Abstract: A toner container includes a longitudinal container body and a held portion. The longitudinal container body has a first end and a second end distal to the first end in a length direction of the container body. The container body includes a gear configured to engage with a drive gear provided in the main body. The held portion is attached to the first end of the container body and configured to be detachably attached to the toner-container holder. The held portion includes a toner outlet, is configured to be held by the toner-container holder in non-rotating manner, and is biased downwardly by a force applied from the drive gear to the gear when the drive gear rotates.

Abstract: A toner container includes a longitudinal container body and a held portion. The longitudinal container body has a first end and a second end distal to the first end in a length direction of the container body. The container body includes a gear configured to engage with a drive gear provided in the main body. The held portion is attached to the first end of the container body and configured to be detachably attached to the toner-container holder. The held portion includes a toner outlet, is configured to be held by the toner-container holder in non-rotating manner, and is biased downwardly by a force applied from the drive gear to the gear when the drive gear rotates.

Abstract: A toner container detachably attached to a toner-container holder of a main body of an image forming apparatus includes a container body that includes an opening, and discharges toner contained in the container body, from the opening; and a held portion that is held by the toner-container holder in a non-rotating manner. The held portion includes an open/close member for opening/closing the toner outlet in synchronization with an attachment/detachment operation of the held portion to/from the toner-container holder.

Abstract: A toner container detachably attached to a toner-container holder of a main body of an image forming apparatus includes a container body that includes an opening, and discharges toner contained in the container body, from the opening; and a held portion that is held by the toner-container holder in a non-rotating manner. The held portion includes an open/close member for opening/closing the toner outlet in synchronization with an attachment/detachment operation of the held portion to/from the toner-container holder.

Abstract: A toner container detachably attached to a toner-container holder of a main body of an image forming apparatus includes a container body that includes an opening, and discharges toner contained in the container body, from the opening; and a held portion that is held by the toner-container holder in a non-rotating manner. The held portion includes an open/close member for opening/closing the toner outlet in synchronization with an attachment/detachment operation of the held portion to/from the toner-container holder.

Abstract: A toner container includes a longitudinal container body, a held portion, and a standing inhibiting unit. The container body has a first end and a second end distal to the first end in length direction of the container body. The held portion is attached to the first end and has a toner outlet for discharging the toner contained in the container body. The held portion is held by the toner-container holder. The standing inhibiting unit is provided in the held portion and inhibits the toner container from being stood on a horizontal plane with the held portion directed vertically downward with respect to the container body.

Abstract: A toner container includes a container body that contains toner therein, and a cap portion that is held by a toner-container holding unit and includes a toner discharge opening to discharge the toner contained in the container body. A gear portion is detachably attached to the container body so that a rotational force is transmitted to the container body.

Abstract: A toner container detachably attached to a toner-container holder of a main body of an image forming apparatus includes a container body that includes an opening, and discharges toner contained in the container body, from the opening; and a held portion that is held by the toner-container holder in a non-rotating manner. The held portion includes an open/close member for opening/closing the toner outlet in synchronization with an attachment/detachment operation of the held portion to/from the toner-container holder.

Abstract: A toner container includes a longitudinal container body, a held portion, and an electric component. The longitudinal container body has a first end and a second end distal to the first end in a length direction of the container body. The held portion is attached to the first end of the container body and configured to be detachably attached to the toner-container holder. The held portion includes a toner outlet for discharging the toner. The electric component electrically communicates with a component in the main body to detect whether the toner container is operatively set in the toner-container holder. The electric component is attached to the held portion such that when the held portion is attached to the toner-container holder the electric component is located above the toner outlet with respect to a vertical direction.

Abstract: A toner container includes a longitudinal container body and a held portion. The longitudinal container body has a first end and second end distal to the first end in a length direction of the container body and a gripper attached to the second end. The held portion is attached to the first end of the container body and is configured to be detachably attached to the toner-container holder. The held portion includes a toner outlet for discharging the toner contained in the container body, and an open/close member for opening/closing the toner outlet in synchronization with an attachment/detachment operation to/from the toner-container holder.

Abstract: A developer bearing member on which grooves slanting in a thrust direction of the developer bearing member cross other grooves reversely slanting relative to the thrust direction, wherein each of the grooves and the reversely slanting grooves is slanting at an angle of greater than 0° and not greater than 40°. Any two adjacent intersections of the grooves and the reversely slanting grooves in the thrust (or peripheral) direction are preferably on different levels in the peripheral (or thrust) direction. The distance between two adjacent intersections in the thrust direction is preferably from 1.3 mm to 4.8 mm. The distance between two adjacent intersections in the thrust direction is preferably from 0.38 Vd/Vi (mm) to 1.1 Vd/Vi (mm). The deviation in depth of grooves present on a 36° arc surface portion of the member is not greater than 15% of the gap between the image bearing member and the developer bearing member.

Abstract: A shutter mechanism is provided in a supply port through which powder is supplied to a second device from a first device. The shutter mechanism includes a shutter that opens and closes the supply port in conjunction with attaching and detaching operation of the second device with respect to the first device and a guide groove that is provided in a recess manner so as not to be exposed from the supply port as viewed from the second device and guides the opening and closing operation of the shutter. A space is formed between the guide groove and an end portion of the supply port making contact with the shutter when the shutter closes the supply port.

Abstract: An image forming method comprising steps of forming a toner image by developing by a toner a latent image on a photoreceptor comprised of a layer formed on a substrate, transferring the toner image onto a recording medium on which the toner image is recorded and fixing, wherein the average circular degree of the toner is not less than 0.94, and the toner contains a wax comprising an ester of a carboxylic acid having carbon atoms of not less than 16 or an ester of an alcohol having carbon atoms of not less than 16, and the layer is a layer to be contacted to the toner in the developing step and contains an inorganic fine particles having a number average of primary particle diameter of approximately not less than 1 nm and less than 100 nm.