the cap member includes:
a body portion having a communicating portion communicatable with interior of the container body via the opening;
a retaining portion, being cylindrical-shaped, which is protruded from the body portion toward the container body in the rotational-axis direction, and which retains part of both the container body and the transmission gear in the rotational-axis direction; and
an engaging portion which is formed on an inner circumferential surface of the retaining portion, and which makes both a flange portion formed on a circumferential edge portion of the opening and the seal member pinched between the engaging portion and the body portion in the rotational-axis direction, and
a fore end portion of the retaining portion is in contact with a step gap portion on one side of the large-diameter portion closer to the cap member.