Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
223 words
A toner cartridge for a toner supply device of an image forming apparatus, comprising: a tubular main body having a tubular portion, end walls and a toner supply port; a spiral agitator, disposed within the main body, having a free end that does not contact an inner surface of either of the end walls of the main body; drive means for rotating said spiral agitator; a drive force transmission shaft, integrally formed with the spiral agitator, having a first end connected to an end of the spiral agitator opposite to the free end and having a second end coupled to said drive means, for transmitting a rotating drive force from the drive means to the spiral agitator; and a crushing member for crushing lumps of toner formed as a portion of the drive force transmission shaft near the toner supply port; wherein said toner cartridge is removably set to the toner supply device and provides toner to the toner device while being set to the toner supply device, and wherein the free end of the spiral agitator is located near the toner supply port and the second end of the drive force transmission shaft, and the end of the spiral agitator opposite to the free end is rotatably supported by the inner surface of one of the end walls of the main body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
223 words
A toner cartridge for a toner supply device of an image forming apparatus, comprising: a tubular main body having a tubular portion, end walls and a toner supply port; a spiral agitator, disposed within the main body, having a free end that does not contact an inner surface of either of the end walls of the main body; drive means for rotating said spiral agitator; a drive force transmission shaft, integrally formed with the spiral agitator, having a first end connected to an end of the spiral agitator opposite to the free end and having a second end coupled to said drive means, for transmitting a rotating drive force from the drive means to the spiral agitator; and a crushing member for crushing lumps of toner formed as a portion of the drive force transmission shaft near the toner supply port; wherein said toner cartridge is removably set to the toner supply device and provides toner to the toner device while being set to the toner supply device, and wherein the free end of the spiral agitator is located near the toner supply port and the second end of the drive force transmission shaft, and the end of the spiral agitator opposite to the free end is rotatably supported by the inner surface of one of the end walls of the main body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The toner cartridge according to claim 1, wherein when a load is applied to the spiral agitator, the spiral agitator decreases in diameter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The toner cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the spiral agitator is a spirally coiled metal wire.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The toner cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the tubular portion of the main body is made of paper.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The toner cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the toner supply port supplies toner to a reserve tank in a toner dispensing section of an image processing apparatus.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The toner cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said drive means comprises a motor, a power transmission mechanism connected to the motor, and a coupling connecting the power transmission mechanism and the drive force transmission shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The toner cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the spiral agitator contacts the tubular portion of the main body when the spiral agitator is at rest.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The toner cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the crushing member is triangular and is formed as a portion of the drive force shaft.