Patent ID: 9268260
Filing Date: 2016-02-23
CPC Classification: G03G

Claim Text:
1. A developer container, comprising: a container body including an inner surface defining a cylindrical internal space extending in a first direction, and a first wall disposed at one end of the container body in the first direction and defining one end surface of the internal space, the container body being formed with a developer discharge port opening in a circumferential portion of the container body, the developer discharge port being disposed at a position higher than a lowest part of the container body by a predetermined amount and communicating with the internal space, the developer discharge port being configured to discharge developer therethrough; a second wall disposed at the other end of the container body that is opposite to the first wall in the first direction and defining the other end surface of the internal space; a shaft disposed in the internal space and above the discharge port, extending in the first direction, and supported on the first wall and the second wall; a movable wall including an outer surface slidably in close contact with the inner surface of the container body, and a conveying surface defining a storage space for the developer in cooperation with the inner surface of the container body, the movable wall being movable along the shaft in the internal space while conveying the developer in the storage space to the developer discharge port; and a stirring member facing the developer discharge port in a direction intersecting the first direction and rotatable around an axis of the shaft in a specified rotational direction to stir the developer in the storage space, the specified rotational direction proceeding from the lowest part of the container body to the developer discharge port, the stirring member includes a disc facing the conveying surface and supported on the shaft, and a plurality of projecting pieces spaced away from one another in a circular direction and extending from the disc in the storage space, the projecting pieces being movable on a circular path according to rotation of the stirring member, the circular path lying inside the developer discharge port, the projecting pieces including a first plate shaped member that is oblique to a radial direction so that a radially inner end part thereof is positioned more downstream in the rotational direction than a radially outer end part thereof.