Developer container and image-forming device

Abstract

To wide a plane section for ensuring sealing properties of an exhaust port of an opening / closing section, and to prevent deformation and damage from occurring easily in comparison with a case where no support sections for supporting an overhang are provided for the overhang projecting to an end side in a fitting direction in a mounting section in a developer container having a mounting section for movably mounting an opening / closing section for opening or closing an exhaust port of developer at an end side in a fitting direction of a housing section of the developer.SOLUTION: A developer container comprises: a housing section for housing developer; an exhaust port 55 for discharging developer from an outer peripheral section in an end side in a fitting direction D1 of the housing section; an opening / closing section 56 for opening or closing the exhaust port 55 from the outside; and a mounting section 57 which surrounds the exhaust port 55 and to which the opening / closing section 56 is movably mounted. The mounting section 57 has an overhang 575 projecting to an end side in the fitting direction D1, and the overhang 575 has a support section 6 for supporting the overhang 575 on a surface in a side opposite to the opening / closing section 56.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a developer container and an image forming apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] The following Patent Document 1 describes a powder container that includes a toner bottle that stores toner, an outlet through which the toner flows, a shutter that opens and closes the outlet from the outside, and a mounting part to which the shutter is movably attached. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-170150 A (paragraph 0053, Figure 4) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] There is a developer container that has an attachment part to which an opening / closing part that opens and closes a developer discharge port at the leading end side of the developer storage part in the installation direction is movably attached. In such a developer container, it is desirable to widen the flat part of the attachment part that faces the opening / closing part in order to ensure the sealing of the discharge port by the opening / closing part at the attachment part. The present invention makes it possible to widen the flat surface of the developer container to ensure the sealing of the discharge outlet by the opening and closing part and to make the part less susceptible to deformation or damage, compared to when a support part is not provided to support the protruding part of the attachment part that protrudes toward the tip end in the mounting direction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The first aspect of the present invention is a container for containing a developer; a discharge port for discharging the developer from an outer circumferential portion of the container at a leading end side in an attachment direction; an opening / closing unit that opens and closes the outlet from the outside; a mounting portion that surrounds the outlet and to which the opening / closing portion is movably mounted; Equipped with the attachment portion has a protruding portion that protrudes toward a tip end in the attachment direction, The protruding portion is a developer container provided with a support portion for supporting the protruding portion on the surface opposite to the opening / closing portion.

[0006] A second aspect of the present invention is the developer container of the first aspect, the housing portion includes an opposing structure portion having a portion facing the protruding portion at an inner portion on a tip side in the mounting direction, The support portion is a developer container provided in a form connected to the facing structure portion.

[0007] The third aspect of the present invention is the developer container of the first aspect, The support portion is a developer container having a protruding portion that protrudes further toward the tip side than the end portion of the protruding portion on the tip side in the mounting direction.

[0008] A fourth aspect of the present invention is the developer container of the first aspect, The support portion is a developer container provided with an identification shape portion for distinguishing whether the support portion can be attached or not, corresponding to the different types of developer and storage portion.

[0009] A fifth aspect of the present invention is the developer container according to the second aspect, The support portion has a plate-like shape, The plate-shaped support portion is configured as a portion that is fitted into a recess of the developer container when the container portion is attached.

[0010] A sixth aspect of the present invention is the developer container according to the second aspect, The support portion has a plate-like shape, The facing portion of the opposing structure is a developer container having a curved surface shape in which a convex side is connected to the plate-like support portion, or a two-sided shape that develops so as to intersect obliquely.

[0011] A seventh aspect of the present invention is the developer container according to the third aspect, the housing portion includes an opposing structure portion having a portion facing the protruding portion at an inner portion on a tip side in the mounting direction, The protruding portion is a developer container that is provided in a form that exists on the upstream side in the mounting direction of the downstream end of the facing portion in the mounting direction.

[0012] The eighth aspect of the present invention is the developer container according to the fourth aspect, the support portion is provided as a plurality of spaced apart support portions; The developer container has the identification shape portion provided on each of the plurality of support portions.

[0013] A ninth aspect of the present invention is the developer container according to the first aspect, The storage section is a developer container provided with an additional identifying shape portion on the inner portion at the tip end in the mounting direction, which distinguishes whether the storage section can be mounted or not, depending on the type of developer and storage section.

[0014] The tenth aspect of the present invention is an image forming unit that forms an image made of a developer; a developer container that contains a developer to be supplied to the image forming unit; a mounting portion into which the developer container is detachably mounted by inserting and removing the developer container; Equipped with In the image forming apparatus, the developer container is the developer container of any one of the first to ninth means.

[0015] An eleventh aspect of the present invention is the image forming apparatus of the tenth aspect, In the image forming apparatus, the mounting portion is provided with a recess into which the support portion is fitted.

[0016] A twelfth aspect of the present invention is the image forming apparatus of the tenth aspect, When the developer container is the developer container of the fourth means, The image forming apparatus is provided with an identification matching portion in the mounting portion, which has a shape that matches the identification shape portion and enables mounting of the storage portion.

[0017] A thirteenth aspect of the present invention is the image forming apparatus of the tenth aspect, When the developer container is the developer container of the eighth means, The image forming apparatus is provided with a plurality of identification matching portions in the mounting portion, each having a shape that matches the respective identification shape portions of the plurality of support portions and enabling the mounting of the storage portion.

[0018] A fourteenth aspect of the present invention is the image forming apparatus of the tenth aspect, When the developer container is the developer container of the ninth means, The image forming apparatus is provided with an additional identification matching portion in the mounting portion, which has a shape that matches the additional identification shape portion and enables the storage portion to be mounted. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the developer container of the first means described above, the protruding portion of the mounting portion that movably mounts the opening / closing portion that opens and closes the developer discharge outlet at the tip side in the mounting direction of the developer storage portion can have a wider flat surface to ensure the sealing of the discharge outlet by the opening / closing portion and can be made less susceptible to deformation or damage, compared to when a support portion that supports the protruding portion is not provided.

[0020] According to the developer container of the second means, the protruding portion is less likely to be deformed or damaged than when the supporting portion is provided in a form that is not connected to the opposing structure portion.

[0021] According to the developer container of the third means, it is possible to reduce the likelihood that the protruding portion will be the first to receive an impact, compared to when the support portion does not have a protruding portion.

[0022] According to the developer container of the fourth means, the support portion can also be used as a portion having a function of distinguishing whether or not the container can be attached in accordance with the different types of developer and container.

[0023] According to the developer container of the fifth means described above, compared to when the plate-shaped support portion is not configured as a part that can be fitted into the recess of the storage portion when it is attached, unnecessary external forces are less likely to be applied to the protruding portion even when the storage portion is subjected to unnecessary movement due to operations or vibration due to operation during or after the developer container is attached.

[0024] According to the developer container of the sixth means, it is easier to reduce the external force applied to the protruding portion through the plate-shaped support portion compared to when the opposing portion of the opposing structure portion has a planar shape that intersects with the plate-shaped support portion.

[0025] According to the developer container of the seventh means, the protruding portion is prevented from being subjected to unnecessary collision from the downstream side in the mounting direction before the facing part of the opposing structure, compared to when the protruding portion is provided in a form that protrudes downstream from the downstream end in the mounting direction of the facing part of the opposing structure.

[0026] According to the developer container of the eighth means, even if the types of developers and containers increase, it is possible to ensure the function of distinguishing whether or not they can be attached.

[0027] According to the developer container of the ninth means, the function of distinguishing whether or not the container can be attached can be ensured even if the number of types of developer or container increases, compared to when no additional identifying shape portion is provided on the inner part of the tip side of the container in the attachment direction.

[0028] According to the image forming device of the above-mentioned tenth means, the protruding portion of the mounting portion that movably mounts the opening / closing portion that opens and closes the developer discharge outlet at the tip side in the mounting direction of the developer storage portion of the developer container can have a wider flat portion to ensure the sealing of the discharge outlet by the opening / closing portion and can be made less likely to deform or break, compared to when no support portion is provided to support the protruding portion.

[0029] According to the image forming device of the eleventh means described above, compared to a case where the mounting portion does not have a recess into which the support portion is fitted, unnecessary external forces are less likely to be applied to the protruding portion even when the storage portion is subjected to unnecessary movement or vibration due to operation during or after the stage of mounting the developer container to the mounting portion.

[0030] According to the image forming apparatus of the twelfth aspect, even if the number of types of developers or containers increases, it is possible to prevent the developer container from being erroneously attached to the attachment portion.

[0031] According to the image forming apparatus of the thirteenth aspect, even if the types of developers or containers are further increased, it is possible to prevent the developer container from being erroneously attached to the attachment portion.

[0032] According to the image forming apparatus of the fourteenth aspect, even if the number of types of developers or containers increases, it is possible to prevent the developer container from being erroneously attached to the attachment portion. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0033] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus including a developer container according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a state in which the developer container and the mounting portion are mounted. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a developer container according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the developer container of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a leading end portion of the developer container in the mounting direction. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view including a cross section taken along line VI-VI of the developer container in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] (A) is a perspective view from below showing the state when the opening / closing part at the tip end in the mounting direction of the developer container is closed, and (B) is a perspective view from diagonally below showing the state when the opening / closing part at (A) is open. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a part of a developer container and its mounting portion. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view of the opening and closing guide in the mounting section. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an end holder of the developer container. [Figure 11] (A) is a front view showing the state in which the developer container is attached to the opening / closing guide in the attachment portion, and (B) is a front view including a partial cross section showing the state in which part of the opening / closing guide is omitted in the state of (A). [Figure 12] 6 is a side view including a cross section taken along line VI-VI of the developer container in FIG. 5. [Figure 13] 10A and 10B are front views showing other configuration examples of the support portion and the identification shape portion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0035] Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus 1 equipped with a developer container 5 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In this specification and drawings, substantially identical components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations of the identical components will be omitted in this specification.

[0036] (1) Image forming device As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming device 1 has an image forming unit 20 arranged inside a housing 10, which forms an image made of developer on paper 9, and a paper supply unit 40 which supplies paper 9 to the image forming unit 20. Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 1 is provided with a discharge and storage section 12, for example, at the top of the housing 10, for discharging and storing the paper 9 on which an image has been formed. Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 1 is provided with a mounting portion 15 in a part of the housing 10, to which the developer container 5 is detachably mounted.

[0037] The image forming section 20 includes a plurality of image forming units 21A, 21B, 21C, and 21D, an intermediate transfer unit 30, and a fixing unit .

[0038] In the image forming units 21A, 21B, 21C, and 21D, images of predetermined colors (A, B, C, and D) made of developer are formed on the photosensitive drums 22 by electrophotography. Examples of the predetermined colors (A, B, C, D) include black, cyan, magenta, and yellow.

[0039] Specifically, the photosensitive drums 22 in the image forming units 21A, 21B, 21C, and 21D rotate in the directions indicated by the arrows. The outer peripheral surface of each photosensitive drum 22 is charged to a predetermined surface potential by each charging device 23 . Next, the charged outer peripheral surface of each photosensitive drum 22 is exposed to light of each color component corresponding to image information from each latent image forming device 24. As a result, an electrostatic latent image of a predetermined color component is allocated and formed exclusively on the outer peripheral surface of each photosensitive drum 22. Image information is input from an external device (not shown) connected to the image forming apparatus 1.

[0040] Subsequently, the electrostatic latent image formed on the outer peripheral surface of each photosensitive drum 22 is developed with the developer of the corresponding color supplied from each developing device 25A, 25B, 25C, 25D. The developer used is, for example, a two-component developer containing toner and carrier. When the developer is a two-component developer, the developed image is a toner image made of toner of a predetermined color (A, B, C, D). The developing devices 25 are shown as developing devices 25A, 25B, 25C, and 25D because they differ in that developers containing toners of predetermined colors (A, B, C, and D) are used separately. As a result, a toner image of a predetermined color is formed on the outer circumferential surface of each photosensitive drum 22.

[0041] In the intermediate transfer unit 30, toner images of predetermined colors formed by the image forming units 21A, 21B, 21C, and 21D are temporarily held on the intermediate transfer belt 31 by primary transfer, and then are secondarily transferred onto the paper 9.

[0042] Specifically, the intermediate transfer belt 31 is rotatably wound around a plurality of rolls and rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow. Subsequently, the toner images on the photosensitive drums 22 are sequentially transferred onto the outer circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt 31 by the primary transfer device 33 . Thereafter, the intermediate transfer belt 31 transports the toner image primarily transferred onto its outer peripheral surface to a secondary transfer position facing the secondary transfer device 34. At the secondary transfer position, the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 31 is secondarily transferred by the secondary transfer device 34 onto the paper 9 supplied from the paper supply unit 40.

[0043] In the paper supply unit 40, the paper 9 is fed one by one from a container 41 that stores the paper 9 toward the image forming unit 20 by a feed device 42. There may be a case where a plurality of sets of the container 41 and the delivery device 42 are provided.

[0044] The paper 9 sent out by the sending device 42 is transported through a paper feed path portion of a transport path Tr that is made up of a predetermined number of transport roll pairs 46a, 46b, a paper guide member (not shown), and the like. At this time, the paper 9 is fed to the secondary transfer position of the intermediate transfer unit 30 by the transport roll pair 46b in synchronization with the secondary transfer timing, and the toner image is secondarily transferred onto one side of the paper 9. After the toner image has been secondarily transferred onto the paper 9, the paper 9 is sent from the secondary transfer position towards the fixing unit 36.

[0045] In the fixing unit 36, the paper 9 onto which the toner image has been secondarily transferred is introduced into a fixing processing section (nip section) formed between a heating rotor 37 and a pressure rotor 38 which rotate while being pressed against each other inside the housing. As a result, the unfixed toner image is heated and pressurized as it passes through the fixing unit, and is fixed onto the paper 9 as an image. As a result of the above, an image made of developer (toner) is formed on one side of the paper 9.

[0046] Finally, in the image forming apparatus 1, the paper 9 on which the image has been formed is transported through the discharge path portion of the transport path Tr so as to be discharged into the discharge storage section 12 and stored therein. The discharge path portion of the transport path Tr is made up of a predetermined number of transport roll pairs 46c, 46d, a paper guide member (not shown), and the like.

[0047] (Developer container mounting part) In the image forming apparatus 1, as shown in FIG. 1, four developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D are used as developer containers 5, each containing a specific color (A, B, C, or D) of developer. The image forming apparatus 1 is provided with mounting portions 15A, 15B, 15C, and 15D in parts of the housing 10, into which the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D are detachably mounted, respectively.

[0048] The mounting sections 15A, 15B, 15C, and 15D in the first embodiment are provided between the intermediate transfer unit 30 and the discharge / container section 12, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the mounting sections 15A, 15B, 15C, and 15D are formed as storage spaces recessed from the front, which is one of the side surfaces of the housing 10, toward the back (in the direction indicated by arrow Z). Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, the mounting section 15A etc. is opened to the outside and closed from the outside by an opening / closing door 13 which rotates on the front side of the housing 10 with its lower end as a fulcrum.

[0049] Developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D can be attached to and detached from mounting portions 15A, 15B, 15C, and 15D by inserting and removing them in the directions indicated by arrows D1 and D2. In Figure 2 and other figures, the direction indicated by arrow D1 indicates the mounting direction (insertion direction), and the direction indicated by arrow D2 indicates the removal direction (pulling direction). The developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D will be described in detail later.

[0050] Furthermore, in the image forming apparatus 1, the developer is consumed and reduced in the developing devices 25A, 25B, 25C, and 25D due to the image forming operation. Therefore, when the developer decreases to a predetermined amount, developer (toner in this example) of each color (A, B, C, D) is replenished from developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D to the corresponding developing devices 25A, 25B, 25C, 25D, respectively.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 1, the mounting portions 15A, 15B, 15C, and 15D have mounting tables 16 and replenishing devices 17 arranged inside the storage spaces in which the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D are stored, respectively. The mounting table 16 is a structure in which the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D are mounted and held within the storage space. The supply device 17 is a device that supplies a predetermined amount of developer discharged from the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D to each of the developing devices 25A, 25B, 25C, and 25D by sending it thereto.

[0052] Further, a supply conveying path 18 is provided in each of the mounting sections 15A, 15B, 15C, and 15D. The supply conveying path 18 is a developer conveying path that is arranged so as to connect each of the supplying devices 17 with the developing devices 25A, 25B, 25C, and 25D.

[0053] (2) Developer container As shown in FIG. 3, each of the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D includes a storage portion 51 for storing a predetermined developer G (see FIG. 6, etc.). When the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D contain only the toner T (see FIG. 6, etc.) of a two-component developer as the developer G, they are also called, for example, toner cartridges.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 4, the storage section 51 in the first embodiment is made up of a storage main body 52, an end holder 53, and a stirrer . The storage section 51 has a structure in which an agitator 54 is attached to one end of a storage body 52, and the part to which the agitator 54 is attached is rotatably held by an end holder 53.

[0055] (Main unit) The storage body 52 is a portion that stores the developer G, or at least the toner T in this example.

[0056] The accommodating body 52 in the first embodiment is a generally cylindrical structure having one open end and the other closed end. That is, the accommodating body 52 has an open end 52a downstream of the accommodating portion 51 and hence the developer container 5 in the mounting direction D1, and a closed end 52b upstream of the accommodating body 52 in the mounting direction D1. The accommodating body 52 is configured to be rotated in a predetermined direction M when the accommodated developer G (toner T) is discharged during replenishment. Incidentally, the mounting direction D1 of the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D is a direction along the longitudinal direction of the accommodating main body 52 that is elongated in one direction.

[0057] Furthermore, the housing body 52 has a coupled portion 523 at its open end 52a to which the agitator 54 is coupled. The coupled portion 523 is a structural portion on the outer circumferential surface of the housing body 52, for example, having a screw thread formed thereon. The accommodating body 52 is provided at its end 52b with a grip portion 527 that protrudes from the end 52b toward the upstream side in the mounting direction D1. The grip portion 527 is used as a part that the user holds by hand when mounting the developer container 5 in the mounting portion 15. Furthermore, a spirally extending groove 524 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the housing body 52. ​​As shown in Fig. 6 and other figures, groove 524 has a spirally extending protrusion 525 formed on the inner wall surface of the housing body 52 so as to substantially correspond to the shape of groove 524 and protrude inward. The spiral protrusion portion 525 functions as a conveying means that, when the storage body 52 rotates in a predetermined direction M, moves the stored developer G (toner T) toward the discharge port 55 described later.

[0058] (end holder) The end holder 53 is a part that rotatably holds the end 52a of the housing main body 52 via the agitator . The end holder 53 also serves as the leading end portion of the developer container 5 or the storage portion 51 in the mounting direction D1.

[0059] End holder 53 in the first embodiment has a cylindrical main body 531, as shown in FIGS. The main body 531 has an internal space divided by a partition wall 532 into front and rear spaces in the mounting direction D1.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 6, the main body 531 has a first internal space S1 located upstream of the partition wall 532 in the mounting direction D1. The first internal space S1 is a space that accommodates and holds a part of the accommodating main body 52 via the agitator 54, and also accommodates the developer G (toner T).

[0061] The partition wall 532 is the downstream end in the mounting direction D1 of the storage space that stores the developer G (toner T) in the storage section 51. In other words, the partition wall 532, together with the first internal space S1, also functions as a lid that closes the open end 52a of the storage main body 52 with the agitator 54 interposed therebetween.

[0062] The main body 531 also has a second internal space S2 located downstream of the partition wall 532 in the mounting direction D1. The second internal space S2 is a space in which the driven side shaft coupling 58 and the like are disposed.

[0063] The driven-side shaft coupling 58 is coupled to a driving-side shaft coupling 19 (see FIG. 8) arranged on the mounting portion 15 side and detachably connected to transmit rotational power. The driven-side shaft coupling 58 is also called a container-side coupling, and the driving-side shaft coupling 19 is also called a mounting-side coupling.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 6, the driven-side shaft coupling 58 has a connecting portion 581 and a transmission shaft portion 582. The connecting portion 581 is a portion having a circular body with an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the second internal space S2 and multiple protrusions provided on the circular body. The transmission shaft portion 582 is a shaft that protrudes from the center of the upstream end of the connecting portion 581 in the installation direction D1 along the upstream side of the installation direction D1.

[0065] The driven-side shaft coupling 58 is rotatably mounted in a mounting hole provided through the center of the partition wall 532. In this case, the transmission shaft 582 is positioned so as to penetrate the center of the partition wall 532 and protrude into the first internal space S1.

[0066] In the second internal space S2, a cover portion 533 is provided that covers and protects the periphery of the driven-side shaft coupling 58 (the connecting portion 581 thereof). The cover portion 533 is formed as a structural portion that protrudes in the mounting direction D1 from the center of the partition wall 532. More specifically, the cover portion 533 is formed as a structural portion that is open at the top and curved into a cylindrical shape.

[0067] (Exhaust port) In addition, as shown in Figures 6 and 7(A), the end holder 53 has an outlet 55 at the bottom of the first internal space S1 of the main body 531, through which the contained developer G (toner T) is discharged.

[0068] Discharge outlet 55 in the first embodiment has a substantially rectangular opening shape and is formed as an opening that extends from the inside of first internal space S1 to the outer circumferential surface (outer periphery) of main body 531. One side surface (inner wall) of discharge outlet 55 is provided using part of partition wall 532 (see FIG. 6). The outlet 55 is opened and closed from the outside by an opening / closing part 56 .

[0069] (Opening and closing part of the exhaust port) The opening and closing part 56 is an opening and closing lid that slides to open and close the discharge port 55. The opening and closing part 56 is also called a shutter. The opening / closing portion 56 is positioned to close the discharge port 55 when the developer container 5 is not mounted in the mounting portion 15, when it is being mounted in the mounting portion 15, or when it is being removed from the mounting portion 15. On the other hand, the opening / closing portion 56 is positioned to open the discharge port 55 immediately before the developer container 5 is mounted in the mounting portion 15 or when the mounting is complete.

[0070] The opening / closing unit 56 in the first embodiment is configured as a rectangular plate-like lid. As shown in Fig. 7(A) and other figures, the opening / closing unit 56 has a rectangular plate-like opening / closing main body 561a and an attachment side wall 561b. The attachment side wall 561b rises upward from both ends of the opening / closing main body 561a along opening / closing directions E1 and E2 (to be described later), and is attached to a side wall 572 of the attachment unit 57 (to be described later). As shown in FIG. 6, the opening / closing section 56 is provided with a sealing material 562 on the surface (inner surface) facing the discharge outlet 55, which covers the discharge outlet 55 when the discharge outlet 55 is moved to a closing position to seal it and prevent leakage of the developer G (toner T). 6 and other figures, the opening / closing part 56 has a peripheral sealing sheet 563 on its inner surface that surrounds the sealing material 562. The peripheral sealing sheet 563 has a shape that has a protruding part 563c that protrudes downstream of the opening / closing part 56 in the mounting direction D1.

[0071] (Mounting part of opening and closing part) Furthermore, the end holder 53 is provided with a mounting portion 57 for movably mounting the opening / closing portion 56, as shown in Figs. The attachment portion 57 is a plate-like structural portion formed on the outer peripheral surface (outer peripheral portion) of the main body portion 531 so as to surround the discharge port 55.

[0072] The mounting portion 57 in the first embodiment is configured as a structural portion that mounts the opening / closing portion 56 so that the opening / closing portion 56 can be moved in the directions indicated by arrows E1 and E2 along the mounting direction D1. The direction indicated by arrow E1 is the movement direction when opening / closing unit 56 opens discharge outlet 55 relative to mounting unit 57. The direction indicated by arrow E1 corresponds to the direction opposite to mounting direction D1. On the other hand, the direction indicated by arrow E2 is the movement direction when opening / closing unit 56 closes discharge outlet 55 relative to mounting unit 57.

[0073] As shown in Figure 7(A), the mounting portion 57 has a rectangular plate-shaped mounting body 571 that surrounds the outlet 55, and side wall portions 572 that hang down from both ends of the mounting body 571 along the opening and closing directions E1 and E2 of the opening and closing portion 56. Mounting body 571 is provided so as to protrude outward from the lower outer peripheral surface of cylindrical body portion 531 of end holder 53. The surface of mounting body 571 on the side to which opening / closing portion 56 is attached is formed as a substantially flat portion surrounding discharge outlet 55, except for an opening portion corresponding to discharge outlet 55 (see FIG. 7(B)). As shown in FIG. 5 and other figures, the opening / closing part 56 is attached in a state in which its side wall part 561b is movably hooked and held on the side wall part 572 of the attachment part 57.

[0074] In addition, as shown in FIG. 5 and other figures, the end holder 53 has an inwardly recessed portion 534 formed in the portion of the cylindrical main body 531 that becomes the upper portion of the second internal space S2. A storage medium 59 for storing information about the developer container 5 is disposed in the recess 534. When the developer container 5 is attached to the attachment portion 15, the storage medium 59 is electrically connected to a connection terminal (not shown) provided on the attachment portion 15 side, and information is read and written to the storage medium 59. The recessed portion 534 in the first embodiment has a structure in which the lower surface thereof is connected to both open ends of the cover portion 533 of the driven-side shaft coupling 58 and held from below (see FIG. 7, etc.).

[0075] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the end holder 53 is provided with a rotation holder 537 on the outer periphery of the cylindrical main body 531, which is located above the first internal space S1. The rotation holding portion 537 is a portion that holds the stirring member 54 so that it can rotate. A plurality of rotation holding portions 537 in the first embodiment are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction of the outer periphery of the main body portion 531, which is an upper portion of the first internal space S1. Furthermore, the rotation holding portions 537 are provided as protruding portions shaped to protrude toward the first internal space S1 on the outer periphery.

[0076] 5, 7, etc., the end holder 53 has a notch 535 formed in the portion of the main body 531 that becomes the lower portion of the second internal space S2. The notch 535 is a cutout portion that is cut out in the corresponding portion of the main body 531 so as to extend in the opposite side (inside) of the mounting direction D1. The notch portion 535 is designed so that when the developer container 5 is attached to the attachment portion 15, an attachment fitting portion 175 (described later) can be fitted into the recessed side of the notch portion 535 (see FIGS. 9 and 10).

[0077] As shown in FIG. 7 and other figures, the end holder 53 is provided with a pair of guide receiving portions 538 and 539 on the outer periphery of the main body portion 531. The guide receiving portions 538, 539 are portions that are guided by being placed on a pair of guide portions 162, 163 (described later) on the mounting base 16 of the mounting portion 15 during the insertion / removal operation of the developer container 5 to / from the mounting portion 15.

[0078] Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the end holder 53 has an identification shape portion 70 provided on the outer circumferential portion of the cylindrical main body portion 531 that is located above the first internal space S1. The identifying shape portion 70 is a portion formed as an identifying shape for distinguishing whether the developer container 5 can be attached or not, corresponding to the different types of developer and the storage portion 51. The identifying shape portion 70 is also called, for example, a mechanical key.

[0079] The identification shape portion 70 in the first embodiment is a portion that combines an identification protrusion 71 and an identification recess 72 in the circumferential direction on the outer periphery of the main body portion 531. The identification protrusion 71 and the identification recess 72 are formed as a protrusion and a recess having a predetermined length in the circumferential direction. The identification recess 72 is also a portion formed between the multiple identification protrusions 71. The identification shape portion 70 is formed to have different concave-convex patterns corresponding to the different types of developer and the different types of storage portions 51. For this reason, the identification shape portions 70 in the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D are formed with different concave-convex patterns, for example, because the types of developer are different.

[0080] (agitator) The agitator 54 is a structure attached to the open end 52 a of the housing body 52 . The agitator 54 is a structure having a function of agitating the developer G (toner T) that moves from the inside of the accommodating main body 52 and is discharged through the open end 52a.

[0081] As shown in FIGS. 4, 6, etc., the agitator 54 in the first embodiment has a cylindrical main body 541 having open ends 541a, 541b.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 6 and other figures, the main body 541 is configured so that the entire body, including a shaft fitting portion 545 and a stirring portion 546 (described later), is accommodated in the first internal space S1 of the end holder 53.

[0083] 6 and other figures, the main body 541 is configured so that the coupled portion 523 of the accommodating main body 52 is fitted into the internal space of the upstream end 541b in the mounting direction D1. A coupling portion 543 (see FIG. 6) that is coupled to the coupled portion 523 of the accommodating main body 52 is formed on the inner wall of the upstream end 541b of the main body 541. Furthermore, a circular flange portion 544 that protrudes continuously in the circumferential direction is provided on the outer periphery of the end portion 541a on the downstream side in the installation direction D1 of the main body portion 541. When the main body portion 541 is fitted into the first internal space S1 of the end portion holder 53, the flange portion 544 is rotatably held by the rotation holding portion 537 of the end portion holder 53 (see FIG. 7, etc.).

[0084] As shown in FIGS. 4, 6, etc., the agitator 54 is provided with a shaft fitting portion 545 at an end portion 541a of the main body portion 541 on the downstream side in the mounting direction D1. The shaft fitting portion 545 is formed as a cylindrical structural portion that protrudes in the mounting direction D1 from the center of the support plate that is fixed to the end portion 541a and extends in the diameter direction inside the opening of the end portion 541a. The shaft fitting portion 545 is provided at its center with a fitting hole 545a into which the transmission shaft portion 582 of the driven-side shaft coupling 58 is fitted and fixed, as shown in Fig. 6 .

[0085] Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 4, 6, etc., the agitator 54 is provided with an agitator 546 at an end 541a of the main body 541 on the downstream side in the mounting direction D1. The stirring portion 546 is formed as two rod-shaped structural portions protruding in the mounting direction D1 from both sides of the support plate sandwiching the shaft fitting portion 545 therebetween.

[0086] Each of the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D is constructed so that an accommodating section 51 is assembled by assembling the portion of the accommodating main body 52 to which the agitator 54 is attached, which is rotatably held by an end holder 53.

[0087] (Mounting stand for mounting part) As shown in FIG. 8, each of the mounting tables 16 in the mounting portions 15A, 15B, 15C, and 15D has a plate-shaped holding table 161 that is long in one direction and holds the lower part of each of the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D.

[0088] The holder 161 has side walls that rise upward at both ends along its longitudinal direction. The upper ends of the side walls are formed as guide portions 162 and 163. The guide portions 162 and 163 guide the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D along the mounting direction D1 and the removal direction D2, respectively, when the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D are inserted or removed, and also rotatably hold the accommodating body 52 of the accommodating portion 51.

[0089] The support base 161 is provided with a terminal wall 164 at the end in the mounting direction D1. A holding recess 164a that introduces and holds the cover portion 533 of the end holder 53 of the developer container 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D is provided on the upper portion of the end wall 164. The holding recess 164a is formed as a portion that is recessed in an arc shape.

[0090] The holder 161 is provided with a passage opening 165 for passing the developer at the rear side in the mounting direction D1 of the bottom surface thereof. The passage opening 165 is provided at a position facing the discharge opening 55 of the mounted developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D. Furthermore, the holder 161 has an open / close guide 170 disposed on the inner side of the bottom surface thereof in the mounting direction D1 so as to surround the passage opening 165. The opening / closing guide 170 has a base 171 for the mounting portion 57 , an opening / closing portion holder 173 for holding the opening / closing portion 56 , and an attachment fitting portion 175 .

[0091] The stand 171 is formed as a pair of parallel flat stands spaced apart along the mounting direction D1 to ensure a facing space S3. The facing space S3 is a space where the discharge outlet 55 of the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D faces the passage opening 165 of the holding base 161. On the placing base 171, a part of the attachment portion 57 of the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D is placed when the opening / closing portion 56 has moved in the direction to open the discharge outlet 55 and is not present.

[0092] The opening / closing unit holding portion 173 is formed as a pair of holding arms 173A, 173B that are parallel to each other along the upstream side in the mounting direction D1 with a gap therebetween so as to ensure a holding space S4. The holding space S4 is a space for holding the open-close portion 56 of each of the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D from both sides along the mounting direction D1 during installation. The open-close portion holding portion 173 holds and stops the open-close portion 56 midway during installation, and moves the open-close portion 56 in the movement direction E1 when opening it relative to the attachment portion 57.

[0093] The mounting fitting portion 175 is a portion that is fitted into the notch portion 535 in the end holder 53 of the developer container 5 when the developer container 5 is mounted in the mounting portion 15 (see FIGS. 9 and 10). The mounting fitting portion 175 also serves as a portion that connects and holds the pair of flat bases of the stand 171 together.

[0094] (Attaching to the developer container attachment part) When the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D are mounted in the mounting portions 15A, 15B, 15C, and 15D, respectively, they are guided in the mounting direction D1 by guide portions 162 and 163 of the holder 161 and pushed into the respective storage spaces. Also, while the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D are being pushed in, the opening / closing portion 56 is held by the opening / closing portion holding portion 173 in the opening / closing guide 170 and stopped, and then the opening / closing portion 56 is moved in the movement direction E1 when opening relative to the mounting portion 57.

[0095] Subsequently, the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D are brought into a state in which the mounting fitting portions 175 of the open / close guides 170 are fitted into the notches 535 of the end holders 53. As a result, the attachment of the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D to the attachment portions 15A, 15B, 15C, and 15D is completed, respectively.

[0096] In the process of completing the installation of the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, the opening / closing portion 56 moves in the movement direction E1 when opening, opening the discharge port 55. At this time, the discharge port 55 faces and is continuous with the passage port 165 in the installation base 16 via the facing space S3.

[0097] Further, the shaft coupling 58 on the driven side of the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D is connected to the shaft coupling 19 on the driving side of the mounting portions 15A, 15B, 15C, and 15D. As a result, when rotational power is transmitted to the shaft coupling 58 on the driven side, the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D rotate in the direction of arrow M with the accommodating body 52 and the agitator 54 constituting the accommodating portion 51 held by the end holder 53.

[0098] During the installation process of the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, the identification shape portion 70 distinguishes whether or not the containers can be installed from the identification compatibility portions (not shown) provided at corresponding positions in the storage spaces of the installation portions 15A, 15B, 15C, and 15D. In this case, the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D can be attached to the attachment portion 15 only when the identification shape portion 70 matches the identification matching portion. Conversely, if the identification shape portion 70 does not match the identification matching portion, the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D cannot be attached to the attachment portion 15, preventing incorrect attachment.

[0099] Then, when it is time to replenish developer, the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D that have been installed rotate a predetermined amount in the direction of arrow M with the storage body 52 and the agitator 54 held by the end holder 53.

[0100] As a result, the developer G (toner T) contained in the storage body 52 is transported by the spiral ridge portion 525 of the rotating storage body 52 toward the agitator 54. Subsequently, the developer G (toner T) that was transported first is sequentially discharged so as to fall from the discharge port 55 located at the bottom of the end holder 53. As the developer G (toner T) passes through the agitator 54, it is agitated and loosened by the agitator 546. The developer G (toner T) discharged from the discharge port 55 is sent to the replenishing device 17 through the passage ports 165 in the mounting portions 15A, 15B, 15C, and 15D.

[0101] (Further configuration of developer container, etc.) In the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, in order to ensure the sealing of the discharge outlet 55 by the opening / closing portion 56 of the mounting portion 57, a plate-shaped protruding portion 575 is provided that protrudes the mounting body 571 downstream in the mounting direction D1. The protruding portion 575 is an extension of the downstream end of the plate-shaped mounting body 571 in the mounting direction D1 so as to move away from the discharge port 55 toward the downstream side in the mounting direction D1.

[0102] By providing the protruding portion 575 in the mounting portion 57, the planar surface on which the opening / closing portion 56 of the mounting body 571 is present is extended and widened toward the downstream side in the installation direction D1 of the discharge port 55. In other words, with regard to the mounting portion 57, the mounting body 571 has a wider planar portion. As a result, as shown in Figure 7(A) etc., when the opening / closing part 56 is in a state where it closes the discharge outlet 55, the opening / closing part 56 can be positioned facing the protruding part 575 of the mounting body 571 with a wide margin. As a result, as shown in Figure 7(A) and other figures, the opening / closing portion 56 in embodiment 1 can have the protruding portion 563c of the peripheral sealing sheet 563 in contact with a wide area, particularly the flat portion of the protruding portion 575, thereby improving the sealing ability of the outlet 55.

[0103] In addition, in the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, as shown in Figures 5, 7, etc., three support portions 6 that support the protruding portion 575 are provided on the protruding surface of the protruding portion 575 in the mounting portion 57 opposite to the opening / closing portion 56. The three support portions 6 are a first support portion 6A, a second support portion 6B, and a third support portion 6C.

[0104] The first support portion 6A is provided on the surface of the protruding portion 575 on the opposite side, at approximately the center in the width direction perpendicular to the mounting direction D1. The first support portion 6A is formed as a plate-like portion 60 (see FIG. 5) that is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the protruding portion 575 on the opposite side. The first support portion 6A is provided in such a manner that the plate-like portion 60 is connected to and fixed to the partition wall 532 of the end holder 53.

[0105] Furthermore, the first support portion 6A is provided in a form connected to a cover portion 533 of the end holder 53, which is an example of an opposing structure portion having a portion facing the protruding portion 575. More specifically, the first support portion 6A is connected so as to abut against the curved surface of the lower part of the cover portion 533, which is curved in an arc shape.

[0106] The second support portion 6B and the third support portion 6C are provided on the opposite surface of the protruding portion 575, in portions slightly inward from both ends in the width direction perpendicular to the mounting direction D1. In other words, the second support portion 6B and the third support portion 6C are provided so as to sandwich the first support portion 6A and to be located at positions spaced apart on both sides of the first support portion 6A. Similarly to the first support portion 6A, the second support portion 6B and the third support portion 6C are formed as plate-shaped portions (see FIG. 5) that are substantially perpendicular to the surface of the protruding portion 575 on the opposite side.

[0107] Furthermore, the second support portion 6B and the third support portion 6C are provided in such a manner that one end portion (upper end portion) thereof is connected to a part of the end holder 53, which is the opposing structure portion. More specifically, the second support portion 6B and the third support portion 6C are connected so as to abut against the curved portion of the lower portion of the notch portion 535 of the end holder 53 on the inner side.

[0108] Therefore, with developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, the flat surface of the protruding portion 575 can be made wider to ensure the sealing of the discharge port 55 by the opening / closing portion 56 and can be made less susceptible to deformation or damage, compared to when a support portion 6 that supports the protruding portion 575 is not provided.

[0109] Furthermore, the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D according to the first embodiment are provided with three support portions 6, namely, a first support portion 6A, a second support portion 6B, and a third support portion 6C. Therefore, with respect to the protruding portion 575, compared to when one support portion or two support portions are provided as the support portion 6, it is possible to make the flat portion of the opening / closing portion 56 wider and to make the portion less susceptible to deformation or damage.

[0110] Incidentally, instead of providing the support portion 6 to the protruding portion 575, it is also possible to increase the thickness of the protruding portion 575, for example. In this case, however, when the overhanging portion 575 is produced by a plastic molding method, a recessed deformation (sink mark) occurs during molding, which may make it difficult to obtain a smooth surface for attaching the opening / closing portion 56. In this case, the sealing performance at the overhanging portion 575 of the attachment portion 57 is poor, which may lead to developer leakage. In this regard, in the protruding portion 575 provided with the support portion 6, the protruding portion 575 is less likely to undergo deformation due to sink marks or the like.

[0111] Furthermore, when attaching developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D to attachment portion 15 or when handling them by holding grip portion 527 or the like, the user may cause the lower part of the tip in attachment direction D1 to come into contact with the surrounding area of ​​attachment portion 15, or may drop the container and hit the lower part of the tip against an object in the area where it is dropped. That is, when handling the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, the user may make the above-mentioned erroneous operation.

[0112] Incidentally, in the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, the developer G may be biased toward one of the ends in the longitudinal direction, and the container structure having the end holder 53 may cause the overall weight balance to be biased. As a result, the leading edge or the rear edge of the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D in the mounting direction D1 is likely to be facing downward, and the leading edge or the rear edge is likely to fall off. This may lead to the user making an erroneous operation.

[0113] In the event of a user's incorrect operation, the protruding portion 575 that protrudes from the tip side of the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D in the mounting direction D1 is more likely to come into contact with or collide with other objects, increasing the risk of damage. In this regard, in the protruding portion 575 provided with the first support portion 6A, the second support portion 6B, and the third support portion 6C, the strength of the protruding portion 575 is increased by the support portions 6A, 6B, and 6C, making it less susceptible to breakage.

[0114] In addition, in developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, the first support portion 6A is provided in a form connected to the cover portion 533, and the second support portion 6B and the third support portion 6C are provided in a form connected to a part of the end holder 53. Therefore, in developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, the strength of the protruding portion 575 is further increased by each of the support portions 6A, 6B, and 6C, compared to when the first support portion 6A, the second support portion 6B, and the third support portion 6C are arranged in a form that is not connected to the cover portion 533 or a part of the end holder 53. This also makes the overhanging portion 575 less susceptible to deformation or breakage.

[0115] Furthermore, compared to when the above-described non-connected configuration is used, it is more difficult for the user's fingers to get into the gap between overhanging portion 575 and cover portion 533, or the gap between overhanging portion 575 and part of end holder 53. In short, the presence of any one of support portions 6A, 6B, 6C in part of each gap may prevent the user's fingers from getting in. Furthermore, the risk of deformation of the protruding portion 575 when the user's fingers or the like enter each of the above gaps, or deformation of the portion to which the cover portion 533 or the support portion 6 of the end holder 53 is connected, is avoided or reduced.

[0116] In addition, in the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, as shown in Figure 5, the first support portion 6A is connected to face a downwardly convex, arc-shaped surface portion of the cover portion 533, which is an example of an opposing structure portion. Therefore, according to developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, even if external force F such as impact or vibration is applied to protruding portion 575 through plate-like portion 60 of first support portion 6A, the external force F is more likely to be dispersed and transmitted to the curved planar portions of cover portion 533 as forces fa and fb, for example (see FIG. 5), compared to when first support portion 6A is connected to face the flat portion of the opposing structure. This also makes protruding portion 575 less likely to deform or break.

[0117] Next, in this embodiment, the first support portion 6A is configured as a portion that is fitted into the recess 176 in the mounting portion 15, as shown in FIGS. Specifically, at least the plate-shaped portion 60 of the first support portion 6A is fitted into the recess 176.

[0118] In this case, as shown in FIG. 9 and other figures, the mounting portions 15A, 15B, 15C, and 15D have recesses 176 formed in the mounting fitting portions 175 of the opening / closing guides 170. The recess 176 is formed by arranging a pair of protrusions 177A, 177B at a predetermined interval, protruding in the opposite direction from the mounting direction D1, on a side surface 175a of the mounting fitting portion 175 that faces the mounted developer container 5. The groove width of the recess 176 is set to a dimension slightly wider than the thickness of the plate-like portion 60 of the first support portion 6A.

[0119] When this developer container 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D is attached to the attachment portion 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D, the plate-shaped portion 60 of the first support portion 6A is fitted into the recess 176 in the attachment fitting portion 175, as shown in Figures 10 and 11(B).

[0120] Therefore, with these developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, the plate-shaped first support portion 6A is kept in a state where it is less likely to move due to the recess 176, compared to when the plate-shaped first support portion 6A is not configured as a part that can be fitted into the recess 176 provided in the mounting portion 15 to which the container is to be mounted.

[0121] Here, when the developer container 5 is being attached to the attachment portion 15 or after that attachment, the storage portion 51 (storage body 52, etc.) of the developer container 5 may be subjected to unexpected movement due to unnecessary operation by the user or vibration due to operation of the developer container 5, etc. Arrows J1 and J2 in Figure 11(B) indicate the direction in which the end holder 53 may move when subjected to a rotational movement due to unnecessary operation by the user. That is, even in such a case, with developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, even if they are subjected to external forces due to their movement or vibration, the plate-shaped first support portion 6A is kept in a state where it is difficult to move by the recess 176, and therefore unnecessary external forces are unlikely to be applied to the protruding portion 575 through the plate-shaped first support portion 6A. As a result, the protruding portion 575 is unlikely to be deformed or damaged.

[0122] Next, in the embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, etc., the first support portion 6A is provided with a protrusion 61 that protrudes further toward the tip side than the end portion 575a (see Figure 7(B), etc.) on the tip side of the mounting direction D1 of the protruding portion 575.

[0123] The protruding portion 61 in the first embodiment is provided in a plate-like form protruding downstream in the mounting direction D1 on the upper portion of the plate-like portion 60 of the first support portion 6A. The protruding portion 61 is provided with its upper portion connected to the cover portion 533.

[0124] Therefore, according to these developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, compared to when the protruding portion 61 is not provided on the first support portion 6A, even if the overhanging portion 575 receives an external impact when dropped or hit, the impact is more likely to be received by the protruding portion 61 of the first support portion 6A before the overhanging portion 575. As a result, it is possible to reduce the likelihood that the overhanging portion 575 will be the first to receive an external impact. This also makes the protruding portion 575 less susceptible to deformation or damage.

[0125] Moreover, as shown in Figure 12, etc., the protrusion 61 of the first support portion 6A in embodiment 1 is arranged in a form that is located upstream in the mounting direction D1 of the downstream end 533e of the part of the cover portion 533 that faces the first support portion 6A. In this case, the protruding portion 61 is provided in a form that protrudes downstream in the mounting direction D1 further than the downstream end 575a of the overhanging portion 575 in the mounting direction D1.

[0126] Therefore, with these developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, compared to when the protrusion 61 of the first support portion 6A is arranged in a form that protrudes downstream in the mounting direction D1 from the end 533e of the cover portion 533, the protrusion 61 is prevented from receiving unnecessary collisions or impacts from the downstream side in the mounting direction D1 before the end 533e of the cover portion 533. This also makes the protruding portion 575 less susceptible to deformation or damage.

[0127] Furthermore, the protruding portion 61 of the first support portion 6A is provided on the upper side of the plate-shaped portion 60. In other words, the protruding portion 61 is provided at a location farther from the discharge port 55 than when the protruding portion 61 is provided on the lower side of the plate-shaped portion 60. Therefore, even if the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D are dropped due to a user's incorrect operation, the probability that the impact (external force F) will be received by the protrusion 61 of the first support portion 6A is higher than when the protrusion 61 is provided on the lower side of the plate-shaped portion 60. As a result, even if the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D are dropped, the protruding portion 575 and other portions of the attachment portion 57 (such as the discharge port 55) are less likely to be deformed or damaged.

[0128] In this embodiment, the first support portion 6A can be configured to be used as the identification shape portion 80. In this case, the identification shape portion 80 is a portion that has a shape that distinguishes whether or not it can be attached to the attachment portion 15 of the developer container 5, in accordance with different types of developer G and different types of storage portion 51, as in the case of the identification shape portion 70 described above.

[0129] The identification shape portion 80 in the first support portion 6A is formed, for example, by differences in the positional relationship and dimensions between the plate-shaped portion 60 and the protrusion 61 in the first support portion 6A, or by convex portions and concave portions added to the plate-shaped portion 60 and the protrusion 61, respectively.

[0130] In the first support part 6A in the first embodiment, the protrusion 61 is used as the identification shape part 80, and the mounting part 15 is provided with an adaptation recess 178 as an example of an adaptation shape part into which the protrusion 61 is fitted, as shown in Fig. 11(A). The adaptation recess 178 is formed by providing a predetermined gap in approximately the center of the mounting fitting part 175, as shown in Figs. 9, 11(A), etc. In this case, for different types of developer containers 5, protrusions 61 of different shapes can be provided on the first support portion 6A, while the mounting portion 15 corresponding to that developer container 5 can be configured so as not to have an adapting recess 178 or can be provided with an adapting recess of a shape that fits the protrusions 61 of different shapes.

[0131] Therefore, according to these developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, compared to when the first support portion 6A is not configured to be used as the identifying shape portion 80, the first support portion 6A can also be used as a portion having the function of distinguishing whether the developer container 5 can be attached to the attachment portion 15 in accordance with the type of developer G and the type of storage portion 51. In other words, it becomes possible to make effective use of the first support portion 6A.

[0132] Furthermore, with these developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, even if the types of developers and storage portions increase and the above-mentioned identification shape portion 70 alone is no longer sufficient, by configuring the first support portion 6A to be used as the identification shape portion 80, it is possible to ensure the function of distinguishing whether or not the various types of developer containers 5 can be attached to the attachment portion 15.

[0133] Furthermore, in the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, as shown in Figure 11(B), the second support portion 6B and the third support portion 6C located on both sides of the first support portion 6A are configured to fit into the mating recesses 177Ac and 177Bc on one side of each of the pair of protrusions 177A and 177B in the opening / closing guide 170, respectively. This also keeps the developer containers 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D from moving easily when they are attached, due to the engagement of the second support portion 6B and the third support portion 6C with the engagement recesses 177Ac and 177Bc. Incidentally, the second support portion 6B and the third support portion 6C can also be configured as part of the identification shape portion 80.

[0134] Variant. The present invention is not limited to the configuration exemplified as the first embodiment above, and various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims. Therefore, the present invention also includes, for example, the following modifications.

[0135] As illustrated in Figure 13, the developer container 5 of the present invention may be provided with two support portions 6, a fourth support portion 6D and a fifth support portion 6E, spaced apart in the width direction of the surface of the protruding portion 575. Of these, the fourth support portion 6D is a support portion that is provided in a state where it is connected to the cover portion 533, similar to the case of the first support portion 6A. The fifth support portion 6E is a support portion that is provided in a state where it is not connected to the cover portion 533. Both the fourth support portion 6D and the fifth support portion 6E are provided in a state where they are connected to the partition wall 532 of the end holder 53.

[0136] When such a fourth support portion 6D and a fifth support portion 6E are provided, the support portions 6D, 6E may be configured to be used as different types of identification shaped portions 80. In this case, the mounting portion 15 also has a shape that matches the different types of identification shaped portions 80 of the support portions 6D, 6E, and is provided with a matching shaped portion such as a recess that enables the storage portion 51 of the developer container 5 to be mounted. When configured in this manner, even if the number of types of developer and the number of types of storage sections 51 of the developer container 5 are further increased, it is possible to prevent the developer container 5 from being incorrectly attached to the attachment section 15.

[0137] 13, the developer container 5 of the present invention may be provided with an additional identifying shape portion 85 on the inner portion of the tip side in the mounting direction D1 of the end holder 53 of the storage portion 51. In this case, the mounting portion 15 will also be provided with a matching shape portion such as a recess that has a shape that matches the additional identifying shape portion 85 and that enables the storage portion 51 of the developer container 5 to be mounted. When configured in this manner, even if the number of types of developer and the number of types of storage sections 51 of the developer container 5 are increased, it is possible to prevent the developer container 5 from being incorrectly attached to the attachment section 15.

[0138] The support portion 6 in the developer container 5 of the present invention is not limited to a plate-like shape, and may have a shape other than a plate-like shape as long as it is capable of supporting at least the protruding portion 575. When a plurality of support portions 6 are provided, the number is not limited to three, and may be, for example, two or four. Furthermore, the support portion 6 may be provided so as to connect to a two-sided shape (for example, a two-sided shape that develops in a V-shape) that develops so that the portion of the opposing structure that faces the protruding portion 575 intersects obliquely. The number of support parts 6 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, one or two.

[0139] The storage section 51 of the developer container 5 of the present invention is not limited to a rotating type storage section in which the storage main body 52 and the like are rotatably held by the end holder 53 as exemplified in the first embodiment. As another type of storage section 51, for example, the storage section 51 itself may not rotate, but may be a fixed type storage section in which a conveying member that rotates and conveys the developer is disposed inside the storage section 51. Even in the case of this fixed type housing section 51, if the mounting section 57 of the opening / closing section 56 has a plate-like protruding portion that protrudes toward the tip end in the mounting direction D1, it is preferable to provide the support section 6.

[0140] Furthermore, the opening / closing portion 56 of the developer container 5 of the present invention may be an opening / closing portion that moves circumferentially on the outer periphery of the fixed cylindrical storage portion 51 to open and close the discharge opening 55. In this case, too, if the mounting portion 57 of the opening / closing portion 56 has a plate-like protruding portion that protrudes toward the tip end in the mounting direction D1, it is preferable to provide a support portion 6. In this case, the surface of the mounting support of the opening / closing part 56 of the mounting part 57 is a curved surface part that is bent in an arc shape.

[0141] Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 1 using the developer container 5 of the present invention is not particularly limited with respect to the number of developer containers 5 used, the number of colors of the image, or the configuration of the image forming unit 20 and the like.

[0142] (Addendum) (((1))) a container for containing a developer; a discharge port for discharging the developer from an outer circumferential portion of the container at a leading end side in an attachment direction; an opening / closing unit that opens and closes the outlet from the outside; a mounting portion that surrounds the outlet and to which the opening / closing portion is movably mounted; Equipped with the attachment portion has a protruding portion that protrudes toward a tip end in the attachment direction, The developer container has a support portion that supports the protruding portion on a surface opposite to the opening / closing portion. (((2))) the housing portion includes an opposing structure portion having a portion facing the protruding portion at an inner portion on a tip side in the mounting direction, The developer container according to (((1))), wherein the support portion is provided in a form connected to the opposing structure portion. (((3))) The developer container according to (((1))) or (((2))), wherein the support portion has a protruding portion that protrudes further toward the tip end than the end of the overhanging portion in the mounting direction. (((4))) A developer container described in any one of (((1))) to (((3))), wherein the support portion is provided with an identification shape portion that distinguishes whether or not the support portion can be attached depending on the type of developer and storage portion. (((5))) The support portion has a plate-like shape, The developer container according to (((2))), wherein the plate-shaped support portion is configured as a portion that is fitted into a recess of the receiving portion when the receiving portion is attached. (((6))) The support portion has a plate-like shape, The developer container described in (((2))) above, wherein the facing portion of the opposing structure has a curved surface shape in which the convex side is connected to the plate-shaped support portion, or a two-sided shape that extends so as to intersect obliquely. (((7))) the housing portion includes an opposing structure portion having a portion facing the protruding portion at an inner portion on a tip side in the mounting direction, The developer container according to (((3))), wherein the protruding portion is provided in a form that is located upstream in the mounting direction relative to the downstream end of the facing portion in the mounting direction. (((8))) the support portion is provided as a plurality of spaced apart support portions; The developer container according to (((4))), wherein the plurality of support portions are each provided with the identification shape portion. (((9))) The developer container according to any one of (((1))) to (((8))), wherein the storage section has an additional identifying shape portion on the inner portion at the tip end side in the mounting direction, which distinguishes whether the storage section can be mounted or not, depending on the type of developer and storage section. (((10))) an image forming unit that forms an image made of a developer; a developer container that contains a developer to be supplied to the image forming unit; a mounting portion into which the developer container is detachably mounted by inserting and removing the developer container; Equipped with An image forming apparatus, wherein the developer container is the developer container according to any one of (((1))) to (((9))). (((11))) The image forming apparatus according to (((10))), wherein the mounting portion is provided with a recess into which the support portion is fitted. (((12))) When the developer container is the developer container described in (((4))), The image forming apparatus according to (((10))), wherein the mounting section is provided with an identification matching section that has a shape that matches the identification shape section and enables the storage section to be mounted. (((13))) When the developer container is the developer container described in (((8))), The image forming apparatus described in (((10))) is provided with a plurality of identification matching portions in the mounting portion that have shapes that respectively match the identification shape portions in the plurality of support portions and enable the storage portion to be mounted. (((14))) When the developer container is the developer container described in (((9))), The image forming apparatus according to (((10))), wherein the mounting portion is provided with an additional identification fitting portion that has a shape that matches the additional identification shape portion and enables the storage portion to be mounted.

[0143] According to the developer container of (((1))), the protruding portion of the mounting portion that protrudes toward the tip end in the mounting direction of the mounting section, which movably mounts the opening / closing portion that opens and closes the developer discharge outlet at the tip end in the mounting direction of the developer storage section, can have a wider flat surface to ensure the sealing of the discharge outlet by the opening / closing portion and can be made less likely to deform or break, compared to when a support portion that supports the protruding portion is not provided. According to the developer container of (((2))), the protruding portion is less likely to be deformed or damaged than when the support portion is provided in a form that is not connected to the opposing structure portion. According to the developer container of (((3))), it is possible to reduce the likelihood that the protruding portion will be the first to receive an impact, compared to when the support portion does not have a protruding portion. According to the developer container of (((4))), the support portion can also be used as a portion having the function of distinguishing whether or not the container can be attached depending on the type of developer and the type of container. With the developer container according to (((5))), compared to when the plate-shaped support portion is not configured as a portion that can be fitted into the recess of the storage portion when the storage portion is attached, unnecessary external forces are less likely to be applied to the protruding portion even when the storage portion is subjected to movement due to unnecessary operations or vibrations due to operation during or after the attachment of the developer container. According to the developer container of (((6))), it is easier to reduce the external force applied to the protruding portion through the plate-shaped support portion compared to when the opposing portion of the opposing structure portion has a planar shape that intersects with the plate-shaped support portion. With the developer container according to (((7))), the protruding portion is prevented from being subjected to unnecessary collision from the downstream side in the mounting direction before the opposing part of the opposing structure, compared to when the protruding portion is provided in a form that protrudes downstream from the downstream end in the mounting direction of the opposing part of the opposing structure. According to the developer container of (((8))), even if the number of types of developers and containers increases, the function of distinguishing whether or not they can be attached can be ensured. According to the developer container of (((9))), the function of distinguishing whether or not the container can be attached can be ensured even if the number of types of developer or container increases, compared to when an additional identification shape portion is not provided on the inner part of the tip side of the container in the attachment direction. According to the image forming device of (((10))), the mounting part that movably mounts the opening / closing part that opens and closes the developer discharge outlet at the tip side in the mounting direction of the developer storage part in the developer container has a protruding part that protrudes towards the tip side in the mounting direction, and the flat part that ensures the sealing of the discharge outlet by the opening / closing part can be made wider and less likely to deform or break, compared to when a support part that supports the protruding part is not provided. According to the image forming device of (((11))), compared to when the mounting portion does not have a recess into which the support portion is fitted, unnecessary external forces are less likely to be applied to the protruding portion even when the storage portion is subjected to unnecessary movement or vibration due to operation during or after the stage of mounting the developer container to the mounting portion. According to the image forming apparatus of (((12))), even if the number of types of developers or containers increases, it is possible to prevent the developer container from being erroneously attached to the attachment portion. According to the image forming apparatus of (((13))), even if the types of developers or containers are further increased, it is possible to prevent the developer container from being erroneously attached to the attachment portion. According to the image forming apparatus of (((14))), even if the number of types of developers or containers increases, it is possible to prevent the developer container from being erroneously attached to the attachment portion. [Explanation of symbols]

[0144] 1...Image forming device 5...Developer container 6...Support part 6A…First support part 6B…Second support part 6C…Third support part 15...Attachment part 20...Image forming unit 51...Storage section 55…Discharge port 56...Opening and closing section 57...Mounting part 60... Plate-shaped portion (an example of a plate-shaped support portion) 61...Protrusion 80...Identification shape part 85... Additional identification feature 176...recess 178...Concave portion (an example of a conforming shape portion) 533...Covering part (an example of an opposing structural part) 533e...End of cover 575...protruding part 575a...End of protruding part D1...Installation direction

Claims

1. a container for containing a developer; a discharge port for discharging the developer from an outer circumferential portion of the container at a leading end side in an attachment direction; an opening / closing unit that opens and closes the outlet from the outside; a mounting portion that surrounds the outlet and to which the opening / closing portion is movably mounted; Equipped with the attachment portion has a protruding portion that protrudes toward a tip end in the attachment direction, The developer container has a support portion that supports the protruding portion on a surface opposite to the opening / closing portion.

2. the housing portion includes an opposing structure portion having a portion facing the protruding portion at an inner portion on a tip side in the mounting direction, 2. The developer container according to claim 1, wherein the support portion is provided in a form connected to the opposing structure portion.

3. 2. The developer container according to claim 1, wherein the support portion has a protruding portion that protrudes further toward the tip end than the end of the protruding portion on the tip end side in the mounting direction.

4. 2. The developer container according to claim 1, wherein the support portion is provided with an identification shape portion for distinguishing whether the support portion is mountable or not, corresponding to different types of the developer and the storage portion.

5. The support portion has a plate-like shape, 3. The developer container according to claim 2, wherein the plate-shaped support portion is configured as a portion that is fitted into a recess of the container when the container portion is attached.

6. The support portion has a plate-like shape, 3. The developer container according to claim 2, wherein the facing portion of the opposing structure has a curved surface shape in which a convex side is connected to the plate-like support portion, or a two-surface shape that extends so as to intersect obliquely with the plate-like support portion.

7. the housing portion includes an opposing structure portion having a portion facing the protruding portion at an inner portion on a tip side in the mounting direction, 4. The developer container according to claim 3, wherein the protruding portion is provided in a form that is located upstream in the mounting direction of the downstream end of the facing portion in the mounting direction.

8. the support portion is provided as a plurality of spaced apart support portions; 5. The developer container according to claim 4, wherein the identification shape portion is provided on each of the plurality of support portions.

9. 2. The developer container according to claim 1, wherein the storage section has an additional identifying shape portion on an inner portion at a tip end side in the installation direction, which distinguishes whether the storage section can be installed or not, corresponding to different types of developer and storage section.

10. an image forming unit that forms an image made of a developer; a developer container that contains a developer to be supplied to the image forming unit; a mounting portion into which the developer container is detachably mounted by inserting and removing the developer container; Equipped with An image forming apparatus, wherein the developer container is the developer container according to claim 1 .

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the mounting portion is provided with a recess into which the support portion is fitted.

12. When the developer container is the developer container according to claim 4, 11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the mounting portion is provided with an identification matching portion having a shape that matches the identification shape portion and that enables the storage portion to be mounted.

13. When the developer container is the developer container according to claim 8, 11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the mounting portion is provided with a plurality of identification matching portions each having a shape that matches the respective identification shape portions of the plurality of support portions and that enable the mounting of the storage portion.

14. When the developer container is the developer container according to claim 9, 11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the mounting portion is provided with an additional identification matching portion having a shape that matches the additional identification shape portion and that enables the container portion to be mounted.

Images