Abstract: A toner container includes a cylindrical container body, having a first opening in a first end thereof and a notch in a circumferential surface thereof continuous with the first opening in the first end, a flange member to engage the first opening and the notch in the container body and having a toner outlet therein through which toner in the container body is discharged, a shutter member disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the container body, a conveyance member, rotatably installed inside the container body to convey the toner from a second end of the container body opposite the first end to the toner outlet in the flange member, and a recessed portion in the container body that projects inward into the interior of the toner container 5 mm or less from an inner surface of the container body.

Abstract: A powder conveying device includes: a conveying nozzle, provided with a powder receiving opening; an open/close member to open/close the powder receiving opening; a flange provided to the open/close member; a biasing member to bias the open/close member; and a container setting section to which a part of a powder container is to be fit. The powder container includes: a conveyor to convey the powder from a second end of the powder container to a first end; a container opening protruding from the first end; a nozzle receiving opening into which the conveying nozzle is to be inserted; and a butting portion provided in the container opening, to butt against the flange. When the powder container is attached to the powder conveying device, the container opening is fitted to the container setting section, and the flange and the biasing member are housed in an inner space of the container opening.

Abstract: A nozzle receiver is to be arranged in a powder container used in an image forming apparatus. The nozzle receiver includes a nozzle receiving opening, in which a conveying nozzle for conveying powder supplied from the powder container is inserted in the image forming apparatus; an opening/closing member to open and to close the nozzle receiving opening; and a supporter to support the opening/closing member. The opening/closing member includes a sealing portion to seal the nozzle insertion opening. The supporter includes an end surface portion perpendicular to a moving direction of the opening/closing member. The projection area of the end surface portion in the moving direction of the opening/closing member is smaller than a projection area of the sealing portion in the moving direction of the opening/closing member.

Abstract: A packaging member includes a cushioning member that holds a holding part of a to-be-packaged member different from a predetermined part of the to-be-packaged member without coming into contact with the predetermined part of the to-be-packaged member. The cushioning member cushions a shock transmitting to the to-be-packaged member, and the packaging member packages the to-be-packaged member via the cushioning member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a lid pulling mechanism that includes a hook to open a toner discharge opening by pulling, from the bottle head section, a lid member that is in contact with a bottle head section of a toner bottle to close the toner discharge opening, and the lid pulling mechanism pulls the lid member in a direction inclined upward with respect to a virtual line that extends in a horizontal direction. Therefore, the distance is decreased between the lid member and the bottle head section and above the toner discharge opening through which air easily passes; thus, intake of air from the outside to the inside of the bottle head section is prevented. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of spread of toner from the inside of the bottle head section to the outside of the container.

Abstract: A toner container includes a cylindrical container body, having a first opening in a first end thereof and a notch in a circumferential surface thereof continuous with the first opening in the first end, a flange member to engage the first opening and the notch in the container body and having a toner outlet therein through which toner in the container body is discharged, a shutter member disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the container body, a conveyance member, rotatably installed inside the container body to convey the toner from a second end of the container body opposite the first end to the toner outlet in the flange member, and a recessed portion in the container body that projects inward into the interior of the toner container 5 mm or less from an inner surface of the container body.

Abstract: A powder material container is disclosed, including an elongated tubular container body; and a cap which has formed a temporary containing space which is communicably connected in the longitudinal direction of the container body to an opening of the container body to temporarily contain a powder material conveyed from the opening and which has formed on a side face in the longitudinal direction of the container body a discharging hole which discharges the powder material within the temporary containing space. The powder material container includes a blocking member which can switch between a blocking state in which the powder material within the temporary containing space is blocked from passing through an inlet face of the discharging hole facing the temporary containing space and a non-blocking state in which the powder material within the temporary containing space is not blocked from passing through the inlet face of the discharging hole.

Abstract: A toner container includes a cylindrical container body, having a first opening in a first end thereof and a notch in a circumferential surface thereof continuous with the first opening in the first end, a flange member to engage the first opening and the notch in the container body and having a toner outlet therein through which toner in the container body is discharged, a shutter member disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the container body, a conveyance member, rotatably installed inside the container body to convey the toner from a second end of the container body opposite the first end to the toner outlet in the flange member, and a recessed portion in the container body that projects inward into the interior of the toner container 5 mm or less from an inner surface of the container body.

Abstract: A toner housing container includes: container body; conveying portion; pipe receiving port; and uplifting portion. Container body includes; protruding portion protruding from container body interior side of container opening portion to one end of container body; and shutter member moving between closing and opening positions to close and open container opening portion. Uplifting portion includes: uplifting wall surface extending from container body internal wall surface toward protruding portion; and curving portion curving to conform to protruding portion. Shutter member moves from closing to opening position upon push by conveying pipe. When toner housing container is mounted on toner conveying device, protruding portion is present between curving portion and toner receiving port of conveying pipe inserted and extends along shutter member moving region. Toner has bulk density of ?0.399 g/cm3 when toner housing container is shaken up-and-down 10 times at 25° C.

Abstract: A powder storage container capable of preventing erroneous opening of a powder loading port. The powder storage container includes a powder storage part configured to store a developer used for image forming, a powder discharge part provided on one end part of the powder storage part to discharge the developer stored in the powder storage part, a gripping part protruding through an end face of the one end part side of the powder storage part, a powder loading port causing an inner space of the powder storage part and an outer portion of the powder storage part to communicate with each other, and a sealing member capable of sealing the powder loading port. The powder loading port is enclosed by the gripping part.

Abstract: A sieving device including a hollow cylindrical body, a filter disposed at a bottom portion of the hollow cylindrical body, and a blade configured to rotate in close proximity to the filter around a rotation axis thereof crossing the filter to thereby stir powder supplied to the hollow cylindrical body.

Abstract: A sieve device is provided. The sieve device includes a sieve body and an inlet unit. The sieve body includes a cylinder, a filter, and a blade. The cylinder is adapted to be supplied with a powder. The filter is disposed at a bottom of the cylinder. The blade is adapted to agitate the powder within the cylinder to allow the powder to pass through the filter. The blade is rotatable about a rotation axis that intersects with the filter in proximity to the filter. The inlet unit is adapted to introduce the powder into the sieve body.

Abstract: A nozzle is provided. The nozzle includes a gas injection unit, a sieve body, and a derivation unit. The gas injection unit is adapted to inject a gas into a powder container containing a powder. The sieve body includes a cylinder, a filter, and a blade. The cylinder has a communication aperture for communicating the cylinder with the powder container. The filter is disposed at a bottom of the cylinder. The blade is adapted to agitate the powder introduced into the cylinder from the powder container through the communication aperture upon injection of the gas into the powder container to allow the powder to pass through the filter. The blade is rotatable about a rotation axis that intersects with the filter in proximity to the filter. The derivation unit is adapted to derive the powder passed through the filter out of the powder container.

Abstract: A sieve device is provided. The sieve device includes a sieve body and an introduction unit. The sieve body includes a cylinder, a filter, and a blade. The cylinder is adapted to be supplied with toner particles. The filter is disposed at a bottom of the cylinder. The blade is adapted to agitate the toner particles within the cylinder to allow the toner particles to pass through the filter. The blade is rotatable about a rotation axis that intersects with the filter in proximity to the filter. The introduction unit is adapted to introduce the toner particles passed through the filter outside the sieve body.

Abstract: A toner housing container includes: container body; conveying portion; pipe receiving port; and uplifting portion. Container body includes; protruding portion protruding from container body interior side of container opening portion to one end of container body; and shutter member moving between closing and opening positions to close and open container opening portion. Uplifting portion includes: uplifting wall surface extending from container body internal wall surface toward protruding portion; and curving portion curving to conform to protruding portion. Shutter member moves from closing to opening position upon push by conveying pipe. When toner housing container is mounted on toner conveying device, protruding portion is present between curving portion and toner receiving port of conveying pipe inserted and extends along shutter member moving region. Toner has bulk density of ?0.399 g/cm3 when toner housing container is shaken up-and-down 10 times at 25° C.

Abstract: A powder conveying device includes: a conveying nozzle, provided with a powder receiving opening; an open/close member to open/close the powder receiving opening; a flange provided to the open/close member; a biasing member to bias the open/close member; and a container setting section to which a part of a powder container is to be fit. The powder container includes: a conveyor to convey the powder from a second end of the powder container to a first end; a container opening protruding from the first end; a nozzle receiving opening into which the conveying nozzle is to be inserted; and a butting portion provided in the container opening, to butt against the flange. When the powder container is attached to the powder conveying device, the container opening is fitted to the container setting section, and the flange and the biasing member are housed in an inner space of the container opening.

Abstract: A powder material container is disclosed, including an elongated tubular container body; and a cap which has formed a temporary containing space which is communicably connected in the longitudinal direction of the container body to an opening of the container body to temporarily contain a powder material conveyed from the opening and which has formed on a side face in the longitudinal direction of the container body a discharging hole which discharges the powder material within the temporary containing space. The powder material container includes a blocking member which can switch between a blocking state in which the powder material within the temporary containing space is blocked from passing through an inlet face of the discharging hole facing the temporary containing space and a non-blocking state in which the powder material within the temporary containing space is not blocked from passing through the inlet face of the discharging hole.

Abstract: A powder storage container capable of preventing erroneous opening of a powder loading port. The powder storage container includes a powder storage part configured to store a developer used for image forming, a powder discharge part provided on one end part of the powder storage part to discharge the developer stored in the powder storage part, a gripping part protruding through an end face of the one end part side of the powder storage part, a powder loading port causing an inner space of the powder storage part and an outer portion of the powder storage part to communicate with each other, and a sealing member capable of sealing the powder loading port. The powder loading port is enclosed by the gripping part.

Abstract: A toner container includes a cylindrical container body, having a first opening in a first end thereof and a notch in a circumferential surface thereof continuous with the first opening in the first end, a flange member to engage the first opening and the notch in the container body and having a toner outlet therein through which toner in the container body is discharged, a shutter member disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the container body, a conveyance member, rotatably installed inside the container body to convey the toner from a second end of the container body opposite the first end to the toner outlet in the flange member, and a recessed portion in the container body that projects inward into the interior of the toner container 5 mm or less from an inner surface of the container body.

Abstract: A toner container includes a cylindrical container body, having a first opening in a first end thereof and a notch in a circumferential surface thereof continuous with the first opening in the first end, a flange member to engage the first opening and the notch in the container body and having a toner outlet therein through which toner in the container body is discharged, a shutter member disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the container body, a conveyance member, rotatably installed inside the container body to convey the toner from a second end of the container body opposite the first end to the toner outlet in the flange member, and a recessed portion in the container body that projects inward into the interior of the toner container 5 mm or less from an inner surface of the container body.