WO1990015366A1

WO1990015366A1 - Container for particulate material

Info

Publication number: WO1990015366A1
Application number: PCT/US1990/002921
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frank Hacknauer; Kenneth Dean Corby
Original assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
Current assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
Priority date: 1989-06-02
Filing date: 1990-05-30
Publication date: 1990-12-13
Anticipated expiration: 1991-12-02
Also published as: JPH04500283A; EP0431110A1; JP2927947B2; DE69005425D1; EP0431110B1; DE69005425T2

Abstract

A container (2) for supplying toner to a receiving apparatus (1) of a copier or printer includes a containing portion (3) having an opening (9) in its bottom. A cover (25) for the opening (9) is slidable between positions covering and uncovering the opening. The cover includes a hinge (35) permitting rotating a major portion (11) of the cover to an unprotruding position when the cover is not covering the opening. The receiving apparatus (1) for the toner container has a toner cavity (20) over which the containing portion of the container is slid. To prevent skiving of toner into the workings of the machine, a guide means (40) forces at least the leading part of the containing portion through a higher path with respect to the cavity as it moves over the cavity than the path it takes moving back to a position beside the cavity. The toner container includes extensions (10) at the leading edges of flanges (5) on opposite sides of the container opening for cooperating with the guide means of the apparatus. Two different toners are supplied in essentially the same design of the container. One of two protrusions (7, 17) from opposite sides of the container is removed according to the toner contained therein. The receiving apparatus (1) for the container has an interfering means (8, 18) positioned to mate with each protrusion. The appropriate interfering structure is removed to customize the receiving apparatus for the correct container.

Description

CO TAINER FOR PARTICULATE MATERIAL

TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a container for particulate material, and more particularly, to a container for supplying toner and other material to a receiving device therefor in a copier, printer, or other such apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART U.S. Patent No. 4,062,385, issued

December 13, 1977 to Katusha et al, shows a toner container with a broad flange at the bottom around an opening through which toner can be emptied. A cover for the container is slidably retained against the flange so that it can be moved between positions covering the opening and uncovering the opening. The container is usable with appropriate receiving apparatus on a copier. It is placed on a slide structure next to a toner sump cavity on the receiving apparatus. As the container is slid over the sump cavity the cover is retained on the slide by suitable detent means between the cover and the slide and sump. When the container is empty and to be removed it is slid bacl onto the cover so that it may be removed and disposed of without dirtying the operator or the apparatus.

This structure has been used extensively commercially and has successfully accomplished its mission of supplying toner in a clean environment. However, the slide and cover protrude substantially from the sump. To prevent the slide from interfering with the front door of the apparatus, the commercial use of this structure positions the slide parallel to the door, so that the container's movement is substantially parallel to that front door of the apparatus. This requires substantial room on one side of the receiving apparatus in the copier, which in fact has been available.

It would be desirable to use this toner container cover removing system in newer apparatus having a number of development stations, for example, apparatus capable of making multicolored reproductions. Unfortunately, such apparatus receives several, for example, as many as four, toner containers, one next to the other. Thus, the adjacent toner containers do not permit placement of the slide parallel to the front door and movement of the toner container off its cover in a direction parallel to the front door.

Another problem with this system is that the leading edge of the flange as the container is slid to its position over the cavity has a tendency to skive toner associated with the cavity out of the cavity area and into the workings of the apparatus and into the air. Airborne toner or toner in the apparatus causes a myriad of problems with the apparatus and anyone working with the apparatus. Another aspect of such devices is that because of differing capabilities and processes associated with different apparatus, the same manufacturer __©_*ay supply different toners to closely associated models. For example, a copier or printer having a color capability may use a set of color toners that require a particular type of fusing apparatus, which fusing apparatus may dictate a particular black toner for use therewith.

A black only model of the same product line may use a different toner usable with a different fusing apparatus which toner may have other attributes but would not be usable with the fusing apparatus usable with the color toners. Thus, two similar apparatus would require the use of two different toners, in this case the black toners. The wrong toner in a particular machine may well damage the machine or, at the least, not give good results. U.S. Patent 4,538,651, issued to Lykins on September 3, 1985 suggests essentially the same container for two different types of toner. Insertion of either container in the wrong apparatus is prevented by a container that is symmetrical side to side and front to back except for the relative sizes of flanges on opposite sides. The container must be inserted one direction for one toner and the opposite for the other. The Katusha container could not be adapted to this approach, because of lack of such symmetry. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the invention to provide a particulate material container which utilizes the covering and uncovering feature of the prior art mentioned above but which eliminates the protruding aspect of the cover and slide so that the cover is positioned in more compact space.

This and other objects are accomplished by a toner container having a containing portion with an opening at its bottom and a cover movable relative to said containing portion between positions covering and uncovering said opening substantially as in the prior art. However, the cover has a hinge around which a portion of the cover can be moved to an unprotruding position when in its uncovering position. With this invention, the toner container can be slid off the cover and onto the sump cavity by movement in a direction perpendicular to the front door of the apparatus and then the cover bent to a position out of the way permitting closing the door. It is another object of the invention to provide a receiving apparatus for a toner container generally of the type described in which the above mentioned tendency of the toner to skive into the workings of the apparatus is greatly lessened or eliminated. It is, also an object of the invention to provide a toner container which cooperates which such receiving apparatus to prevent such skiving.

These latter two objects are accomplished by a receiving apparatus generally of the type described but which has means for guiding the flange of a received container as it moves from a position beside the cavity to position over the cavity along a path in which at least the leading portion of the flange is separated from the receiving surface adjoining the cavity. This same guide means permits the flange to move on the surface adjoining the cavity as it returns to its position beside the cavity.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the means for guiding the flange includes at least one elongated insert positioned along a side of the cavity. One end of the insert has a first cam surface forcing the flange to move along the top of the insert as the containing portion moves to its position over the toner cavity. The other end of the insert has a second cam surface forcing the flange to move below the insert as it moves back to its position beside the cavity.

With such structure the return movement of the flange skives toner back into the sump or into the container, on top of the cover. When the next container is placed on the receiving apparatus and is moved to its position with its opening over the cavity, the leading part of the flange traverses a higher path separated from the return, skiving path of the previously removed container and therefore does not skive toner into the apparatus. These latter two objects are also accomplished by a container for supplying toner to a toner receiving apparatus as described above. The container includes a containing portion having an opening in its bottom. A flange is disposed on opposite sides of the opening. Means associated with the flange cooperate with the guide means of the receiving apparatus to guide the flange as it moves along a path separated from the receiving surface of the apparatus as the container moves to a position with its opening over the cavity.

According to a preferred embodiment of the container, the means cooperating with the guide means are extensions of the flange away from the opening. Preferably, the extensions are at the leading end of the flange. These extensions ride on top of the guide means as the container is moved to its position with its opening over the cavity, forcing the leading part of the flange through a path separated from the receiving surface, greatly reducing the tendency of that movement to skive toner into the workings of the apparatus. These extensions then ride under the guide means when the container is removed forcing the flange through a lower path skiving toner into the cavity or the container and removing toner from the higher path of the flange of the next container to be positioned over the cavity.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a toner container and a receiving apparatus similar to that described in the Katusha et al patent but having appropriate means for preventing insertion of the wrong toner container in the wrong receiving apparatus.

This latter object is accomplished by a toner container having a containing portion having an opening at its bottom. The containing portion includes an interface portion surrounding the opening having opposite sides running generally parallel to the direction of intended movement of the toner container in its movement to a position over a sump cavity. Protrusions from the opposite sides of the interface portion are positioned to mate with interfering means in the receiving apparatus to prevent an incorrect toner container being inserted in a particular receiving apparatus. One of said protrusions is removed so that the container can be received by a receiving apparatus on which the interfering means positioned to interfere with the remaining container protrusion has been removed.

This latter object is also accomplished by receiving apparatus with interfering means positioned to mate with a protrusion on an incorrect container to prevent its receipt by the apparatus.

With this structure identical receiving apparatus and toner containers can be made for both machines having protrusions on both walls of the containers and interfering receiving means on the apparatus that would mate with both protrusions. One of the protrusions on the toner container is removed in the factory according to which toner is placed in that container. The appropriate interfering means in the apparatus can be removed in the factory or by the installing person in the field to determine the type of toner that receiving apparatus can receive. Thus identical manufacturing processes can be used for both models of apparatus and both models of toner container.

Thus, it is also an object of the invention to provide a method of making both the container and receiving apparatus described. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention presented below reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a toner container and a receiving apparatus constructed according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top section of a portion of a toner container with its cover in a removed position with a few portions of a toner sump shown.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the bottom portion of the toner container and cover shown in Fig. 2 with a few portions of the toner sump shown.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the toner container and cover shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a top view of a toner sump, portions of which are shown in in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Figs. 6 and 7 are top and front simplified views of a toner container--receiving apparatus interface illustrating the use of toner identification tabs for a first toner.

Figs. 8 and 9 are top and front schematic views similar to Figs. 6 and 7 illustrating the use of toner identification tabs for a second toner. BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Referring to Fig. 1 a toner sump 1 is positioned to receive a toner container 2. In Fig. 1 the toner container 2 is shown without a cover, which cover is shown in Figs. 2-5 and described below. The toner container 2 has a containing portion 3 for holding a supply of toner. The toner may include carrier particles for use in a two component process or include only toner for either a one or two component process. A bottom, interface portion 4 of the container portion 3 surrounds an opening 9 in the containing portion 3. Interface portion 4 includes an insert flange 5, a handle 6, and a protrusion from

^•ie a side wall qf the interface portion, toner identification tab 7 (described in more detail with respect to Figs. 6-9). The leading end of insert flange 5 includes lateral extensions 10 which extend away from opening 9 (their function to be explained below). Ordinarily, the interface portions 4 of various size containing portions 3 would be identical. Toner sump 1 includes a receiving surface 15 0 (see also Fig. 5) for receiving and guiding the bottom surface of insert flange 5 as the toner container 2 is moved to a position on the sump 1. The sump 1 includes a toner or sump cavity 20 for receiving toner from the container where it is mixed 5 with carrier particles and fed to a development mechanism all by means well-known in the art and not shown herein. Side guides 21 having overhangs 22 help guide flange 5 as it is slid by the operator into position with opening 9 over cavity 20. o Receiving surface 15 has an ingress surface portion 16 and a surface portion 44 generally alongside cavity 20. Once in position, overhangs 22 hold flange 5 to surface portion 44.

Referring to Figs. 2-5, a rigid plastic 5 cover 25 is held on flange 5 by angled side rails

26. Protrusions 29 engage the front of flange 5 when the cover is on the container 2. As seen best in Fig. 2, cover 25 includes a first portion 27 which has indents 28 or other suitable detent means and a 0 second portion 11. Indents 28 allow the first portion 27 of the cover to be positioned behind protrusions 30 (Figs. 1, 2 and 5) on ingress surface 16. The indents 28 cooperate with the protrusions 30 to prevent cover 25 from moving, with lange 5 as the 5 container 2 is moved by the operator rearward to a position with opening 9 over the sump cavity 20 as guided in part by receiving surface 15, side guides 21 and the inner surfaces of protrusions 30. Thus, the containing portion 3 of container 2 is slid away from cover 25 when the containing portion is moved over cavity 20.

As shown best in Fig. 4, once the toner container 2 is positioned over the sump cavity 20 the cover 25 extends substantially to the left from the interface portion 4 of the container 2. In prior devices, it was common to move the toner container in a direction parallel to the front door of the apparatus into which it was being inserted, which meant that the cover did not interfere with closing of the door. However, the toner supply system shown herein is designed for apparatus with a number of development stations placed side-by-side. With such an arrangement it is not structurally possible to move the toner container according to the prior art, because it will be restricted by the toner container next to it.

Accordingly, the toner container shown in Fig. 1 is designed to be inserted directly from the front of the machine toward the back of the machine leaving the cover 25 in a position in which it can interfere with closing the front door of the apparatus. To solve this problem, the cover 25 itself includes a hinge 35 across the direction of movement of the containing portion 3 about which the second portion 11 may be rotated to a position shown in phantom in Fig. 4, where it is out of the way and not restricting of the rest of the apparatus, i.e., it allows the front door of the apparatus to be closed. The hinge can be a conventional thinning of the plastic cover. After the toner bottle is empty, the cover 25 is lowered to its extended position shown best in Figs. 2 and 4, and the toner container is slid back out onto the cover (a position beside or to the side of the sump cavity) for removal and disposal with a minimum loss of unused toner and a minimum of dirtying the person and clothing of the operator. Fig. 5 shows a gate 50 which can be swung open to permit access to the sump for the container 2. After the containing portion 3 has been moved over the sump cavity 20 and the cover 25 has been 0 bent about hinge 35 to its raised position, the gate 50 is closed and lodged behind a detent 51 where it holds the cover in its raised position. The gate 50 also pushes the cover into container 2 assuring that container 2 is completely inserted over sump cavity 5 20.

To enable the use of common parts for more than one apparatus the toner container 2 in combination with the sump 1, contains a system for discriminating between two different types of toner. o According to Figs. 6-9, when toner container 3 is manufactured it contains tabs 7 and 17, tab 7 is also shown in Fig. 1. Both tabs 7 and 17 are also shown in Fig. 3 for illustration, although, in fact, both would not be present in any one use. Tabs 7 and 17 5 are shown as molded protrusions from opposite side walls of interface portion 4, which side walls are generally parallel to the direction of movement of the container as it moves over sump cavity 20. However, they can be any removable protrusions from 0 opposite sides of the lower part of the container. For example, they could be protrusions upward from insert flange 5.

According to the type of toner placed in container 3, one of the tabs is removed in the ₅ factory. The toner container shown in Figs. 6 and 7 contains a first toner and has tab 7 eliminated leaving only tab 17 on the left side of the toner container. The toner container shown in Figs. 8 and 9 contains a second toner and has tab 17 eliminated leaving only tab 7 on the right side. The toner sump 1 also has removable interfering means, for example, sump tabs 8 or 18, either of which can be eliminated in the field by a service person or in the factory. Both sump tabs 8 and 18 are shown in Figs. 1 and 3 for illustration, although at least one would be eliminated in actual use. They are made to be removable by hand, i.e., merely by bending off.

For a sump that is to receive a first toner, the tab 8 is allowed to remain and the tab 18 is eliminated (Figs. 6 and 7). For a sump that is to receive a second toner, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the tab 18 remains while the tab 8 has been eliminated. If an operator attempts to put a container containing a second toner into a sump adapted for a first toner, sump tab 8 will interfere with container tab 7 and prevent insertion of the toner container to its position above the sump. Similarly, if an operator attempts to put a toner container with a second toner onto a sump adapted for the first toner, tab 18 will interfere with tab 17 to prevent that insertion. The correct toner is permitted, as shown best in Figs. 7 and 9.

Any of the four tabs can be easily eliminated manually. Therefore, all containers and sumps may be machine manufactured identically using the same molds. The adjustment for the type of toner made is then a manual or machine severing process, i.e., it is cut off. This feature is very useful in the manufacture of designs of closely related models of a copier or printer which use different materials. For example, a color model may be designed to take one type of toner, for example, a toner compatible with a fuser using other color toners, while another model receives a toner adapted for a black only machine which may not be compatible with a fuset for the color toners, but may have other advantages. The system can also be used for a single apparatus that receives two colors of toner in development sumps which are identical except for tabs, for example, a black station and a red or other color station. It can also be used in a single apparatus that takes a magnetic black toner and a non-magnetic black toner in essentially identical sumps.

Prior toner supply systems similar to the one disclosed herein lose some toner into the workings of the machine through a skiving process created by structure similar to flange 5. This problem is best s«en with respect to Fig. 1. As the toner container 3 is slid into position above the sump cavity 20, the leading edge of flange 5, in the 0 prior art, will sometimes skive a certain amount of toner already in or around the sump into the workings of the mstchine. It is well recognized that airborne or otherwise loose toner is an enemy of the entire machine as well as the operator. 5 In the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, this problem is corrected through the combination of a pair of ski shaped, elongated inserts 40 called "skis" herein" and the extensions 10 on insert flange 5. Skis 40 affe inserts loosely held to side guides _Q 21 by tabs 41^' and 42. A first end (leftmost in Fig. 1) of each ski has a cam surface, for example, a ramp 43 which guides extensions 10 and therefore the leading part of insert flange 5 to the top of skis 40. As the container 2 is pushed by the operator to ₅ its position over sump cavity 20, extensions 10 ride along the toptof skis 40 as skis 40 rest on surface portion 44 on opposite sides of or surrounding sump cavity 20. Skis 40 are ramped upward at the other or second end 45 opposite ramp 43. As the operator pushes containing portion 3 into the machine, the extensions 10 move beyond the ramped end 45 and settle down on top of surface 44. When the containing portion 3 is removed from the sump 1, for example, when it is empty, the flange extensions 10 engage the bottom of ramped end 45 which is a cam surface forcing the extensions and hence the flange to slide on surface 44 underneath skis 40 (which are moved upward). The containing portion moves toward the left until it has re-combined with cover 25 and can be removed. Thus, the ski-shaped inserts 40 are a means for guiding the leading portion of flange 5 through a "high" path, a path separated from surface 44, as the containing portion is moved over the cavity 20 and along a low path, for example, a path in contact with surface 44 as the containing portion returns to its position beside the cavity 20. As containing portion 3 moves to the left (as shown in Fig. 1), the inside edge of the now trailing inside vertical wall of interface portion 4 skives toner also toward the left. When it reaches the left most edge defining sump cavity 20 the toner must either go down into the cavity or into the toner container above the cover 25. It is not free to soil the operator's person or damage the operation of the equipment. When the next container is placed on the machine, as described above, the flange extensions 10 force the containing portion through a higher path than the path left by the skiving empty containing portion that had just been removed. Because of the skiving action at a lower position in the removal process, little, if any toner is in a position to be skived by the higher path taken by the leading edge of flange 5 during toner container insertion. Thus, the effect of toner being skived into the workings of the machine is greatly reduced or eliminated. This advantage is the same even if flange 5 does not extend forward of the rest of the containing portion 4, since a vertical front wall of the interface portion would also have the problematic skiving effect.

The receiving surface 15 including surface portion 44 surrounding sump cavity 20 can be covered by a cloth, felt, fiber or other compressible material to assist in a leakproof fit between the container 2 and the sump 1, as is well-known in the art. The skis 40 guide the leading edge of the flange 5 to a position over its final inserted position and then down on the cloth or fiber material on surface 44. The cloth or fiber also prevents looseness as--. lange 5 is held in place by overhangs 22 despite room being provided between overhangs 22 and surface 44 for the two paths of flange 5.

A paper seal, not shown, can be employed over the bottom of container 2. Such seals are common in the industry. For example, the seal can be adhesively affixed to the bottom of flange 5 to seal the container. The seal would be attached beginning with an edge of the seal at the trailing (during insertion) or handle edge of flange 5 and running across the container opening to the leading edge adjacent flange extensions 10. The seal is folded and doubled back upon itself to an accessible end extending from between flange 5 and cover 25. The end is accessible in the vicinity of handle 6. After the container 2 has been positioned above sump 1 and before the cover has been bent to its upwardly position, the accessible end of the paper seal is pulled to remove it allowing the toner to drop into the sump. The paper seal is then thrown away, the cover bent up and the gate closed.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

We Claim:

1. A container for supplying toner to a receiving apparatus, said container having: a containing portion having an opening and an interface portion surrounding said opening, and a cover engaging said interface portion for covering the opening, the cover being slidable relative to the interface portion from a covering position to an uncovering position, characterized by a hinge in the cover permitting a portion of the cover to be bent around said hinge when said cover is not covering said opening.

2. A container according to claim 1 wherein said interface portion includes a flange adjoining the opening and forming the bottom surface of the containing portion and positionable on a surface surrounding a sump cavity which cavity is for receiving toner from a container positioned above the cavity, said cover being engageable with said flange and slidable with respect to said flange from a position covering said opening when said container is not above said sump cavity to a position uncovering said opening when said container is on said sump cavity, said cover having a hinge permitting bending a major part of said cover around said hinge to a position generally vertical when said cover is in an uncovering position and said container is over said cavity.

3. A container according to claim 2 wherein said cover includes means for slidably engaging said flange to retain said cover against the bottom surface of said flange but permit sliding of the cover with respect to said flange between positions covering and uncovering said opening, said cover further including detent means from at least one lateral edge of said cover and engageable with a complementary detent means of a receiving apparatus to prevent movement of the cover, with respect to the apparatus, while the containing portion is being slid to a position over said sump cavity.

4. A receiving apparatus for a toner container which container is generally of the type having a containing portion having an opening in its bottom and a flange extending outward from the opening, said receiving apparatus comprising: a toner sump having a sump cavity for receiving toner from a toner container with the opening of said toner container positioned above said cavity, and a receiving surface adjoining the cavity over which the flange of a received container is moved as the container moves along a path from a position beside said cavity to a position over said cavity and then back to a position beside said cavity, characterized by means for guiding the leading portion of the flange as it moves along said path, said guiding means including means for guiding said leading portion along a path separated from said surface as it moves to the position over the sump cavity, and along a path engaging said surface as it moves from a position over said cavity to its position beside said cavity.

5. Receiving apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said guide means includes an elongated insert positioned along a side of said cavity, one end of said insert having a first cam surface forcing said flange to move along the top of said insert to separate at least the leading part of the flange from the receiving surface as the container moves to its position with its opening over said cavity, the other end of said insert having a second cam surface forcing said flange to move below said insert as the container moves from a position with its opening over said cavity to a position beside said cavity.

6. Receiving apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said apparatus includes an elongated insert on each of opposite sides of said cavity.

7. Receiving apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said insert is movable between a position in which it rests on said receiving surface when said containing portion is moving into a position over said cavity and wherein it rests on top of a portion of said flange as said containing portion moves from its position .over said cavity to its position beside said cavity.

8. Receiving apparatus according to claim 6 wherein each insert is movable between a position in which it rests on said receiving surface when said containing portion is moving into a position with its opening over said cavity and wherein it rests on top of a portion of said flange as said containing portion moves from a position with its opening over said cavity to its position beside said cavity.

9. A container for supplying toner to a toner receiving apparatus of the type described in either of claims 4 or 5, said toner container comprising: a containing portion having an opening in its bottom, a flange adjoining said opening, and means associated with said flange for cooperating with the guiding means of a receiving apparatus to guide said flange as it moves along the path in which the leading portion of the flange is separated from the receiving surface of such apparatus.

10. A container according to claim 10 wherein said flange extends along both of opposite sides of said opening, and said means for cooperating includes lateral extensions of said flange generally opposite each other at the leading ends of said flange and projecting away from the opening with respect to the rest of said flange.

11. A container for supplying toner to a toner receiving apparatus, said container comprising: a container portion having an opening in its bottom, a flange along opposite sides of said opening, and lateral extensions of said flange generally opposite each other at the leading ends of said flange and projecting away from the opening with respect to the rest of said flange.

12. A toner container designed to be positioned over a sump cavity of a receiving apparatus by sliding to that position from a position beside said cavity, said container comprising a containing portion having an opening at its bottom, said containing portion including: an interface portion surrounding the opening and having opposite sides running parallel to the direction of intended movement of the container as it moves to a position over a sump cavity, and protrusions from each of said opposite sides of said interface portion, positioned to mate with interfering means in said receiving apparatus to prevent an incorrect container being inserted in a particular receiving apparatus, one of said protrusions being removed so that said container can be received by receiving apparatus on which the interfering means positioned to interfere with the remaining container protrusion has been removed.

13. A toner container according to claim 12 wherein the protrusion that has been removed has been cut off.

14. Receiving apparatus for receiving a toner container as described in claim 12, said receiving apparatus comprising: means defining a sump cavity, a surface on opposite sides of said sump cavity on which the bottom of the toner container 0 slides to a position over the sump cavity, and interfering means positioned over said surface on one side of said cavity to prevent insertion of a toner container having a protrusion on the comparable side of the 5 container.

15. Receiving apparatus according to claim

14 having interfering means on each side of said cavity, both^f which are removable to permit field customization of the apparatus for receipt of a o particular toner container.

16-_* Receiving apparatus according to claim

15 wherein said interfering means is removable by hand.

17. - A method of making a toner container as 5 defined in claim 12 comprising the steps of making a toner container substantially as described in claim 12 with protrusions on each side of said interface portion and removing one of said protrusions.

,18.. A method of making receiving apparatus 0 as defined in claim 14 comprising the steps of making a receiving apparatus substantially as described in claim 14 but with interfering means on both opposite sides of said cavity and removing one of said interfering means. 5