Sealing arrangement for a toner dispensing cartridge

Claim 1

An apparatus for dispensing material including: a housing adapted to store a supply of material therein, said housing having an exit aperture for discharging the material therefrom; means, adapted to be in communication with the exit aperture of said housing in an open position, for receiving the material being discharged from said housing; means for sealing the exit aperture of said housing, said sealing means comprising a rigid inner sliding seal and a rigid outer sliding seal, said outer sliding seal covering and preventing access to said inner sliding seal covering the exit aperture when said sealing means is in a closed position and said inner sliding seal and said outer sliding seal being spaced from the exit aperture providing access to the exit aperture when said sealing means is in an open position, said housing, on insertion into a location where the exit aperture thereof is in communication with said receiving means, operating said sealing means to move said inner sliding seal and said outer sliding seal relative to one another from the closed position to the open position wherein the exit aperture is in communication with said receiving means for discharging material into said receiving means, and on removal of said housing from a position where the exit aperture thereof is in communication with said receiving means, said housing operating said sealing means to move said inner sliding seal and said outer sliding seal relative to one another from the open position to the closed position where said outer sliding seal covers said inner sliding seal preventing access to said inner sliding seal.

Claim 2

An apparatus for dispensing material including: a housing adapted to store a supply of material therein, said housing having an exit aperture for discharging the material therefrom; means, adapted to be in communication with the exit aperture of said housing in an open position, for receiving the material being discharged from said housing; means for sealing the exit aperture of said housing, said sealing means comprising a rigid inner sliding seal and a rigid outer sliding seal, said outer sliding seal covering and preventing access to said inner sliding seal covering the exit aperture when said sealing means is in a closed position and said inner sliding seal and said outer sliding seal being spaced from the exit aperture providing access to the exit aperture when said sealing means is in an open position, said housing, on insertion into a location where the exit aperture thereof is in communication with said receiving means, operating said sealing means to move said inner sliding seal and said outer sliding seal relative to one another from the closed position to the open position wherein the exit aperture is in communication with said receiving means for discharging material into said receiving means, and on removal of said housing from a position where the exit aperture thereof is in communication with said receiving means, said housing operating said sealing means to move said inner sliding seal and said outer sliding seal relative to one another from the open position to the closed position where said outer sliding seal covers said inner sliding seal preventing access to said inner sliding seal.

Claim 6

An apparatus for dispensing material including: a housing adapted to store a supply of material therein, said housing having an exit aperture for discharging the material therefrom; means, adapted to be in communication with the exit aperture of said housing in an open position, for receiving the material being discharged from said housing; means for sealing the exit aperture of said housing, said sealing means comprising an inner sliding seal and an outer sliding seal, said outer sliding seal covering and preventing access to said inner sliding seal covering the exit aperture when said sealing means is in a closed position and said inner sliding seal and said outer sliding seal being spaced from the exit aperture providing access to the exit aperture when said sealing means is in an open position; means for operating said sealing means to move said inner sliding seal relative to said outer sliding seal from the closed position to the open position wherein the exit aperture is spaced from said inner seal and said outer seal, and in communication with said receiving means for discharging material thereto, said operating means moves said sealing means from the closed position to the open position on insertion of said housing into a location where the exit aperture thereof is in communication with said receiving means, and on removal of said housing from a position where the exit aperture thereof is in communication with said receiving means, said operating means moves said sealing means from the open position to the closed position; and a flange member mounted adjacent the exit aperture of said housing with said inner seal being slidingly engaged thereover, an open-box structure surrounding the exit aperture of said housing with said flange member extending outwardly therefrom, said outer seal being slidingly engaged over said inner seal, said flange member comprises an arcuate flange member, said inner seal comprises an arcuate inner seal, and said outer seal comprises an arcuate outer seal so that insertion and removal of said housing requires rotational movement thereof.

Claim 7

An apparatus for dispensing material including: a housing adapted to store a supply of material therein, said housing having an exit aperture for discharging the material therefrom; means, adapted to be in communication with the exit aperture of said housing in an open position, for receiving the material being discharged from said housing; means for sealing the exit aperture of said housing, said sealing means comprising an inner sliding seal and an outer sliding seal, said outer sliding seal covering and preventing access to said inner sliding seal covering the exit aperture when said sealing means is in a closed position and said inner sliding seal and said outer sliding seal being spaced from the exit aperture providing access to the exit aperture when said sealing means is in an open position; means for operating said sealing means to move said inner sliding seal relative to said outer sliding seal from the closed position to the open position wherein the exit aperture is spaced from said inner seal and said outer seal, and in communication with said receiving means for discharging material thereto, said operating means moves said sealing means from the closed position to the open position on insertion of said housing into a location where the exit aperture thereof is in communication with said receiving means, and on removal of said housing from a position where the exit aperture thereof is in communication with said receiving means, said operating means moves said sealing means from the open position to the closed position; and a flange member mounted adjacent the exit aperture of said housing with said inner seal being slidingly engaged thereover, an open-box structure surrounding the exit aperture of said housing with said flange member extending outwardly therefrom, said outer seal being slidingly engaged over said inner seal, said flange member comprises an arcuate flange member, said inner seal comprises an arcuate inner seal, and said outer seal comprises an arcuate outer seal so that insertion and removal of said housing requires rotational movement thereof.