Abstract: A toner container has a partitioning wall disposed therein for partitioning the toner container while allowing communication between partitioned compartments. A waste toner collecting port for receiving the waste toner collected by the cleaning unit of an image forming apparatus is formed in a waste toner collection department. A toner agitating element for mixing waste toner with unused toner is located inside the partitioned waste toner collection compartment.

Abstract: A toner container has a partitioning wall disposed therein for partitioning the toner container whilst allowing communication between partitioned compartments. A waste toner collecting port for receiving the waste toner collected by the cleaning unit of an image forming apparatus is formed in the waste toner collection compartment. A toner agitating element for mixing waste toner with unused toner is arranged inside the partitioned waste toner collection compartment partitioned in the toner container.

Abstract: A developing apparatus is equipped with a development casing, a development roller, and developer stirring shafts that rotate together with the development roller. In this developing apparatus, the developer stirring shafts are disposed adjacent to each other and are also disposed substantially in parallel with the development roller. Each developer stirring shaft has a rotational axis that rotates together with the development roller and has a plurality of stirring vanes of an approximately elliptic shape laid out at a predetermined angle with respect to the rotational axis. The rotational axis is provided substantially in parallel with the development roller. The stirring vanes are disposed substantially in parallel with each other, with the opposing stirring vanes between the adjacent developer stirring shafts having mutually different installation positions in the axial direction.

Abstract: A developing device incorporating a developer supply unit and a developer discharge section, in which a supply developer including a mixture of toner and carrier is successively supplied to a developer container from the developer supply unit and a deteriorated developer in the developer container is discharged through the developer discharge section. The developer supply unit has a sponge roller for selectively attracting toner to a surface thereof, a magnet roller for selectively attracting carrier to a surface thereof, and a member for scraping and bringing the toner and carrier attracted to these rollers into the developer container. The developer including toner and carrier in a predetermined ratio is thus stably supplied to the developer container. In another example of the developer supply unit, agitating of the developer is performed while shovelling the developer deposited in a lower part of the unit by a transport screw.

Abstract: A toner hopper is arranged to feed the toner stored in itself to a developing unit and have a stirring roller and a feeding roller respectively supported rotatably, an interlocking mechanism for transmitting the force of rotation to the stirring roller, a manually rotating mechanism for manually rotating the stirring roller, and an interlocking restricting mechanism. The interlocking mechanism restricts the operation of the interlocking mechanism such that the force of rotation of the stirring roller is not transmitted to the feeding roller while the manually rotating mechanism supplies force of rotation to the stirring roller.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a first locking means for locking a first supplying lid disposed at a first supplying opening in a closing position, a second locking element for locking a second supplying lid of a second supplying opening in a closing position, and a lock release element for releasing only the second locking element when a detachable developer cartridge is used. The second locking element includes a concave portion formed on a peripheral wall of the second supplying opening and a lock piece disposed in the concave portion, and a hole formed at an edge of the second supplying lid. The lock piece engages the hole when the second supplying lid is closed, thereby the lid is locked. The lock release element includes a lid having a opening disposed at an upper surface of the developing apparatus and a hole disposed at the lock piece, and the detachable developer cartridge comprises a pair of lock release pieces.