Container and image forming apparatus

Abstract

To provide a container that can prevent items from falling out even under load. [Solution] The housing container 50 is inserted into the housing of the image forming apparatus in the insertion direction S and includes a gripping portion 64 that grips a gripping portion provided on the housing, and a movement restricting portion (restricting projection 65) that locks onto a locking portion provided on the housing and restricts movement in the insertion direction S.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a storage container that is detachable from a housing and an image forming apparatus including the same.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, electrophotographic image forming apparatuses are known. In such image forming apparatuses, image formation (printing) is performed using toner stored in a cartridge (storage container). The toner is consumed during image formation, and eventually, the toner stored in the cartridge runs out. The empty cartridge is removed from the image forming apparatus, and a new cartridge is installed. Normally, it is preferable that the cartridge is stored inside the image forming apparatus, and an image forming apparatus considering workability during cartridge replacement has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Conventional image forming apparatuses include a toner container that can be mounted at a mounting position defined on the apparatus main body, a support member that movably supports the toner container at a detachment position spaced apart from the mounting position to the side of a predetermined first surface, a lock member that is displaced between a lock position for locking the toner container at the mounting position and a release position for releasing the lock of the toner container, a lock release unit that releases the lock of the toner container when a release condition is satisfied, an elastic member that biases the lock member toward the lock position, and a moving mechanism that moves the toner container toward the detachment position when the lock is released.

[0005] Conventional image forming apparatuses have a structure in which the toner container is locked only by a locking member. Therefore, if the locking member is displaced due to load or other factors, there is a risk that the lock on the toner container may be unintentionally released.

[0006] This disclosure is made to solve the above-mentioned problems and aims to provide a container and an image forming apparatus that can prevent items from falling out even when subjected to a load. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The container according to this disclosure is a container for toner that is inserted into the housing of an image forming apparatus in the insertion direction, and is characterized by comprising: a gripping portion that grips a gripping portion provided on the housing, and a movement restricting portion that is locked to a locking portion provided on the housing and restricts movement in the insertion direction.

[0008] The container according to this disclosure comprises a container-facing surface perpendicular to the insertion direction and facing the housing, a container-side surface along the insertion direction, and a detachable member provided with the gripping portion and the movement restricting portion, wherein the detachable member has a detachable-facing portion along the container-facing surface and a detachable-side portion along the container-side surface, and the gripping portion and the movement restricting portion may be provided on the detachable-side portion.

[0009] In the container according to this disclosure, the detachable member may be configured such that a fixing portion provided on the detachable opposing portion is fixed to the surface facing the container, and when the detachable side portion is pressed and moved, the locking of the gripping portion and the movement restricting portion is released.

[0010] In the containment container according to this disclosure, the detachable side portion has a pressing portion that is pressed by the user when it is moved, and the pressing portion may be arranged on a straight line passing through the gripping portion along the insertion direction.

[0011] In the container according to this disclosure, when the direction parallel to the container-facing surface and perpendicular to the insertion direction is defined as the lever direction, the detachable side portion may be configured such that one end in the lever direction is connected to the detachable-facing portion, and the other end in the lever direction is provided with the movement restricting portion.

[0012] In the containment container according to this disclosure, the fixing portion may be provided in the portion of the detachable opposing portion that is connected to the detachable side portion, and the gripping portion may be provided between the fixing portion and the movement restricting portion in the lever direction.

[0013] In the containment container according to this disclosure, the movement restricting part may be movably mounted and, by moving, switch between a state in which it is locked to the locking part and a state in which it is not locked to the locking part.

[0014] The image forming apparatus relating to this disclosure is characterized by comprising a containment container relating to this disclosure.

[0015] In the image forming apparatus according to this disclosure, the gripping portion may be configured to have a tapered shape with the end facing the side surface of the containment container being inclined.

[0016] An image forming apparatus characterized by the following.

[0017] The image forming apparatus according to this disclosure includes a biasing member that biases the housing container mounted on the housing, and the insertion direction may be configured to be opposite to the biasing direction of the biasing member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to this disclosure, even if a force is applied to the gripping part in a direction that would cause it to detach due to a load or the like, the movement restricting part will hold it in place, thus preventing the container from coming off the housing. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0019] [Figure 1]It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view showing a storage container and a housing connection part as viewed from the front side. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view showing a storage container and a housing connection part as viewed from the back side. [Figure 4] It is a side view showing a storage container when attached to a housing connection part. [Figure 5] It is a rear view of a storage container. [Figure 6] It is an enlarged perspective view of a storage container with the vicinity of a detachable member enlarged. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view showing a housing connection part. [Figure 8] It is a side view showing a state where a detachable member and a housing connection part locked to each other are viewed from the housing connection part side. [Figure 9] It is a side view showing a state where a detachable member and a housing connection part locked to each other are viewed from the detachable member side. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view showing a detachable member and a housing connection part locked to each other. [Figure 11] It is a side view showing a detachable member and a housing connection part in a modified example.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] The image forming apparatus 100 is a multifunction device having a copying function, a scanner function, a facsimile function, and a printer function, and transmits an image of a document read by the image reading device 130 to the outside, or forms an image of a document read by the image reading device 130 or an image received from the outside in color or monochrome on a recording medium such as paper.

[0023] An openable and closable document transport device 110 is provided above the image reading device 130. The document transport device 110 transports one or more documents one by one in sequence. The image reading device 130 generates image data by scanning the document placed on the document tray 131 using a scanning optical system, or by reading the document being transported by the document transport device 110.

[0024] The image forming apparatus 100 is equipped with a fixing device, a photoreceptor drum 2, a charger 3, a developing device 4, a drum cleaning device 5, an intermediate transfer belt device 7, a secondary transfer roller 11, a light scanning device 12, and a paper feeding unit 18, among other things.

[0025] The image forming apparatus 100 handles image data corresponding to color images using black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y), or monochrome images using a single color (for example, black). The image forming apparatus 100 is equipped with four photoreceptor drums 2, chargers 3, developers 4, and drum cleaning devices 5 for forming four types of toner images, each corresponding to black, cyan, magenta, and yellow, forming four image stations Pa, Pb, Pc, and Pd.

[0026] The charger 3 uniformly charges the surface of the photoreceptor drum 2 to a predetermined potential. The light scanning device 12 exposes the surface of the photoreceptor drum 2 to form an electrostatic latent image. The developing device 4 develops the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoreceptor drum 2 to form a toner image on the surface of the photoreceptor drum 2. The drum cleaning device 5 removes and recovers residual toner from the surface of the photoreceptor drum 2. Through the above series of operations, toner images of each color are formed on the surface of each photoreceptor drum 2.

[0027] The intermediate transfer belt device 7 comprises intermediate transfer rollers 6, an endless intermediate transfer belt 71, an intermediate transfer drive roller 72, an intermediate transfer driven roller 73, and a cleaning device 9. Four intermediate transfer rollers 6 are provided inside the intermediate transfer belt 71 to form four different toner images corresponding to each color. The intermediate transfer rollers 6 transfer the toner images of each color formed on the surface of the photoreceptor drum 2 to the circulating intermediate transfer belt 71.

[0028] The intermediate transfer belt 71 is stretched over the intermediate transfer drive roller 72 and the intermediate transfer driven roller 73. In the image forming apparatus 100, the toner images of each color formed on the surface of each photoreceptor drum 2 are sequentially transferred and superimposed to form a color toner image on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 71. The cleaning device 9 removes and collects waste toner that remains on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 71 without being transferred to the paper.

[0029] The secondary transfer roller 11 grips the paper that has been transported through the paper transport path 21 in the transfer nip between it and the intermediate transfer belt 71 and transports it. As the paper passes through the transfer nip, the toner image on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 71 is transferred to the paper and it is then transported to the fuser.

[0030] The fixing device includes a fixing roller 31 and a pressure roller 32 that rotate around an axis. The fixing device inserts the paper on which the toner image has been transferred into the nip between the fixing roller 31 and the pressure roller 32, heats and pressurizes it, and fixes the toner image to the paper.

[0031] The paper feeding unit 18 is equipped with a paper feeding cassette for loading recording media (paper) used for image formation and is located below the optical scanning device 12. The paper is pulled out of the paper feeding unit 18 by the pickup roller 16 and transported to the paper transport path 21. The paper transported to the paper transport path 21 passes through the secondary transfer roller 11 and the fuser device and is discharged to the output tray 19 by the discharge roller 17.

[0032] The paper transport path 21 includes a registration roller 14 and an output roller 17. The registration roller 14 transports the paper at a speed equal to the process speed at which the image is formed on the paper. The registration roller 14 is located between the paper feed section 18 and the secondary transfer roller 11, and adjusts the timing of paper transport so that the toner image is transferred to the paper by the secondary transfer roller 11. For example, the registration roller 14 holds the transported paper and waits (stops temporarily), then starts transporting the paper at a constant speed in synchronization with the secondary transfer roller 11.

[0033] When image formation is to be performed on the back side of the paper as well as the front side, the paper transport direction is changed by the discharge roller 17 and the paper is transported to the inversion transport path 22. In the inversion transport path 22, the paper is guided to the registration roller 14 with its front and back sides reversed by the inversion transport roller 15. The image forming apparatus 100 forms an image on the back side of the paper guided to the registration roller 14 in the same way as the front side and discharges it to the output tray 19.

[0034] A manual feed tray 150 is mounted on the front of the image forming apparatus 100 so as to be openable and closable, and an opening / closing door 160 is mounted on the rear of the image forming apparatus 100 so as to be openable and closable. Paper loaded in the open manual feed tray 150 is supplied to the manual feed transport path 23 near the front. The manual feed transport path 23 merges with the paper transport path 21 near the rear just before the registration roller 14, and the paper is transported to the registration roller 14 by the manual feed transport roller 13 located in the manual feed transport path 23. When the opening / closing door 160 is opened, the reversing transport path 22 is exposed, and jammed paper can be collected. The paper feeding section 18 is located below the manual feed transport path 23 and is configured to be able to be pulled out from the front.

[0035] The image forming apparatus 100 is configured to have a storage container 50 (see Figure 2) for storing toner and waste toner, and the toner is transferred to the developing device 4 and the drum cleaning device 5. In this embodiment, four storage containers 50 are installed, corresponding to each color used, and each storage container 50 is detachably attached to the image forming apparatus 100. In the following, a part of the housing of the image forming apparatus 100, specifically the housing connection part 40 connected to the storage container 50, is shown. Note that the housing of the image forming apparatus 100 may also have parts corresponding to the storage container 50 other than the housing connection part 40.

[0036] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the housing container and enclosure connection as seen from the front, and Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the housing container and enclosure connection as seen from the rear.

[0037] The storage container 50 is a vertically elongated container in the shape of a roughly rectangular parallelepiped, and stores toner in a space provided inside. The storage container 50 may have an internal space that is divided into multiple sections. In this embodiment, it is divided into two sections, and new toner and used waste toner are stored separately. In this embodiment, the storage container 50 is installed by inserting it into the side of the housing of the image forming apparatus 100 with the front facing the front and the back facing the back. In other words, the back of the storage container 50 is the container-facing surface 52 that faces the housing when it is installed in the image forming apparatus 100. For the purpose of explanation below, when installing the storage container 50, the direction in which it is inserted into the housing of the image forming apparatus 100 may be referred to as the insertion direction S. Also, the vertical direction (longitudinal direction) along the front (back) of the storage container 50 may be referred to as the height direction T (corresponding to the lever direction), and the horizontal direction (short direction) along the front (back) of the storage container 50 may be referred to as the width direction U.

[0038] The housing connection portion 40 is located facing one side of the housing container 50 (the container side surface 51) and is connected to a detachable member 60 attached to the housing container 50. Multiple gears 53 are attached to the container-facing surface 52, and the rotation of the gears 53 causes a screw or the like (not shown) installed inside the housing container 50 to rotate. When the gears 53 are mounted on the image forming apparatus 100, they are connected to a drive source (not shown) provided on the image forming apparatus 100, and the drive force that rotates them is transmitted from the drive source. The end of the detachable member 60 closer to the container side surface 51 (corresponding to the fixed part) is fixed to the container-facing surface 52 by a fixing member 54 such as a screw. The detailed structure of the detachable member 60 and the housing connection portion 40 will be explained later with reference to Figures 6 to 10.

[0039] In this embodiment, a configuration in which the storage container 50 is mounted with its longitudinal direction oriented vertically has been described, but the invention is not limited to this, and the orientation in which the storage container 50 is mounted to the image forming apparatus 100 may be changed as appropriate.

[0040] Figure 4 is a side view showing the housing container when attached to the housing connection part, and Figure 5 is a rear view of the housing container.

[0041] Figure 4 shows the positional relationship when the detachable member 60 and the housing connection part 40 are separated and the housing container 50 is inserted into the housing of the image forming apparatus 100 along the insertion direction S. As shown in Figure 4, when installing the housing container 50 (on the right in Figure 4), the detachable member 60 is aligned with the housing connection part 40 (on the left in Figure 4) in the height direction T and inserted straight along the insertion direction S (to the left in Figure 4).

[0042] A shutter 55 is provided on the side surface 51 of the container, in a portion corresponding to the housing connection portion 40. The shutter 55 is attached to the storage container 50 so as to be able to open and close, and opens and closes the toner discharge port. When the storage container 50 is detached, the shutter 55 closes the discharge port. When the storage container 50 is attached to the image forming apparatus 100, the housing connection portion 40 presses the shutter 55 (to the right in Figure 4), opening the discharge port. A biasing member (not shown) may be attached to the shutter 55 to bias it in the direction of closing the discharge port (to the left in Figure 4). The open discharge port is connected to the developing device 4, etc., and the toner stored in the storage container 50 is supplied.

[0043] A toner receiving section 56 is provided on the container-facing surface 52, and when the storage container 50 is installed, it is connected to a drum cleaning device 5, etc., to receive the discharged toner. The drum cleaning device 5, etc., may also be provided with an openable and closable shutter, similar to the storage container 50, and may be configured to open the shutter when connected to the receiving section 56.

[0044] As described above, a biasing member is provided at the connection point between the image forming apparatus 100 and the containment container 50 to bias the containment container 50 mounted on the housing. The insertion direction S of the containment container 50 is opposite to the biasing direction R of the biasing member. The method of attaching the biasing member may be changed as appropriate, as long as it acts in a direction that separates the containment container 50 from the housing.

[0045] Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the containment container, showing a close-up of the area around the detachable member.

[0046] The detachable member 60 has a detachable opposing portion 61 along the container-facing surface 52 and a detachable side portion 62 along the container-side portion 51, with the detachable opposing portion 61 fixed to the container-facing surface 52 by a fixing member 54. The detachable opposing portion 61 is also connected to a portion that pivotally supports a gear 53 attached to the container-facing surface 52. The detachable member 60 is made of an elastic material such as resin, and when a portion not fixed to another member is pressed, it deforms and becomes movable, and returns to its original shape when the load is removed.

[0047] The detachable side portion 62 is connected to the detachable opposing portion 61 near the fixing point by the fixing member 54, and extends from the rear side to the front side of the storage container 50. An extension portion 63 extending upward is provided at the front end of the detachable side portion 62. A restricting projection 65 (an example of a movement restricting portion) is provided at the upper end of the extension portion 63, projecting in the width direction U in a direction away from the container side portion 51. The restricting projection 65 is inserted into a locking hole 42 (an example of a locking portion, see Figure 7) provided in the housing connection portion 40. The restricting projection 65 has an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the insertion direction S.

[0048] As described above, the detachable member 60 has a detachable opposing portion 61 fixed to the container-facing surface 52, whereas the detachable side portion 62 is not fixed to the container side portion 51. Furthermore, the detachable side portion 62 is supported with a gap between it and the container side portion 51, and is configured to move when pressed towards the container side portion 51. At the base of the extension portion 63, below the restricting projection 65, there is a pressing portion 63a that is pressed by the user when moving the detachable side portion 62 (especially the extension portion 63). The surface of the pressing portion 63a is curved so as to be recessed towards the container side portion 51 compared to the surrounding area, and is shaped to easily accommodate the user's fingers.

[0049] The extension portion 63 is provided with a gripping portion 64 that extends from the pressing portion 63a along the insertion direction S. The gripping portion 64 is a hook formed in the shape of a C (C-ring) and grips the part to be gripped 41 (see Figure 7) provided on the housing connection portion 40. The tip side of the gripping portion 64 in the insertion direction S (the left side in Figure 6) is open, and the part to be gripped 41 enters the inside of the hook through the open gap. As described above, the pressing portion 63a is arranged on a straight line passing through the gripping portion 64 along the insertion direction S. More specifically, in the insertion direction S, the pressing portion 63a is positioned behind the gripping portion 64. In this way, since the pressing portion 63a is provided in the vicinity of the gripping portion 64 and the regulating projection 65, the gripping portion 64 and the regulating projection 65 can be smoothly displaced by pressing the pressing portion 63a.

[0050] As described above, the fixing portion to which the detachable member 60 is fixed to the container-facing surface is provided in the portion of the detachable-facing portion 61 that connects to the detachable-side portion 62, and the gripping portion 64 is provided between the fixing portion and the restricting projection 65 in the height direction T.

[0051] A reinforcing rib 62a is provided at the lower part of the detachable side portion 62. The detachable side portion 62 does not have a fixing part with the container side portion 51, and it is preferable to maintain strength even with a thin wall so that it can move easily, so the reinforcing rib 62a is provided to reinforce the detachable side portion 62.

[0052] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the housing connection section.

[0053] Figure 7 shows a portion of the housing of the image forming apparatus 100, specifically the housing connection portion 40. The housing connection portion 40 is positioned to face the side surface 51 of the container (particularly the detachable member 60) of the storage container 50 mounted on the image forming apparatus 100. In other words, when the storage container 50 is mounted on the image forming apparatus 100, the detachable member 60 and the housing connection portion 40 are positioned adjacent to each other in the width direction U, and lock together.

[0054] The housing connection portion 40 is provided with a gripped portion 41 corresponding to the gripping portion 64 and a locking hole 42 corresponding to the restricting projection 65. The gripped portion 41 is a substantially cylindrical projection that is gripped by the gripping portion 64 so as to surround its circumferential surface. The end portion (tapered portion 41a) of the gripped portion 41 facing the container side surface 51 is tapered with a chamfered edge. In this embodiment, the locking hole 42 is formed with a part of it open, but is not limited to this, and may be a recess of a size sufficient to accommodate the restricting projection 65. In this embodiment, the housing connection portion 40 is provided with the gripped portion 41 and the locking hole 42, but is not limited to this, and may be provided on separate members.

[0055] Next, the positional relationship between the detachable member 60 and the housing connection part 40 will be explained with reference to Figures 8 to 10. Note that in Figures 8 to 10, the detachable member 60 and the housing connection part 40 are shown separately for clarity.

[0056] Figure 8 is a side view showing the detachable members and housing connection part locked together, as seen from the housing connection part side; Figure 9 is a side view showing the detachable members and housing connection part locked together, as seen from the detachable member side; and Figure 10 is a perspective view showing the detachable members and housing connection part locked together.

[0057] When attaching the storage container 50 to the image forming apparatus 100, as shown in Figure 4, the storage container 50 is inserted in the insertion direction S with the attachment / detachment member 60 aligned with the housing connection part 40. When the positions of the gripped part 41 and the gripping part 64 are aligned so that the gripped part 41 fits inside the gripping part 64 (see Figure 9), the restricting projection 65 fits into the locking hole 42 (see Figure 8). Until the restricting projection 65 reaches the locking hole 42, the inclined surface provided on the restricting projection 65 allows it to retract so that it does not get caught on the housing connection part 40. In other words, the restricting projection 65 (movement restricting part) is locked in the locking hole 42 (locking part), and the movement of the attachment / detachment member 60 in the insertion direction S is restricted. In this way, even if a force is applied in the direction that would cause the gripping part 64 to detach due to a load or the like, it is held in place by the movement restricting part, so that the storage container 50 does not come off the housing. In the detachable member 60, two points, a gripping portion 64 and a restricting projection 65, are provided on the detachable side portion 62 as parts that engage with the housing connection portion 40, and it is preferable that the detachable side portion 62 is not directly fixed to the container side portion 51 so that it can move easily.

[0058] The gripping portion 64 has a gap at its tip that is smaller than the diameter of the gripped portion 41 (width in the height direction T), and a gap at its base that is approximately the same as the diameter of the gripped portion 41. When the gripping portion 64 is gripping the gripped portion 41, its movement in the insertion direction S and the height direction T is restricted unless a very strong force is applied. The contact area between the gripping portion 64 and the gripped portion 41 is curved, and the gripping portion 64 is elastic. Therefore, when the gripped portion 41 pushes the gripping portion 64 open and enters, the force trying to return to its original shape acts to pull the gripped portion 41 into the gripping portion 64. In this way, by inserting the housing container 50 along the insertion direction S, the gripping portion 64 and the restricting projection 65 are locked together, preventing the housing from being attached in an unstable state.

[0059] When the detachable member 60 is locked to the housing connection portion 40, it is preferable that in the width direction U, the gripping portion 64 does not overlap with the tapered portion 41a of the gripped portion 41, and the tapered portion 41a is located closer to the container side surface 51 than the gripping portion 64. Furthermore, it is even more preferable that when the gripping portion 64 is moved, the gripping portion 64 engages with the tapered portion 41a.

[0060] As shown by arrow F in Figure 10, when the pressing portion 63a is pressed in a direction that moves the detachable side portion 62 away from the housing connection portion 40, the extending portion 63 moves. At this time, the lower end of the extending portion 63, which is connected to the detachable opposing portion 61, moves only a little, while the upper end, which is not connected to the detachable opposing portion 61, moves a large amount. In other words, the force pressing the pressing portion 63a acts efficiently to move the upper end a large amount with the lower end as the pivot point, thus avoiding the force being applied to unintended parts and causing twisting deformation. As the extending portion 63 moves away from the housing connection portion 40, the gripping portion 64 and the restricting projection 65 are released. At this time, since the gripped portion 41 has a tapered shape, the gripping portion 64 is prevented from catching on the corners of the gripped portion 41. In other words, when the detachable side portion 62 moves and the gripping portion 64 moves toward the tapered portion 41a, the locking force weakens, making it easier for the gripping portion 64 to detach from the gripped portion 41.

[0061] It is preferable that the gripping portion 64 is flush with the detachable side portion 62. By reducing the undulation of the gripping portion 64 relative to the surface along the detachable side portion 62, and displacing the detachable side portion 62 and the gripping portion 64 in the same way, a structure can be created in which the lock can be easily released even with a small displacement using a weak force.

[0062] As described above, since the detachable member 60 itself is movable and the lock is released, it is possible to create a structure that is easy to attach and detach without providing any new members. In addition, since the pressing part 63a, which is arranged in the same line as the gripping part 64, is pressed, the force that moves the gripping part 64 is more easily transmitted, improving the user's operability. Furthermore, since the restricting projection 65 is provided in a part that is not directly connected to the detachable opposing part 61, it can move significantly when pressed, making it easy to release the lock.

[0063] Regarding the insertion direction S of the containment container 50, it is preferable that it be in the opposite direction to the load applied to the containment container 50. Even if a force is applied in the direction that would cause the containment container 50 to come out, it will be held in place by the movement restricting part, thus preventing the containment container 50 from coming out unintentionally.

[0064] Next, a modified example in which the configuration of the detachable member 60 and the housing connection part 40 are different will be described with reference to Figure 11.

[0065] Figure 11 is a side view showing the detachable member and housing connection part in a modified example.

[0066] In a modified version, a restricting lever 66 (an example of a movement restricting part) is provided instead of the restricting projection 65, and a locking groove 43 (an example of a locking part) is provided instead of the locking hole 42. The restricting lever 66 is movably attached to the upper end of the extension part 63. The locking groove 43 is formed by cutting out the portion facing the restricting lever 66. By moving the restricting lever 66, it switches between a state where it is locked in the locking groove 43 and a state where it is not locked in the locking groove 43. In Figure 11, the state where the restricting lever 66 is not locked in the locking groove 43 is shown with a solid line, and the state where it is locked in the locking groove 43 is shown with a dashed line. As shown in Figure 11, when the restricting lever 66 is moved into the locking groove 43, the restricting lever 66 catches, and the movement of the detachable member 60 is restricted. In this way, by providing a movable restricting lever 66, it is possible to easily switch between locking and unlocking.

[0067] Furthermore, the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and do not constitute a limiting interpretation. Accordingly, the technical scope of this disclosure is not to be interpreted solely by the embodiments described above, but is defined based on the claims. This includes all modifications within the meaning and scope of equivalents to the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 40. Enclosure connection section (part of the enclosure) 41 Grasped part 42 Locking hole (an example of a locking part) 43 Locking groove (an example of a locking part) 50 containers 51 Container side 52 Container opposing surface 53 gears 54 Fixing member 55 Shutter 56 Reception Department 60 Detachable parts 61 Detachable opposing part 62 Detachable side section 63 Stretching section 63a Pressing part 64 Gripping part 65. Restrictive projection (an example of a movement restriction part) 66. Restriction lever (an example of a movement restriction mechanism) 100 Image forming apparatus S Insertion direction

Claims

1. A toner container that is inserted into the housing of an image forming apparatus in the insertion direction, A gripping portion for gripping the part to be gripped, provided on the housing, The housing is equipped with a locking portion that engages with a locking portion and restricts movement in the insertion direction. A container characterized by the following features.

2. A container according to claim 1, A container-facing surface perpendicular to the insertion direction and facing the housing, The side surface of the container along the insertion direction, The device comprises a detachable member provided with the gripping portion and the movement restricting portion, The detachable member has a detachable facing portion along the surface facing the container and a detachable side portion along the side of the container. The gripping portion and the movement restricting portion are provided on the detachable side portion. A container characterized by the following features.

3. The container according to claim 2, The detachable member has a fixing portion provided on the detachable opposing portion that is fixed to the surface facing the container, and when the detachable side portion is pressed and moved, the locking of the gripping portion and the movement restricting portion is released. A container characterized by the following features.

4. The container according to claim 3, The aforementioned detachable side portion has a pressing portion that is pressed by the user when it is moved. The pressing portion is arranged on a straight line passing through the gripping portion along the insertion direction. A container characterized by the following features.

5. The container according to claim 3, When the direction parallel to the container-facing surface and perpendicular to the insertion direction is defined as the lever direction, The aforementioned detachable side portion has one end in the lever direction connected to the detachable opposing portion, and the other end in the lever direction is provided with the movement restricting portion. A container characterized by the following features.

6. The container according to claim 5, The fixing portion is provided in the portion of the detachable opposing portion that connects to the detachable side portion, The gripping portion is provided between the fixing portion and the movement restricting portion in the lever direction. A container characterized by the following features.

7. A container according to claim 1, The movement restricting unit is movably mounted and, by moving, switches between a state in which it is locked to the locking unit and a state in which it is not locked to the locking unit. A container characterized by the following features.

8. An image forming apparatus comprising the containment container described in claim 1.

9. An image forming apparatus according to claim 8, The gripping portion has a tapered shape with the end facing the side of the container being inclined. An image forming apparatus characterized by the following.

10. An image forming apparatus according to claim 8, The housing is equipped with a biasing member that biases the housing container, The insertion direction is opposite to the biasing direction of the biasing member. An image forming apparatus characterized by the following.

Images