Abstract: A toner guide member includes a toner discharge port that is located above and faces a toner introduction port of a waste toner container, and the toner guide member forms, in its inside, a passage of waste toner from an end portion of a drum cleaning device to a toner discharge port. A first paddle conveyance member including a plurality of first blade portions rotates in a first rotation direction in the toner guide member. A second paddle conveyance member including a plurality of second blade portions rotates in a second rotation direction that is opposite to the first rotation direction, at a position lower than the first paddle conveyance member. A pivotal trajectory of the plurality of first blade portions partially overlaps with a pivotal trajectory of the plurality of second blade portions.

Abstract: A toner container includes a first rotation member rotatably provided in a container main body, a stirring member rotatably provided in such a way as to be parallel to the first rotation member, a lid member closing an opening portion of the container main body, a first bearing portion provided on an inner surface of the lid member and rotatably supporting a first end portion of a first rotation shaft of the first rotation member, a stirring bearing portion provided on the inner surface of the lid member and rotatably supporting a lid-side end portion of a stirring rotation shaft of the stirring member, a storage concave portion formed on the lid member and recessed from an outer surface of the lid member inward, and a transmission mechanism provided in the storage concave portion to transmit a rotation of the first rotation shaft to the stirring rotation shaft.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner container storing toner, and an attachment portion configured to support the toner container in an attachable/detachable manner. The toner container includes a plurality of fixed terminals that are fixed to a facing surface that is a side surface located on one side in an attachment/detachment direction of the toner container with respect to the attachment portion, the facing surface facing the attachment portion when the toner container is attached to the attachment portion. The attachment portion includes a terminal support portion and a plurality of elastic terminals that are provided on the terminal support portion, elastically contact and electrically connect with the fixed terminals respectively, and include a first ground terminal. The elastic terminals project from the terminal support portion toward the facing surface. The first ground terminal is longer than the other elastic terminals in projection length.

Abstract: A toner container includes an elongated container main body, a first toner storage portion provided in one side of the container main body in its longitudinal direction, a first rotation member rotatably provided in the first toner storage portion, a second toner storage portion provided in the other side of the container main body in the longitudinal direction, and a second rotation member rotatably provided in the second toner storage portion. The container main body includes a flat plate-like lid member closing opening portions of a first housing of the first toner storage portion and a second housing of the second toner storage portion. First and second bearing portions rotatably supporting a first end portion of a first rotation shaft of the first rotation member and a second end portion of a second rotation shaft of the second rotation member are provided on an inner surface of the lid member.

Abstract: A developing device includes a housing, a developing roller, a developer conveying section, and a conveying screw. The developing roller includes a stationary magnet, and a sleeve rotatable around the stationary magnet. The developing roller faces a photoconductive drum. The developer conveying section is disposed below the developing roller for circularly conveying developer therein. The conveying screw conveys developer to supply developer to the developing roller. The stationary magnet includes a separation pole for producing a magnetic field that causes separation of developer from the sleeve. The housing includes a standing wall disposed downstream of the developing position in a rotational direction of the sleeve and facing the developing roller. The standing wall is formed with at least one opening that faces the separation pole in a horizontal direction. The developing device further includes at least one filter section covering the at least one opening.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer belt rotating in a rotational direction, photosensitive drums, primary transferring parts, static eliminating parts and cleaning parts. The static eliminating part is arranged between the primary transferring part and the cleaning part, and includes a light guide body and a light source arranged at one end side of the light guide body. The static eliminating part irradiates upstream and downstream sides from the light guide body in the rotational direction with the static eliminating light. The image forming apparatus comprises a first light shading part and/or a second light shading part. The first/second light shading part is arranged between the photosensitive drum at a downstream/upstream side from the light guide body in the rotational direction and the light guide body to adjust pre-transfer/post-transfer static eliminating light quantity from the light guide body to the downstream/upstream side photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A developing device of the present disclosure includes a developing roller, a toner supply roller, a regulation blade, a casing, a toner receiving support member, a toner receiving member, a vibration generation unit, and a vibration inhibition member. The toner receiving support member is disposed in the casing so as to be opposed to the developing roller or the toner supply roller in an area between the regulation blade and an image carrier. The toner receiving member has a toner receiving surface that receives toner dropping from the developing roller, and is supported so as to be swingable about an end edge thereof on a toner supply roller side as a fulcrum. In a state where the toner receiving member is not vibrating, the vibration inhibition member is in contact with each of both end portions of the toner receiving surface in a longitudinal direction thereof.

Abstract: A developing device of the present disclosure includes a developing roller, a toner supply roller, a regulation blade, a casing, a toner receiving support member, a toner receiving member, a vibration generation unit, and a vibration inhibition member. The toner receiving support member is disposed in the casing so as to be opposed to the developing roller or the toner supply roller in an area between the regulation blade and an image carrier. The toner receiving member has a toner receiving surface that receives toner dropping from the developing roller, and is supported so as to be swingable about an end edge thereof on a toner supply roller side as a fulcrum. In a state where the toner receiving member is not vibrating, the vibration inhibition member is in contact with each of both end portions of the toner receiving surface in a longitudinal direction thereof.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus body, a first driving mechanism, a first drive unit, an image carrier, a developing device, and a biasing member. The first drive unit includes an input unit to which a rotary drive power is transmitted from the first driving mechanism. The developing device is removably attachable to the image forming apparatus body. The biasing member biases the developing device toward the image carrier side. The developing device includes a developing roller supplying toner onto the image carrier, and a developing unit housing and supporting the developing roller. The first drive unit is located at one end portion in an axial direction of the developing roller. The developing unit swings to come close to the image carrier by the biasing member biasing the developing unit. The developing unit is swingable with respect to the first drive unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus body, a first driving mechanism, a first drive unit, an image carrier, a developing device, and a biasing member. The first drive unit includes an input unit to which a rotary drive power is transmitted from the first driving mechanism. The developing device is removably attachable to the image forming apparatus body. The biasing member biases the developing device toward the image carrier side. The developing device includes a developing roller supplying toner onto the image carrier, and a developing unit housing and supporting the developing roller. The first drive unit is located at one end portion in an axial direction of the developing roller. The developing unit swings to come close to the image carrier by the biasing member biasing the developing unit. The developing unit is swingable with respect to the first drive unit.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer housing which includes a container mounting portion and a toner supply opening, a developer shutter plate which is so held on the developer housing as to be movable in a direction parallel to a developing roller and is displaceable to a closing position for closing the toner supply opening and an opening position, and a biasing spring which biases the developer shutter plate to the closing position. The container main body includes a first pressing plate and the developer shutter plate includes an oblique elongated projection with which the first pressing plate comes into contact. The first pressing plate and the oblique elongated projection are formed to displace the developer shutter plate from the closing position to the opening position against a biasing force of the biasing spring as the toner container moves in an assembling direction in a mounting process.

Abstract: The present application discloses a developing device including a housing having a connection surface to which the container connects. The connection surface is provided with a feed port for feeding the developer. The developing device includes a shutter mechanism configured to selectively open and close the feed port. The shutter mechanism includes a shutter piece, which moves between a closing position for closing the feed port and an opening position for opening the feed port, and a squeezing mechanism, which protrudes from the shutter piece situated in the closing position to squeeze the developer into the housing through the feed port.

Abstract: A development device includes a developer introduction port, a developer conveyance portion, a first conveyance ability suppressing portion, and a connecting conveyance portion. The conveyance ability suppressing portion is disposed on a downstream side of the developer introduction port in a first direction in which the developer is conveyed in order to partially suppress a developer conveyance ability of the developer conveyance portion such that a developer accumulation portion is formed in a position opposing the developer introduction port. A first direction downstream side of the first conveyance ability suppressing portion opposes a first connecting passage in a third direction that intersects the first direction. The connecting conveyance portion is joined to the first direction downstream side of the conveyance ability suppressing portion and opposes the first connecting passage in the third direction in order to pass the developer from a first conveyance passage to a second conveyance passage.

Abstract: A developer storage container includes a container main body, a tubular portion projecting from the container main body and including a developer discharge opening, and a rotary member extending from the container main body to the tubular portion and having a function of conveying the developer in the container main body. The rotary member includes a first section located in the container main body and a second section located in the tubular portion. A first conveying member for conveying the developer from the tubular portion side toward the container main body side, a second conveying member for conveying the developer in an opposite direction, and a flexible member are mounted on the rotary shaft. The flexible member includes a fixed end portion fixed onto the circumferential surface of the rotary shaft and a free end portion arranged at a side radially outward of the second conveying member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developing apparatus and a toner container which replenishes the developing apparatus with toner. The developing apparatus includes a first conveyance member having a first rotational shaft and a toner replenishment port. The toner container includes a second conveyance member having a second rotational shaft and a toner discharge port. The developing apparatus and the toner container are assembled in such a manner that the first rotational shaft and the second rotational shaft are in mutually perpendicular directions, and the toner replenishment port and the toner discharge port are mutually overlapping in a vertical direction. The second conveyance member rotates in a direction whereby the toner is discharged from the toner discharge port to the toner replenishment port at a position on an upstream side of the toner replenishment port in terms of the toner conveyance direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for bearing a toner image, a developing device for supplying toner to a circumferential surface of the image bearing member, a toner container for supplying the toner to the developing device, a sheet conveyance path for conveying a sheet, and a housing. The housing accommodates the image bearing member, the developing device and the toner container. The housing has a first surface and a second surface different from the first surface. The toner container is taken out from the interior of the housing to the outside of the housing through the first surface. The developing device is taken out from the interior of the housing to the outside of the housing through the second surface.

Abstract: The present application discloses a developing mechanism including a developing device for developing electrostatic latent images and a container containing developer. The developing device includes a carrier carrying and supplying the developer to the electrostatic latent images; a first housing having a feed port through which the developer is fed; a first conveyance member conveying the developer along a first direction away from the feed port; and a first shutter mechanism selectively opening and closing the feed port. The container includes a second housing having a supply port from which the developer is supplied through the feed port to the developing device; a second shutter mechanism selectively opening and closing the supply port; and a second conveyance member conveying the developer along a second direction across the first direction for developer discharge through the supply port. The feed port is opened earlier than the supply port is opened.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body housing, an image carrier, a developing device, a developer container, and an interference mechanism. The image carrier is stored in the main body housing and has a circumferential surface on which an electrostatic latent image is formed. The developing device is stored detachably in the main body housing and supplies a developer to the electrostatic latent image to develop the electrostatic latent image. The developer container is stored detachably in the main body housing and supplies the developer to the developing device. The interference mechanism disables the developing device from being removed from the main body housing, in a state in which the developer container is mounted to the main body housing.

Abstract: A toner container includes container main body, conveying screws and container gear. A developing device includes developer housing including container mounting portion, gear holder including output gear which rotates upon receiving rotational drive force from motor and displaceable to engaged position where the output gear is engaged with the container gear and retracted position retracted outward from the engaged position, and biasing spring. The container main body includes a second pressing plate and the gear holder includes a contact portion with which the second pressing plate comes into contact. The second pressing plate and the contact portion displace the gear holder from the engaged position to the retracted position as the toner container moves in a mounting process. When the toner container reaches a predetermined assembled position, the gear holder is returned to the engaged position by a biasing force of the biasing spring.

Abstract: A developer case has a main body, a cylindrical portion, and a rotating unit. The main body has a bottom wall. The cylindrical portion has a discharge port. The rotating unit is located so as to extend across the main body and the cylindrical portion, transports developer in the main body, and has a rotating shaft, a first transport member, a second transport member, and dispersing members. The rotating shaft has a first portion located in the main body and a second portion located in the cylindrical portion. The first transport member transports developer in a first transport direction from the cylindrical portion to the main body. The second transport member transports developer in a second transport direction from the main body to the cylindrical portion. The dispersing members move developer in the radial direction.