Claims
- 1. A toner magazine mountable to an electrophotographic apparatus for replenishing a developing device of the electrophotographic apparatus with toner and for cleaning toner from a photoconductive element of the electrophotographic apparatus, comprising:
- a waste toner tank positioned for receiving toner from the photoconductive element when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus;
- a fresh toner tank positioned for replenishing the developing device with fresh toner when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus; and
- a connector which connects said waste toner tank and said fresh toner tank in such a way as to permit a change in their relative positions with respect to each other so that said fresh toner tank and said waste toner tank may be positioned on the electrophotographic apparatus independently of each other.
- 2. The toner magazine of claim 1 including a guide portion at said waste toner tank which cooperates with the electrophotographic apparatus for positioning said waste toner tank relative to the photoconductive element when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus.
- 3. The toner magazine of claim 1 including a fresh toner tank positioning member which cooperates with a guide of said electrophotographic apparatus for positioning said fresh toner tank in said electrophotographic apparatus.
- 4. A toner magazine mountable to an electrophotographic apparatus for replenishing a toner hopper of a developing device of the electrophotographic apparatus with toner and for cleaning toner from a photoconductive element of the electrophotographic apparatus, comprising:
- a waste toner tank positioned for receiving toner from the photoconductive element when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus;
- a fresh toner tank connected to said waste toner tank and positioned on the toner hopper independently of the position of the waste toner tank when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus; and
- a guide portion at said waste toner tank which cooperates with the electrophotographic apparatus for positioning said waste toner tank relative to the photoconductive element when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus.
- 5. The toner magazine of claim 4 including a fresh toner tank positioning member which cooperates with a guide of said electrophotographic apparatus for positioning said fresh toner tank in said electrophotographic apparatus.
- 6. A toner magazine mountable to an electrophotographic apparatus for replenishing a toner hopper of a developing device of the electrophotographic apparatus with toner and for cleaning toner from a photoconductive element of the electrophotographic apparatus, comprising:
- a waste toner tank positioned for receiving toner from the photoconductive element when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus;
- a fresh toner tank connected to said waste toner tank and positioned on the toner hopper for replenishing the developing device with fresh toner when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus; and
- a guide portion at said waste toner tank which cooperates with the electrophotographic apparatus for positioning said waste toner tank on the electrophotographic apparatus when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus, said guide portion including an engaging portion configured to engage the electrophotographic apparatus when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus.
- 7. The toner magazine of claim 6 wherein said guide portion further comprises an elongated projection inserted in a guide groove of the electrophotographic apparatus when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus.
- 8. The toner magazine of claim 7 wherein said fresh toner tank is positioned on the toner hopper independently of the position of said waste toner tank when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus.
- 9. The toner magazine of claim 6 wherein said engaging portion is configured to engage a shaft of the photoconductive element.
- 10. A toner magazine mountable to an electrophotographic apparatus for replenishing a developing device of the electrophotographic apparatus with toner and for cleaning toner from a photoconductive element of the electrophotographic apparatus, comprising:
- a waste toner tank positioned for receiving toner from the photoconductive element when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus;
- a fresh toner tank positioned for replenishing the developing device with fresh toner when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus; and
- means for connecting said waste toner tank and said fresh toner tank in such a way as to permit a change in their relative positions with respect to each other so that said fresh toner tank and said waste toner tank may be positioned on the electrophotographic apparatus independently of each other.
- 11. The toner magazine of claim 10 including guide means for positioning said waste toner tank relative to the photoconductive element when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus.
- 12. A toner magazine mountable to an electrophotographic apparatus for replenishing a toner hopper of a developing device of the electrophotographic apparatus with toner and for cleaning toner from a photoconductive element of the electrophotographic apparatus, comprising:
- a waste toner tank comprising means for receiving toner from the photoconductive element when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus;
- a fresh toner tank connected to said waste toner tank and positioned on the toner hopper independently of the position of the waste toner tank when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus; and
- guide means for positioning said waste toner tank relative to the photoconductive element when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus.
- 13. A toner magazine mountable to an electrophotographic apparatus for replenishing a toner hopper of a developing device of the electrophotographic apparatus with toner and for cleaning toner from a photoconductive element of the electrophotographic apparatus, comprising:
- a waste toner tank comprising means for receiving toner from the photoconductive element when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus;
- a fresh toner tank connected to said waste toner tank and comprising means for replenishing the developing device with fresh toner when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus; and
- guide means for positioning said waste toner tank on the electrophotographic apparatus when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus, said guide means including means for engaging said electrophotographic apparatus when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus.
- 14. The toner magazine of claim 13, wherein said guide means further comprise an elongated projection inserted in a guide groove of the electrophotographic apparatus when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus.
- 15. The toner magazine of claim 14 including means for positioning said fresh toner tank on the toner hopper independently of the position of said waste toner tank when the toner magazine is mounted to the electrophotographic apparatus.
- 16. The toner magazine of claim 13 wherein said engaging means is configured to engage a shaft of the photoconductive element.
- 17. An electrophotographic apparatus, comprising:
- a developing device;
- a photoconductive element;
- a waste toner tank positioned for receiving toner from the photoconductive element;
- a fresh toner tank positioned for replenishing the developing device with fresh toner; and
- a connector which connects said waste toner tank and said fresh toner tank toform a toner magazine and in such a way as to permit a change in their relative positions with respect to each other.
- 18. The electrophotographic apparatus of claim 17 including a guide portion at said waste toner tank which cooperates with a corresponding part of the electrophotographic apparatus for positioning said waste toner tank relative to said photoconductive element.
- 19. An electrophotographic apparatus, comprising:
- a developing device having a toner hopper;
- a waste toner tank positioned for receiving toner from a photoconductive element;
- a fresh toner tank connected to said waste toner tank to form a toner magazine and positioned on the toner hopper independently of the position of said waste toner tank; and
- a guide portion at said waste toner tank which cooperates with a corresponding element of the electrophotographic apparatus for positioning said waste toner tank relative to said photoconductive element.
- 20. An electrophotographic apparatus, comprising:
- a developing device having a toner hopper;
- a photoconductive element;
- a waste toner tank positioned for receiving toner from said photoconductive element;
- a fresh toner tank connected to said waste toner tank to form a toner magazine and positioned on the toner hopper for replenishing the developing device with fresh toner; and
- a guide portion at said waste toner tank which cooperates with a corresponding element of the electrophotographic apparatus for positioning said waste toner tank on the electrophotographic apparatus, said guide portion including an engaging portion.
- 21. The electrophotographic apparatus of claim 20 wherein said guide portion further comprises an elongated projection inserted in a guide groove of the electrophotographic apparatus.
- 22. The electrophotographic apparatus of claim 21 wherein said fresh toner tank is positioned on the toner hopper independently of the position of said waste toner tank.
- 23. The toner magazine of claim 20 wherein said engaging portion is configured to engage a shaft of said photoconductive element.
- 24. A method of mounting a toner magazine to an electrophotographic apparatus having a developing device and a photoconductive element, the toner magazine comprising a waste toner tank for receiving toner from the photoconductive element and a fresh toner tank connected to the waste toner tank, comprising the steps of:
- positioning the waste toner tank relative to the photoconductive element; and
- positioning the fresh toner tank in relation to the developing device independently of the waste toner tank.
- 25. The method of claim 24 wherein said step of positioning the waste toner tank relative to the photoconductive element comprises engaging an engaging portion of said waste toner tank with a shaft of the photoconductive element.
- 26. The method of claimed 25 wherein said step of positioning the fresh toner tank in relation to the developing device independently of the waste toner tank comprises positioning the fresh toner tank on a toner hopper of the developing device.
Priority Claims (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
5-3435 |
Jan 1993 |
JPX |
|
5-41246 |
Mar 1993 |
JPX |
|
5-269019 |
Oct 1993 |
JPX |
|
Parent Case Info
This is a Continuation, of application Ser. No. 08/672,039 filed on Jun. 26, 1996, U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,038 which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/177,318 filed on Jan. 4, 1994, U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,081.
US Referenced Citations (16)
Foreign Referenced Citations (9)
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44 22 635 A1 |
Jan 1981 |
DEX |
30 05 455 A1 |
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39 41 506 |
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Jan 1993 |
DEX |
56-69676 |
Jun 1981 |
JPX |
62-269189 |
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JPX |
63-56676 |
Mar 1988 |
JPX |
1-76074 |
Mar 1989 |
JPX |
Continuations (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
672039 |
Jun 1996 |
|
Parent |
177318 |
Jan 1994 |
|