Toner container

Abstract

To stabilize the attitude of a cylindrical container when rotating.SOLUTION: A toner container 20 includes: a cylindrical container 30 with an opening part 33 in one end part 31 in a longer direction, the opening part penetrating in the longer direction; a cap 40 covering the outer peripheral surface of the longitudinal end part 31 of the cylindrical container 30 and the opening part 33; and an annular member 50 provided between the outer peripheral surface of the longitudinal end part 31 of the cylindrical container 30 and the inner peripheral surface of the cap 40, fixed to the cap 40, and configured to rotatably hold the cylindrical container 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a toner container. [Background technology]

[0002] An electrophotographic image forming apparatus is equipped with a toner container that supplies toner to a developing device. As an example of a toner container, a cylindrical container is known that is rotated around its longitudinal axis to supply toner (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-180342 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The toner container disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a cylindrical container having a cylindrical main body for storing toner and a peripheral protrusion extending circumferentially from the outer surface of the main body, and a cap that holds the cylindrical container in a rotatable state by hooking multiple hooks arranged along the inner surface of the cap onto the peripheral protrusions when the tip of the cylindrical container is received inside the cap. This configuration presents a problem: the small contact area between the cylindrical container and the cap makes rotation of the cylindrical container unstable, reducing sealing performance and increasing the risk of toner leakage. Furthermore, the load is concentrated in a small area, resulting in increased frictional heat during rotation.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In consideration of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to stabilize the posture of a cylindrical container when it is rotated. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, the toner container of the present invention comprises a cylindrical container having an opening that penetrates in the longitudinal direction at one end of the cylindrical container, a cap that covers the outer peripheral surface of the one end of the cylindrical container and the opening, and an annular member that is arranged between the outer peripheral surface of the one end of the cylindrical container and the inner peripheral surface of the cap, is fixed to the cap, and rotatably holds the cylindrical container.

[0007] The cylindrical container may have a flange portion around the opening, the annular member may be provided closer to the other end of the cylindrical container than the flange portion, and the flange portion may be sandwiched in the longitudinal direction between the annular member and the cap.

[0008] The annular member may have a circular main body portion and a plurality of protruding pieces protruding from the main body portion toward the flange portion, and the inner surfaces of the protruding pieces may be inclined so that the tips of the protruding pieces are positioned inside the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion.

[0009] The annular member may have a protrusion protruding radially outward, and the cap may have an engagement portion with which the protrusion engages.

[0010] The engaging portion may be a hole, and the cap may have notches on both sides of the engaging portion in the circumferential direction.

[0011] The engaging portion may be a hole, and the annular member may have cutouts on both sides of the protruding portion in the circumferential direction.

[0012] The inner surface of the portion of the annular member where the protrusion is provided may be inclined so that the tip of the portion where the protrusion is provided is located inside the outer circumferential surface of the flange portion.

[0013] The engaging portion may have a first cutout portion cut out in the longitudinal direction, and a second cutout portion cut out in a circumferential direction from the first cutout portion.

[0014] The annular member may have one slit penetrating therethrough in the longitudinal direction.

[0015] The device may include a sealing member that is sandwiched between the flange and the cap in the longitudinal direction.

[0016] The annular member may be made of a self-lubricating material or a material to which a lubricant has been added. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, the orientation of the cylindrical container can be stabilized during rotation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a side view schematically showing the internal configuration of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which an outer cover according to a first embodiment of the present invention is opened. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view showing a toner container according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing a toner container according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is an exploded cross-sectional view showing a toner container according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a toner container according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 1 is a perspective view showing a cap and an annular member according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a cap and an annular member according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a cap and an annular member according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11]FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a cap according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a cap and an annular member according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a cap according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a cap and an annular member according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] [First embodiment] An image forming apparatus 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0020] First, the overall configuration of image forming apparatus 100 will be described. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the exterior of image forming apparatus 100. Fig. 2 is a side view schematically showing the internal configuration of image forming apparatus 100. In the following description, the front side of the paper in Fig. 2 is the front side (front side) of image forming apparatus 100, and left and right directions will be described based on the direction when image forming apparatus 100 is viewed from the front. In each figure, U, Lo, L, R, Fr, and Rr represent up, down, left, right, front, and rear, respectively.

[0021] The image forming apparatus 100 includes a printing device 1, a document reading device 110, and a document transport device 120. The document reading device 110 is provided above the printing device 1, and the document transport device 120 is provided above the document reading device 110. The document transport device 120 transports a document along a transport path that passes through the reading position of the document reading device 110. The document reading device 110 is a flatbed image scanner that reads a document and generates image data. The printing device 1 forms an image on a sheet S based on the image data.

[0022] The printing device 1 has a rectangular parallelepiped main body housing 3. Inside the main body housing 3, a paper feed cassette 4 that stores sheets S and a paper feed roller 5 that feeds sheets S from the paper feed cassette 4 are provided at the bottom. Above the paper feed cassette 4, an imaging device 6 that forms a toner image using an electrophotographic method is provided, and above the upper right of the imaging device 6, a fixing device 7 that fixes the toner image to the sheet S is provided. Above the fixing device 7, there are provided an ejection roller 8 that ejects the sheet S with the fixed toner image, and an ejection tray 9 on which the ejected sheet S is stacked.

[0023] Inside the main body housing 3, there is provided a conveyance path 10 that runs from the paper feed roller 5 through the image forming device 6 and the fixing device 7 to the discharge roller 8. The conveyance path 10 is mainly formed of plate-like members that face each other with a gap therebetween to allow the sheet S to pass through, and conveyance rollers 17 that sandwich and convey the sheet S are provided at multiple locations in the conveyance direction Y. A registration roller 18 is provided upstream of the image forming device 6 in the conveyance direction Y. To the right of the fixing device 7, there is provided a reversing conveyance path 10R that branches off from the conveyance path 10 downstream of the fixing device 7 in the conveyance direction Y and merges with the conveyance path 10 upstream of the registration roller 18 in the conveyance direction Y.

[0024] The image forming device 6 includes a photosensitive drum 11 whose potential changes when irradiated with light, a charging device 12 that charges the photosensitive drum 11, an exposure device 13 that emits laser light corresponding to image data, a developing device 14 that supplies toner to the photosensitive drum 11, an intermediate transfer unit 15 that transfers the toner image from the photosensitive drum 11 to a sheet S, and a cleaning device 16 that removes toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 11. The intermediate transfer unit 15 includes an endless intermediate transfer belt 15B wrapped around a drive roller 15D and a driven roller 15N, a primary transfer roller 151 that faces the inner surface of the intermediate transfer belt 15B at a position corresponding to the photosensitive drum 11 and generates a primary transfer bias, and a secondary transfer roller 152 that faces the outer surface of the intermediate transfer belt 15B at a position corresponding to the drive roller 15D and generates a secondary transfer bias. A toner container 20 that supplies toner to the developing device 14 is connected to the developing device 14.

[0025] The control unit 2 includes a calculation unit and a storage unit (not shown). The calculation unit is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The storage unit includes storage media such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory). The calculation unit performs various processes by reading and executing control programs stored in the storage unit. Note that the control unit 2 may be realized by an integrated circuit that does not use software.

[0026] An operation panel 19 is provided on the top surface of the main body housing 3. The operation panel 19 includes a display panel, a touch panel provided on top of the display surface of the display panel, and a keypad adjacent to the display panel (not shown). The control unit 2 displays screens showing operation menus and statuses of the printing device 1 and the document reading device 110 on the display panel, and controls each part of the printing device 1 and the document reading device 110 in response to operations detected on the touch panel and the keypad.

[0027] The basic image formation operation of the image forming apparatus 100 is as follows: When a print job for single-sided printing is input to the image forming apparatus 100 from an external computer or the like, the paper feed rollers 5 feed the sheet S from the paper feed cassette 4 to the conveying path 10, the registration rollers 18, whose rotation has stopped, correct any skew in the sheet S, and the registration rollers 18 feed the sheet S to the image creating device 6 at a predetermined timing. In the image creating device 6, the charging device 12 charges the photosensitive drum 11 to a predetermined potential, the exposure device 13 writes a latent image on the photosensitive drum 11, the developing device 14 develops the latent image with toner supplied from the toner container 20 to form a toner image, the primary transfer roller 151 transfers the toner image to the intermediate transfer belt 15B, and the secondary transfer roller 152 transfers the toner image to the sheet S. Next, the fixing device 7 melts the toner image while nipping and conveying the sheet S to fix the toner image to the sheet S, and the discharge rollers 8 discharge the sheet S to the discharge tray 9. The cleaning device 16 removes toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 11. In the case of double-sided printing, the sheet S with a toner image fixed on its first surface is sent into the conveying path 10 via the reverse conveying path 10R, where the toner image is transferred to the second surface.

[0028] Next, the toner container 20 according to this embodiment will be described in detail. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the cover 3C is open. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the toner container 20. Fig. 5 is an exploded view showing the toner container 20. Fig. 6 is an exploded cross-sectional view showing the toner container 20. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the toner container 20. Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the cap 40 and the annular member 50.

[0029] The toner container 20 (one example of a container) according to this embodiment includes a cylindrical container 30 having an opening 33 penetrating in the longitudinal direction at one end 31 in the longitudinal direction, a cap 40 that covers the outer peripheral surface of the one end 31 of the cylindrical container 30 and the opening 33, and an annular member 50 that is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the one end 31 of the cylindrical container 30 and the inner peripheral surface of the cap 40, is fixed to the cap 40, and rotatably holds the cylindrical container 30. Specifically, it is as follows.

[0030] [Openings, storage areas] An opening 3A (see FIG. 3) is provided on one of the multiple side surfaces (in this embodiment, the front surface) of the main body housing 3. A storage section 3B that stores a toner container 20 is provided at the back of the opening 3A. The opening 3A is covered with an openable cover 3C. Multiple toner containers 20 (four in this embodiment) can be inserted into and removed from the storage section 3B in a predetermined direction (in this embodiment, the front-to-rear direction). A receiving port (not shown) that receives developer from the toner container 20 is provided at the back of the storage section 3B. The receiving port is provided at one end of a developer supply path (not shown) that supplies developer to the developing device 14, and opens upward.

[0031] [Toner container] The toner container 20 (see FIGS. 2 to 4) is a container that contains a developer including toner. The developer may be a two-component developer containing non-magnetic toner and a magnetic carrier, or a one-component developer containing magnetic toner. The toner container 20 according to this embodiment is formed in a cylindrical shape with the longitudinal direction being the front-to-rear direction. The four toner containers 20 contain yellow, magenta, cyan, and black developers, respectively. The toner container 20 containing black developer has a larger diameter than the other toner containers 20, but the four toner containers 20 have the same configuration except for the difference in diameter. The toner container 20 includes a cylindrical container 30, a cap 40, an annular member 50, and a sealing member 60.

[0032] [Cylindrical container] The cylindrical container 30 is formed in a cylindrical shape with its longitudinal direction extending in the front-to-rear direction. One end 31 (rear end) of the cylindrical container 30 has a smaller diameter than the portion forward of the one end 31. The one end 31 has an opening 33 penetrating in the longitudinal direction. A flange 34 is provided around the opening 33. The other end 32 (front end) of the cylindrical container 30 is closed. The other end 32 has a grip 36 that is gripped by a user. The cylindrical container 30 has a spiral rib 35 that protrudes radially inward. The spiral rib 35 is formed by recessing the cylindrical container 30 inward. A driven gear 37 is provided forward of the flange 34 at the one end 31 of the cylindrical container 30. Driving force is transmitted from a motor (not shown) to the driven gear 37 via a gear train or the like (not shown).

[0033] [cap] The cap 40 covers the outer peripheral surface of one end 31 of the cylindrical container 30 and the opening 33. The cap 40 is disposed rearward of the driven gear 37. The cap 40 has a cylindrical large-diameter portion 41, a cylindrical small-diameter portion 42 that is provided rearward of the large-diameter portion 41 and has a smaller diameter than the large-diameter portion 41, a first wall portion 43 that closes the space between the large-diameter portion 41 and the small-diameter portion 42, and a second wall portion 44 that closes the rear end of the small-diameter portion 42. The large-diameter portion 41 covers the one end 31 of the cylindrical container 30, and the first wall portion 43 faces the flange portion 34 of the cylindrical container 30 in the front-rear direction.

[0034] The large diameter portion 41 is provided with engagement portions 46 at multiple locations (three locations in this embodiment) in the circumferential direction. The engagement portions 46 are holes that penetrate in the circumferential direction. Note that the engagement portions 46 may also be recesses provided in the inner circumferential surface of the large diameter portion 41.

[0035] A downwardly opening discharge port 45 is provided at the bottom of the small diameter portion 42. A shutter (not shown) that can be opened and closed in the front-to-rear direction is provided at the discharge port 45. The shutter is biased rearward by a spring or the like (not shown) to close the discharge port 45.

[0036] [Annular member] The annular member 50 is provided between the outer peripheral surface of one end 31 of the cylindrical container 30 and the inner peripheral surface of the cap 40, and is fixed to the cap 40 to rotatably hold the cylindrical container 30. The annular member 50 is disposed forward of the flange 34 (towards the other end 32 of the cylindrical container 30). The annular member 50 has an annular main body 51 and a plurality of protruding pieces 52 protruding from the main body 51 towards the flange 34, and the inner surfaces of the protruding pieces 52 are inclined so that the tips of the protruding pieces 52 are located inside the outer peripheral surface of the flange 34. The annular member 50 has one slit 55 penetrating in the longitudinal direction.

[0037] The annular member 50 has protrusions 53 that protrude radially outward at multiple locations (three locations in this embodiment) in the circumferential direction. The protrusions 53 are formed in a wedge shape that protrudes less from the outer circumferential surface toward the rear. The protrusions 53 engage with the engaging portion 46 of the cap 40.

[0038] The annular member 50 is made of a self-lubricating material or a material to which a lubricant is added, such as POM (polyacetal), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), or MC (monomer cast) nylon.

[0039] [Sealing material] The toner container 20 includes a sealing member 60 that is sandwiched longitudinally between the flange 34 and the cap 40. The sealing member 60 is an annular member that has low frictional resistance and is flexible. Note that if a sufficient seal can be obtained between the cap 40 and the cylindrical container 30, the sealing member 60 does not need to be provided.

[0040] Next, we will explain the procedure for assembling the toner container 20. First, the flange 34 of the cylindrical container 30 is pushed into the annular member 50 from the front. At this time, the protruding pieces 52 elastically deform outward, making it easy to attach the annular member 50 to the cylindrical container 30. After attachment, the tip of the protruding pieces 52 comes into contact with the front end face of the flange 34.

[0041] Next, the sealing member 60 is inserted into the cap 40 and brought into contact with the first wall portion 43, and the cylindrical container 30 with the annular member 50 attached thereto is attached to the cap 40 from the front. The protrusions 53 engage with the engagement portions 46, thereby fixing the annular member 50 to the cap 40. The sealing member 60 and the flange portion 34 are sandwiched between the first wall portion 43 and the annular member 50.

[0042] The toner container 20 assembled as described above is housed in the storage unit 3B. As described above, a receiving port is provided at the back of the storage unit 3B, and when the toner container 20 is housed in the storage unit 3B, the shutter and the receiving port face each other in the front-to-rear direction. When the toner container 20 is pushed to a predetermined position, the receiving port opens the shutter, and the discharge port 45 connects to the receiving port. When a driving force is transmitted to the driven gear 37, the cylindrical container 30 rotates, and the developer is transported rearward by the spiral rib 35 and discharged from the discharge port 45 to the receiving port.

[0043] The toner container 20 according to the present embodiment described above includes a cylindrical container 30 having an opening 33 penetrating longitudinally at one longitudinal end 31 of the cylindrical container 30, a cap 40 covering the outer peripheral surface of the one end 31 of the cylindrical container 30 and the opening 33, and an annular member 50 fixed to the cap 40 and rotatably holding the cylindrical container 30 between the outer peripheral surface of the one end 31 of the cylindrical container 30 and the inner peripheral surface of the cap 40. According to the present embodiment, the cap 40 supports the cylindrical container 30 over a wider area than conventional devices via the annular member 50, thereby reducing resistance during rotation of the cylindrical container 30 and stabilizing the orientation of the cylindrical container 30 during rotation. As a result, sealing performance is improved, reducing leakage of the contents. Frictional heat is also reduced.

[0044] Furthermore, according to the toner container 20 of this embodiment, the cylindrical container 30 has a flange 34 around the opening 33, and the annular member 50 is provided closer to the other end 32 of the cylindrical container 30 than the flange 34, and the flange 34 is sandwiched in the longitudinal direction between the annular member 50 and the cap 40. According to this embodiment, the cylindrical container 30 can be rotatably held with a simple structure.

[0045] Furthermore, in the toner container 20 according to this embodiment, the annular member 50 has an annular main body 51 and a plurality of protruding pieces 52 protruding from the main body 51 toward the flange 34, and the inner surfaces of the protruding pieces 52 are inclined so that the tips of the protruding pieces 52 are located inside the outer circumferential surface of the flange 34. According to this embodiment, by pressing the flange 34 of the cylindrical container 30 from the main body 51 side of the annular member 50, the protruding pieces 52 elastically deform outward, making it possible to easily attach the annular member 50 to the cylindrical container 30. After attachment, the tips of the protruding pieces 52 come into contact with the end surface of the flange 34, thereby stabilizing the posture of the cylindrical container 30.

[0046] Furthermore, according to the toner container 20 of this embodiment, the annular member 50 has a protrusion 53 that protrudes radially outward, and the cap 40 has an engagement portion 46 that engages with the protrusion 53. According to this embodiment, the annular member 50 can be fixed to the cap 40 with a simple structure.

[0047] Furthermore, according to the toner container 20 of this embodiment, the annular member 50 has one slit 55 penetrating in the longitudinal direction. According to this embodiment, the annular member 50 elastically deforms in the radial direction, so that the annular member 50 can be easily attached to the cylindrical container 30.

[0048] Furthermore, the toner container 20 according to this embodiment includes a sealing member 60 that is sandwiched in the longitudinal direction between the flange 34 and the cap 40. According to this embodiment, the amount of squeezing of the sealing member 60 is more stable than in the past, thereby improving sealing performance.

[0049] Furthermore, in the toner container 20 according to this embodiment, the annular member 50 is formed using a self-lubricating material or a material to which a lubricant is added. This embodiment allows for stable rotation of the cylindrical container 30.

[0050] [Second embodiment] The differences between the second embodiment and the first embodiment will be described below. Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the cap 40 and the annular member 50. The engagement portion 46 is a hole, and the cap 40 has cutouts 47 on both sides of the engagement portion 46 in the circumferential direction. The annular member 50 does not have a slit 55. According to this embodiment, by pushing the annular member 50 into the cap 40, the portion of the cap 40 where the engagement portion 46 is provided elastically deforms outward, so that the protrusion 53 can easily engage with the engagement portion 46.

[0051] [Third embodiment] Differences between the third embodiment and the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the cap 40 and the annular member 50. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the cap 40. The annular member 50 does not include a protruding piece 52. The length of the main body 51 in the front-rear direction is the same as the overall length including the main body 51 and the protruding piece 52 in the first embodiment. The protruding piece 53 is located at the rear end of the main body 51. Therefore, the engaging portion 46 is located further rearward than in the first embodiment. The annular member 50 has one slit 55 penetrating in the longitudinal direction. According to this embodiment, the protruding piece 52 is not necessary, which simplifies the structure of the annular member 50. Furthermore, because the annular member 50 elastically deforms in the radial direction, the annular member 50 can be easily attached to the cylindrical container 30.

[0052] [Fourth embodiment] Differences between the fourth embodiment and the third embodiment will now be described. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the cap 40 and the annular member 50. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the cap 40. The engagement portion 46 is a hole, and the annular member 50 has notches 54 on both sides of the protrusion 53 in the circumferential direction. The inner surface of the portion of the annular member 50 where the protrusion 53 is provided is inclined so that the tip of the portion where the protrusion 53 is provided is located inside the outer circumferential surface of the flange 34. According to this embodiment, by pressing the flange 34 into the annular member 50, the portion where the protrusion 53 is provided elastically deforms outward, making it easy to attach the annular member 50 to the cylindrical container 30. Furthermore, by pressing the annular member 50 into the cap 40, the portion where the protrusion 53 is provided elastically deforms inward, making it easy to engage the protrusion 53 with the engagement portion 46.

[0053] [Fifth embodiment] The differences between the fifth embodiment and the first embodiment will now be described. Fig. 14 is a perspective view showing the cap 40 and the annular member 50. The engagement portion 46 has a first notch 461 cut out in the longitudinal direction and a second notch 462 cut out in the circumferential direction from the first notch 461. According to this embodiment, after inserting the protrusion 53 into the first notch 461, the annular member 50 is rotated in the circumferential direction so that the protrusion 53 is inserted into the second notch 462, thereby making it easy to engage the protrusion 53 with the engagement portion 46. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 20 Toner container 30 Cylindrical container 31 One end 32 Other end 33 Opening 34 Tsuba 40 Cap 46 Engagement part 461 First notch 462 Second notch 47 Notch 50 Circular member 51 Main body 52 Projecting piece 53 Protrusion 54 Notch 55 Slit 60 Sealing material

Claims

1. a cylindrical container having an opening penetrating in the longitudinal direction at one end of the container; a cap that covers the outer peripheral surface of the one end of the cylindrical container and the opening; a ring-shaped member provided between the outer peripheral surface of the one end of the cylindrical container and the inner peripheral surface of the cap, fixed to the cap, and rotatably holding the cylindrical container.

2. the cylindrical container has a flange around the opening, the annular member is provided closer to the other end of the cylindrical container than the flange portion, 2. The toner container according to claim 1, wherein the flange is sandwiched between the annular member and the cap in the longitudinal direction.

3. The annular member is a circular main body portion; a plurality of protruding pieces protruding from the main body portion toward the flange portion, 3. The toner container according to claim 2, wherein the inner surface of the protruding piece is inclined so that the tip of the protruding piece is positioned inside the outer circumferential surface of the flange portion.

4. The annular member has a protrusion that protrudes radially outward, 4. The toner container according to claim 2, wherein the cap has an engaging portion with which the protrusion engages.

5. the engagement portion is a hole, 5. The toner container according to claim 4, wherein the cap has notches on both sides of the engaging portion in the circumferential direction.

6. the engagement portion is a hole, 5. The toner container according to claim 4, wherein the annular member has notches on both sides of the protrusion in the circumferential direction.

7. 7. The toner container according to claim 6, wherein the inner surface of the portion of the annular member where the protrusion is provided is inclined so that the tip of the portion where the protrusion is provided is located inside the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion.

8. The engagement portion is a first cutout portion cut out in the longitudinal direction; 5. The toner container according to claim 4, further comprising a second cutout portion cut out in a circumferential direction from the first cutout portion.

9. 3. The toner container according to claim 2, wherein the annular member has one slit penetrating in the longitudinal direction.

10. 3. The toner container according to claim 2, further comprising a sealing member sandwiched between the flange and the cap in the longitudinal direction.

11. 2. The toner container according to claim 1, wherein the annular member is formed using a material having self-lubricating properties or a material to which a lubricant is added.

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