Toner Cartridge Having Opening for Discharging Toner Sealed with Sealing Member and Method of Stripping Sealing Member

Europaisches Patentamt European Patent Office © Publication number: 0 514 666 A3 Office europeen des brevets

EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

@ Date of filing: 15.04.92

© Priority: 19.04.91 JP 88776/91 Taishi-cho 18.06.91 JP 174419/91 Minamikawachi-gun, Osaka 583(JP) Inventor: Matsuo, Yasuhiro © Date of publication of application: Gurandoru JUN 205, 25.11.92 Bulletin 92/48 2-4-22, Minato-ku Osaka-shi, Osaka 553(JP) © Designated Contracting States: Inventor: Mori, Shingo DE FR GB IT Reinbohaitsu D-102, 2-7-10, Tatsunokita, © Date of deferred publication of the search report: Sango-cho 03.11.93 Bulletin 93/44 Ikoma-gun, Nara 636(JP) Inventor: Sakata, Hiromi A1 7-206, © Applicant: MITA INDUSTRIAL CO. LTD. 3-1, Tsukumodai 2-28, 1-chome, Tamatsukuri Suita-shi, Osaka 565(JP) Chuo-ku Inventor: Sako, Masahiro Osaka-shi Osaka 540(JP) 3-5-1-219, Fujisakahigashimachi Hirakata-shi, Osaka 573-01 (JP) @ Inventor: Nakano, Kuniaki Inventor: Kishigami, Minoru 2-26-2, Kudo, 2-5-2-308, Tokuan, Oji-cho Tsurumi-ku Kitakatsuragi-gun, Nara 636(JP) Osaka-shi, Osaka 538(JP) Inventor: Hirai, Yasuyuki Yao Sentoraruhaitsu 502, 1-2-8, Yamashiro-cho © Representative: Popp, Eugen, Dr. et al Yao-shi, Osaka 581 (JP) MEISSNER, BOLTE & PARTNER Inventor: Higashitani, Masahiro Widenmayerstrasse 48 1843, Taishi, D-80538 Munchen (DE)

Toner cartridge having opening for discharging toner sealed with sealing member and method of stripping sealing member.

00 < © An opening (31) for discharging toner is formed the seal traction opening (52). In addition, the first in a lower part of a cartridge body (4) containing shutter (1) is further towed by the sealing member CO toner. A shutter is mounted to be also out. half CO mounting body (34) on (3), pulled Consequently, nearly CO the opening (31). A first shutter (1) is slidably moun- of the sealing member (3) from its front end is ted on the shutter mounting body (34). A second stripped. When the second shutter (2) is further shutter (2) is slidably mounted on the first shutter pulled out after the movement of the first shutter (1) (1). A front end of a sealing member (3) for sealing is regulated, the seal traction opening (52) in the the opening (31) is extended, the extended front end second shutter (2) tows the sealing member (3) being inserted through a seal traction opening (52) while allowing the insertion of the sealing member formed in a front end of the second shutter (2), and (3). At this time, the sealing member (3) is stripped fixed to a front end of the first shutter(1). When the while being so folded that a toner adhering surface second shutter (2) is pulled out of the shutter mount- is located in its inside. In this construction, the stroke ing body (34), the sealing member (3) is towed by for stripping is decreased, thereby to make it possi-

Rank Xerox (UK) Business Services (3. 10/3.6/3.3. 1) EP 0 514 666 A3

2 Application ii u ui ina

P 92 10 6556

DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVAN 1 Citation of document with indication, where appropnate, Keievam Category of relevant passages to claim APPLICATION girt. Cl.S ) 'ATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN ,2,4-/, i03Glb/U8 -ol. 13, no. 59 (P-826)(3407) 10 February '-13, 989 ;4-36 \ JP-A-63 249 870 ( MITA ) r abstract * A .4

Y ;P-A-0 097 441 (K0NISHIR0KU) .,2,4-7, 1-13, 14-36 : page 2, line 17 - page 3, line 18; :igures 1A,2A * A 14,26,2/

A JS-A-4 732 277 (WAYNE R. SMITH) 1,26,27, 14,36,37 * column 5, line 10 - column 6, line 6; figure 5 *

3ATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN 26,3/ /ol. 8, no. 211 (P-303)(1648) 26 September 1984 SEARCHED (Int. C1.5 ) 5, JP-A-59 093 471 ( RICOH ) * abstract *

JS-A-4 589 579 (YOSHIHARU MORITA) L,4,8, 54,36 * claim 1; figure 5 *

JS-A-4 650 070 (SEIJI OKA ET AL.) 14,19,23 * column 4, line 19 - line 41; figures ZA.2C *

A,D JP-U-63 132 962 (...) 14 * figure 1 *

The present search report has been drawn up For all claims Place or search u«e or covfxeiioi oi iae warca THE HAGUE 27 AUGUST 1993 TRfcPP t.A. CATEGORY OF CITED DOCUMEIN 111 1 : tneory or principle unaenying rae inveuuuu E : earlier patent document, but published on, or X : particularly relevant if taken alone after the filing date Y : particularly relevant if combined with another D : document cited in the application document of the same category L : document cited for other reasons A : technological background O : non-written disclosure & : member of the same patent family, corresponding P : intermediate document document European Patent Jffice

:laims incurring fees

he present European patent application comprised at the time of filing more than ten claims. Eui | — | All01 claims lees have been paid within the prescribed time limit,limit. Theme present European searcn repon nas own Irawn up lor all claims. □ Only part ol the claims fees have been paid within the prescribed time limit Tne present turopean searcn report has been drawn up for the first ten claims and for those claims for which claims tees have been paid. namely claims: □ No claims fees have been paid within the prescribed time limit. The present European search report has been drawn up for the first ten claims.

I LACK OF UNITY OF INVENTION The Search Division considers that the present European patent application does not comply with the requirement of unity of nvention and relates to several inventions or groups of Inventions, lamely:

See sheet -B-

pfj All further search lees have been paid within the fixed time limit. The present turopean searcn repon n« been drawn up for all claims. — The European search □I | Only part of the further search fees have been paid within the fixed time limit. present report has been drawn up for those parts of the European patent application which relate to the inventions in respect of which search fees have been paid. namely claims: |~j None of the further search fees has been paid within the fixed time limit. The present European search report has been drawn up for those parts of the European patent application which relate to the invention first mentioned In the claims. namely claims: uropean Patent iff ice ,r ±u tiDDO -a-

| LACK OF UNITY OF INVENTION he Search Division considers that the present European patent application does not comply with the requirement of unity of ivention and relates to several inventions or groups of inventions. ameiy:

1. Claims 1-13,26-37 : Two sliding members used to peel off and fold a sealing film having a small length.

2. Claims 14-25 : Two sliding members peel off a sealing film having a length twice the width of the sealed opening.