Abstract: This invention relates to the packaging and subsequent removal of dry marking materials that tend to clump or bridge when shipped or stored in containers. Human operators are presently instructed to agitate such containers before installation into a marking engine but such agitation is unreliable. The present invention involves placement of agitation vanes on a displaceable inner seal within the cartridge such that such vanes will break apart clumps and bridges of the marking material during installation of the container upon the marking engine.

Abstract: A toner cartridge has a toner chamber, agitator, damper, and position indicator. The agitator is disposed in the toner chamber and is free to rotate. The agitator is pushed to rotate and agitate the toner. The position indicator attached to the agitator and indicates a rotational position of the agitator. The damper is disposed in a path through which the agitator rotates, the damper defining an angular range through which the agitator rotates while the position indicator is detected by an external device. When the agitator rotates freely into the angular range, the damper damps the motion of the agitator. The damper is formed of a resilient film material and is bent into a base portion, and a raised portion base portion is fixed to an inner surface of the toner chamber and the raided portion extends into the path.

Abstract: This invention relates to the packaging and subsequent removal of particulate matter that tends to stick in its storage container. Particular application of the present invention is to cartridges for storing marking materials such as electrophotographic toners and solid ink jet inks. A mechanism and process for increasing visibility into a container holding particulate matter is disclosed. The cleaning mechanism includes a drive mechanism capable of moving a cleaning member proximate to the inside surface of the container.

Abstract: A toner supply container detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes (a) a toner accommodating portion for accommodating toner; (b) a toner supply opening for discharging toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion; (c) a toner feeding member for feeding the toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion toward the toner supply opening by rotation thereof, wherein a center of rotation of the toner feeding member is in an opening region of the toner supply port as seen in the longitudinal direction of the toner feeding member. The toner feeding member is rotated by a drive force transmitted through a transmitting member. The transmitting member is slidable relative to the feeding member and hermetically seals the opening.

Abstract: A toner supply container detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes (a) a toner accommodating portion for accommodating toner; (b) a toner supply opening or port for discharging toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion; (c) a toner feeding member for feeding the toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion toward the toner supply opening by rotation thereof, wherein a center of rotation of the toner feeding member is in an opening region of the toner supply port as seen in the longitudinal direction of the toner feeding member and wherein the toner feeding member penetrates through the toner supply opening so that it can be rotatably driven.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a developer container. An agitating member agitates developer contained in the developer container. A drive transmitting member transmits power to the agitating member by engaging a rotary shaft of the agitating member. A bearing is adapted to rotatably hold the drive transmitting member to the developer container. The bearing includes a notched portion having a rotation regulating and positioning function to prevent the bearing from being dislodged from the developer container.

Abstract: This invention relates to the packaging and subsequent removal of particulate matter that tends to stick in its storage container. Particular application of the present invention is to cartridges for storing marking materials such as electrophotographic toners and solid ink jet inks. A mechanism and process for increasing visibility into a container holding particulate matter is disclosed.

Abstract: A developer supply container is detachably mountable on an image forming apparatus and includes a containing chamber for containing a developer. A first feeding member is provided in the containing chamber and feeds the developer to an outlet of the containing chamber. A feeding chamber communicates with the containing chamber. A second feeding member is provided in the feeding chamber and feeds the developer coming from the containing chamber to an outlet of the container. A partition member partitions the developer supply container into the containing chamber and the feeding chamber. A partitioning area of the partition member is larger than an area of the outlet of the containing chamber. An image forming apparatus includes a developing device and the developer supply container.

Abstract: An apparatus including a development agent carrying member, a toner container having an opening, an initial development agent container, a flexible member, and a stopper. The flexible member rotates to cyclically transfer toner to the carrying member via the opening. The stopper locates the flexible member at a closed position where the opening is closed. The flexible member is initially located at the closed position and releases the opening when the development agent is present on a surface of the carrying member facing the opening. A method of image forming is provided that includes sealing the opening by engaging the flexible member with the stopper, filling the toner container, supplying a development agent to the carrying member at a surface of the development agent facing the opening, and releasing the opening to start supplying the toner to the carrying member through the opening by rotation of the flexible member.

Abstract: A developer container having a gear transmission mechanism coupled between a mixer, which is mounted inside the container body of the developer container to mix developer, and a propelling screw, which is mounted in a developer supply trough at a bottom side of the developer container and adapted to propel developer out of the developer container and the developer supply trough, for enabling the mixer to be rotated to mix developer upon rotary motion of the propelling screw to propel developer out of the developer supply trough.

Abstract: A developer container having a gear transmission mechanism coupled between a mixer, which is mounted inside the container body of the developer container to mix developer, and a propelling screw, which is mounted in a developer supply trough at a bottom side of the developer container and adapted to propel developer out of the developer container and the developer supply trough, for enabling the mixer to be rotated to mix developer upon rotary motion of the propelling screw to propel developer out of the developer supply trough.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for dispensing toner in an electrostatographic printer includes apparatus for agitating toner contained by a relatively large toner container (e.g., 10-25 liters in volume). Such apparatus includes a substantially vertically-oriented shaft supporting s blade member that operates, as the blade rotates, to drive the contained toner mass upwardly, thereby aerating the mass and preventing compaction during toner dispensing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention has a developing roller for supplying a developer to a developing target, a housing for accommodating the developer, and an agitating member having a sheet-like member with a plurality of fin-like portions arranged in an axial direction of the developing roller and which are polygons each having a first free length extending from a rotational axis parallel with a rotational axis of the developing roller in a circumferential direction toward a wall surface of the housing, the fin-like portion having an opening formed in a portion thereof. When the agitating member is rotated to rotate the sheet-like member along an inner wall of the housing, the developer can be efficiently conveyed to the developing roller and dispersed in the axial direction of the developing roller for agitation. Thus, a difference in density is prevented from occurring in an output image.

Abstract: A toner cartridge having toner agitating and mixing properties. The structure insures image quality without increasing in complexity of the structure as well as capable of being compacted. A used toner recycling opening for dropping used toner by gravity is formed in an upper wall of a cartridge main body storing fresh toner. A toner agitator and a toner supply device with an opening for supplying mixed toner to a developing apparatus are arranged within the cartridge main body. The toner can be sufficiently mixed and agitated on a cartridge main body side without depending on a developing apparatus side, and the toner cartridge is prevented from being large-sized. In particular, since the used toner drops by gravity, a taking-in structure of this used toner is simplified, and a mixing work of the used toner with fresh toner is made irrespective of a moving direction of the toner agitator. Also, there are two film sealing members for sealing the used toner recycling and toner supply openings.

Abstract: A device and method for storing toner within an image forming apparatus having an upper reservoir and a lower reservoir. A sensor paddle is positioned within the lower reservoir for determining a toner level within the lower reservoir. The sensor paddle rotates within an angular displacement from a fall point to a toner rest point. The device and method further includes a drive gear for rotating the sensor paddle, and a cam mechanism positioned adjacent to the drive gear. The cam mechanism is connected to the sensor paddle and has a cam angular displacement relative to the drive gear about equal to the sensor paddle angular displacement. A pawl having at least one opening is mounted on at least one post extending axially outward from the drive gear and includes a boss positioned within the cam track.

Abstract: A cartridge detachably mountable to a main body of an image forming apparatus, includes a developing frame, a developer carrying member provided in the developer frame and adapted to hold and carry developer, a developer containing container for containing the developer and for supplying the developer to the developer frame, a seal member for unsealably sealing an opening portion through which the developer is supplied from the developer containing container to the developing frame, a rotary member for supplying the developer toward the developer carrying member, a first drive transmitting device for effecting drive transmission between the developer carrying member and the rotary member, and a second drive transmitting device for transmitting the driving to the seal member to unseal the seal member.

Abstract: An extended life-toner cartridge provides a set of required agitator paddle movement signals that fall within the expected parameters of the print engine controller—not-withstanding a higher toner level that would normally alter the paddle movement signals beyond acceptable timing ranges. The cartridge includes a toner tank agitator paddle assembly with a paddle movement reporting mechanism that particularly compensates for the larger volume of toner in the tank. In addition, the toner tank can include an enlarged tank extension for increasing reservoir capacity.

Abstract: A developer carrying member includes: a rotation shaft portion; a first carrying member for carrying developer, the first carrying member being formed on the rotation shaft portion; and a second carrying member for carrying the developer, the second carrying member being formed on the rotation shaft portion on a downstream side in a developer carrying direction; wherein the first and the second carrying members carry the developer in a lengthwise direction of the rotation shaft portion by rotation of the rotation shaft portion, and rigidity of the second carrying member is larger than that of the first carrying member.

Abstract: A toner cartridge for use in a laser printer has a toner reservoir or hopper in which a first paddle rotates about a fixed first axis to sweep most of the toner volume of the cartridge to agitate and push the toner out of the toner reservoir or hopper through an exit port. A second paddle is pivotally mounted on the first paddle to sweep a volume of the toner reservoir or hopper in which a portion of the longitudinal wall of the toner reservoir or hopper of the toner cartridge is non-circular so as to produce a reduced cross section in the toner reservoir or hopper. The second paddle also initially engages the curved portion of the inner surface of the longitudinal wall of the toner reservoir or hopper and preferably has a tear drop cross section.

Abstract: A toner supply container detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes (a) a toner accommodating portion for accommodating toner; (b) a toner supply opening or port for discharging toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion; (c) a toner feeding member for feeding the toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion toward the toner supply opening by rotation thereof, wherein a center of rotation of the toner feeding member is in an opening region of the toner supply port as seen in the longitudinal direction of the toner feeding member.

Abstract: A toner cartridge has a toner chamber, agitator, damper, and position indicator. The agitator is disposed in the toner chamber and is free to rotate. The agitator is pushed to rotate and agitate the toner. The position indicator attached to the agitator and indicates a rotational position of the agitator. The damper is disposed in a path through which the agitator rotates, the damper defining an angular range through which the agitator rotates while the position indicator is detected by an external device. When the agitator rotates freely into the angular range, the damper damps the motion of the agitator. The damper is formed of a resilient film material and is bent into a base portion, and a raised portion base portion is fixed to an inner surface of the toner chamber and the raided portion extends into the path.

Abstract: A toner supply container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, includes a main body for accommodating toner; an opening for permitting discharge of the toner from the main body; a rotatable feeding member, provided in the main body, for feeding the toner by rotation thereof; wherein the feeding member including a lift portion for lifting the toner in the main body, a guiding portion for guiding the toner lifted by the collecting portion downwardly toward the opening, and a falling portion for letting the toner lifted by the lifting portion fall without feeding it toward the opening with rotation of the feeding member.

Abstract: In the embodiments described in the specification a toner container and scraper arrangement includes a toner bottle having a rectangular cross-section and a flexible wire mounted on a rotatable member at the outlet opening for the toner bottle. The flexible wire, which may be made of resilient metal or plastic material, extends at an angle to the axis of rotation so that it engages all of the interior surface regions of the toner bottle to release adhering toner as the rotatable member is rotated.

Abstract: In the embodiments described in the specification a toner container and scraper arrangement includes a toner bottle having a rectangular cross-section and a flexible wire mounted on a rotatable member at the outlet opening for the toner bottle. The flexible wire, which may be made of resilient metal or plastic material, extends at an angle to the axis of rotation so that it engages all of the interior surface regions of the toner bottle to release adhering toner as the rotatable member is rotated.

Abstract: The length of a conveying sheet is set to be greater than the rotational radius of an agitating element so that the distal end of the conveying sheet will slide over the inner wall of the toner container. A slider element having a low frictional resistance is attached at the distal end of the conveying sheet. The slider element preferably has a low coefficient of dynamic friction and is preferably made of a soft resilient material having a thickness smaller than the conveying sheet. Cutouts or openings may be preferably formed at the distal part. A multiple number of ribs are attached to the wall surface of the toner container at the highest position at which the wall and the top plate meet. The ribs are arranged apart from each other in the direction parallel to the agitating shaft of the agitating element. Each rib is a plate-like element projected inward from the wall surface in the toner container with its width put in the direction of the spacing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rotatable agitating sheet for agitating a developer contained in a developer container, which has a first sheet portion for rubbing an inside wall of the developer container substantially in parallel with a rotation axis of the agitating sheet, a second sheet portion for rubbing an inside wall of the developer container intersecting with the rotation axis line of the agitating sheet, the second sheet portion being continuous to the first sheet portion, and a slit extending inward from an end of the agitating sheet and being formed between the first sheet portion and the second sheet portion.

Abstract: A developer supply container for supplying a developer into an image forming apparatus includes a developer container for accommodating a developer; a stirring member for stirring the developer in the developer; container wherein the stirring member includes a flexible member, a supporting portion for supporting the flexible member, a rotation shaft, and a plurality or connecting portions for connecting the rotation shaft and the supporting position; wherein the supporting portion has a contact portion which is contacted to the flexible member when the flexible member flexes during its stirring operation and a non-contact portion which does not contact to the flexible member when the flexible member flexes during it stirring operation, between the connecting portions, the non-contact portion being adjacent the contact portion with respect to a direction of an axis of the rotational shaft.

Abstract: A toner cartridge including a cartridge body for containing toner, an agitating paddle for agitating toner and a toner blocking/setting prevention member operative in cooperation with the agitating paddle for preventing toner in the cartridge body from blocking or setting is provided. The toner blocking/setting prevention member may include a contacting projection provided on an agitating wing of the agitating paddle which contacts with a delivering spiral to oscillate the same. Further, the toner blocking/setting member may include an oscillating plate which is repelled by the rotation of the agitating paddle to assist in agitating toner.

Abstract: A developer cartridge includes a cylindrical member in which developer containing at least toner is stocked, a supply port opened in the cylindrical member, and a spiral feeding member which is freely rotatably disposed in the cylindrical member and rotated to feed the developer stocked in the cylindrical member to the supply port. The feeding member is mounted in the cylindrical member after developer is filled in the cylindrical member.

Abstract: A developing unit includes a developing hopper, a toner reserve container that incorporates a replenishing roller and a replenishing port forming a toner replenishing portion, arranged adjacent to the developing hopper in order to supply the toner to the developing hopper. The toner reserve container further includes an agitator rotatable about a rotary shaft and a conveying sheet attached to the agitator for conveying the toner to the replenishing roller. The conveying sheet has a bent portion where the conveying sheet is bent in the rotational direction of the agitator at a halfway point thereof with a predetermined angle &agr;. Deformation of the conveying sheet during rotation is absorbed around the position of the bent portion, so that the conveying sheet will not be plastically deformed at the attached part of the conveying sheet joined to the attachment edge of the agitator, whereby long stable toner conveyance by the conveying sheet can be maintained.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a developer replenishing mechanism in which a developer replenishing apparatus is provided with a storing container containing a developer therein and capable of discharging the developer therefrom, and detachably attachable to a main body of the developer replenishing apparatus, and a carrying member provided in the storing container for carrying the developer. A control device interrupts the discharging operation of the storing container, and thereafter resumes the discharging operation of the storing container after the storing container is detached with respect to the main body of the developer replenishing apparatus and is again attached thereto, and thereafter inhibits the developing operation of the developing apparatus and interrupts the discharging operation of the storing container when it is detected at the second time by the detecting means that the driving load is not less than the predetermined value.

Abstract: The invention is to provide a toner, a toner cartridge and a developing device using the same in that an excellent image without a defect on the image is obtained in a long period of time, and stable agitation and transportation can be conducted. In a toner cartridge containing a toner containing at least a binder resin, a colorant and wax, inside the toner cartridge, and a toner agitating and transporting member for supplying the toner under agitation and transportation, the toner contains the wax in an amount of from 3 to 10% by weight and has a mean particle diameter of from 3 to 10 &mgr;m, and the toner agitating and transporting member is arranged as rotatably inside the toner cartridge to form a distance of from 0.5 to 3.0 mm between the member and an inner wall of a main body of the toner cartridge.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a developer containing portion containing a developer having a weight average particle diameter of not more than 7 &mgr;m, a developer bearing member for bearing a developer, and an agitating member that agitates the developer contained in the developer containing portion. The agitating member is intermittently driven with respect to rotation of a developing sleeve. The agitating member is driven to rotate for one page every time the image forming apparatus performs a predetermined number of printing operations. A rod member having a crank-like shape may be used as the agitating member and both of the end portions serve as the center of rotation. By controlling the drive of the agitating member, it is possible to effectively adjust the supply of toner to the developing sleeve and prevent the density lowering phenomena caused due to inflow of a large amount of the new toner presented at the rear of the developing container.

Abstract: A toner container detachably mountable on an image forming apparatus includes a containing portion that contains toner therein, an agitating member that is disposed within the containing portion and agitates the toner within the containing portion, and the first and second rotating portions that rotate together with a rotary shaft of the agitating member at both end sides of the rotary shaft, the first and second rotating portions being exposed to the exterior of the containing portion, wherein the containing portion includes a first mark at a position corresponding to a predetermined position of the first rotating portion and a second mark at a position corresponding to a predetermined position of the second rotating portion.

Abstract: A developing unit includes a developer hopper, a toner reserve container that incorporates a replenishing roller and a replenishing opening forming a toner replenishing portion, arranged adjacent to the developer hopper in order to replenish the toner to the developer hopper. The toner reserve container further includes an agitator rotatable about a rotary shaft with a conveying sheet for conveying the toner to the replenishing roller. The conveying sheet is attached to the agitator so that it becomes close to the rotary shaft of the agitator. By this configuration, an adequate space can be secured between the top plate, i.e., an operable/closable lid, constituting the toner reserve container and the conveying sheet so that the distal part of the conveying sheet can efficiently retain the toner, thus making it possible to improve the conveyance performance to the replenishing roller and realize an uniform amount of conveyance.

Abstract: Provided is a full-color toner cartridge in which the toner does not block and which therefore ensures stable formation of high-quality images. The cartridge has a cylindrical container provided with a toner supply port and is detachable from a developing machine. In this, the container is provided with an agitating unit, and the toner to be filled into the container contains wax having a softening point of not higher than 120° C. and satisfies the following formulae (1) and (2): A/(B×D×&pgr;)≦C (C=65)  (1) B≧0.5  (2) wherein A indicates the amount of the toner to be filled into the cartridge (g); B indicates the apparent tapped density of the toner (g/cm3); D indicates the inner diameter of the cylindrical container (cm); and &pgr; indicates the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.

Abstract: A developing device for use in an image forming apparatus includes a developing agent supply unit which supplies a developing agent to a photoreceptor, a first mixing unit provided near the developing agent supply unit to convey the developing agent in a first conveyance direction while mixing the developing agent, a second mixing unit provided underneath the first mixing unit to receive the developing agent at a downstream end along the first conveyance direction so as to supply the developing agent to the developing agent supply unit while mixing and conveying the developing agent in a second conveyance direction, and a developing agent scoop-up unit provided substantially in the middle in a height direction between the first mixing unit and the second mixing unit along the second conveyance direction to receive the developing agent from the second mixing unit and draw up the received developing agent to the first mixing unit.

Abstract: A developer container for use in an image forming apparatus including a supporting member rotating around a rotation shaft thereof. A plurality of developing devices are arranged on the supporting member, each developing device including a developer supplying device. A plurality of cylindrically-shaped developer containers containing developer are provided, each developer container having an opening and a guide, and each developer container being detachably mounted on the developer supplying device. A container rotating device rotates the developer container, in which the guide is arranged that when one of the developing devices needs to be filled with the developer, the container rotating device rotates the developer container to transfer the developer in the developer container to the opening in accordance with a rotating movement of the developer container.

Abstract: A disposal cartridge for use in an image forming apparatus includes a sheet and a roller. An area of the sheet is at least equal to an area of the entire circumferential surface of the roller. The sheet is detachably bonded to an entire circumferential surface of the roller. The roller attracts toner and is detachably and rotatably mounted on the disposal cartridge.

Abstract: A toner cartridge including a cartridge body for containing toner, an agitating paddle for agitating toner and a toner blocking/setting prevention member operative in cooperation with the agitating paddle for preventing toner in the cartridge body from blocking or setting is provided. The toner blocking/setting prevention member may include a contacting projection provided on an agitating wing of the agitating paddle which contacts with a delivering spiral to oscillate the same. Further, the toner blocking/setting member may include an oscillating plate which is repelled by the rotation of the agitating paddle to assist in agitating toner.

Abstract: A developing apparatus has a developer container for containing developer, a developer bearing member for bearing the developer within the developer container and for carrying the developer to a position opposed to an image bearing member. A first agitating member agitates the developer within the developer container, and a second agitating member agitates the developer within the developer container. The second agitating member is positioned farther than the first agitating member with respect to the image bearing member and an uppermost part of the second agitating member is higher than an uppermost part of the first agitating member.

Abstract: A toner supply container detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes (a) a toner accommodating portion for accommodating toner; (b) a toner supply opening or port for discharging toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion; (c) a toner feeding member for feeding the toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion toward the toner supply opening by rotation thereof, wherein a center of rotation of the toner feeding member is in an opening region of the toner supply port as seen in the longitudinal direction of the toner feeding member.

Abstract: Disclosed is a toner cartridge comprising: a container body for storing toner, said container body having an opening through which said toner is discharged, wherein said container body is made of a resin having an Izod impact value of 0.1 to 30, and a melt flow index of 0.1 to 30 g/10 min.

Abstract: A toner supply container detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes (a) a toner accommodating portion for accommodating toner; (b) a toner supply opening for discharging toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion; (c) a toner feeding member having a toner feeding portion for feeding the toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion toward the toner supply opening by rotation thereof and an extension extending from the toner feeding portion, wherein a center of rotation of the toner feeding member is in an opening region of the toner supply port as seen in the longitudinal direction of the toner feeding member and wherein the toner feeding member penetrates through the toner supply opening so that the extension is rotatably supported and driven.

Abstract: Provided is a full-color toner cartridge in which the toner does not block and which therefore ensures stable formation of high-quality images. The cartridge has a cylindrical container provided with a toner supply port and is detachable from a developing machine. In this, the container is provided with an agitating unit, and the toner to be filled into the container contains wax having a softening point of not higher than 120° C.

Abstract: A toner cartridge is provided that includes an agitator provided in a toner hopper. An agitator gear is coupled with the agitator in such a way that the agitator always has the same positional relationship with the agitator gear. The agitator gear is provided with a mark indicating the orientation of the agitator and an agitation blade fixed thereto. A method of feeding toner using the toner cartridge is also provided, in which the agitator and the agitation blade are withdrawn from the vicinity of a toner feeding hole by turning the agitator gear by hand while watching this mark, and toner is refilled through the toner feeding hole. Feeding toner in this manner enables feeding a predetermined amount of toner.

Abstract: A container body installed in an image forming apparatus to supply developer, having a spiral developer guide spirally extended around an inside wall thereof for guiding developer out of a front opening thereof, the spiral developer guide having a spiral guide way formed of flat surface portions and sloping surface portions alternatively connected in series, and two spiral flanges spirally formed integral with the inside wall of the container body along the series of flat surface portions and sloping surface portions at two opposite lateral sides.

Abstract: The toner cartridge of the present invention has an elongated cylindrical container containing toner and is set at a predetermined position such that the lengthwise axis of the container extends in the substantially horizontal direction. A supply port for dropping and supplying the toner in the container in the gravity direction toward the apparatus body. An auger extended immediately above the supply port in the substantially horizontal direction is provided in the container. The auger rotates thereby feeding the toner from inside the container toward the supply port along the rotary shaft. A plate-like regulation member for restricting drop of the toner in the container toward the supply port due to its dead weight is attached to a position opposed to the supply port above the auger.

Abstract: A developing apparatus develops a latent image formed on a latent image carrying body with a developer. The developing apparatus includes a developing unit having a means for supplying the developer to the latent image carrying body to develop the latent image on the latent image carrying body and a developer housing for accommodating the developer. A developer storage box stores the developer which is to be supplied to the developing unit. The developer storage box is detachably mounted on the developing unit and has a volume substantially the same as a volume of the developer which can be accommodated in the developer case of the developing unit. The developer in developer storage box is supplied to the developing unit.

Abstract: In a developing device included in an image forming apparatus, a toner cartridge has a body and a replenishing member disposed in the body. The cartridge makes it needless to adhere or otherwise affix an elastic piece to the edge of the base of the replenishing member that slidably contacts the inner periphery of the body. The replenishing member is capable of scooping up toner while being held in sliding contact with the inner periphery of the body under a constant pressure.