Patent ID: 7203449
Filing Date: 2007-04-10
Classification: G03G,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A toner supply container detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, said toner supply container comprising: a main body for accommodating toner; a discharge opening for permitting discharge of the toner accommodated in said main body; a shutter member for opening and closing said discharge opening, said shutter member including a first gear portion for meshing engagement with a first gear member provided in the main assembly by a mounting operation of said toner supply container to the image forming apparatus; and a movable member, which is manually movable relative to said main body, to apply a driving force to open and close said shutter member, said movable member including a second gear portion for meshing engagement with a second gear member provided in the main assembly by the mounting operation, said second gear member being rotatable together with said first gear member by the mounting operation, wherein a drive transmission path for transmitting the driving force from said movable member to said shutter member is established by an engagement of said first gear portion with said first gear member and an engagement of said second gear portion with the second gear member, by the mounting operation, wherein said movable member takes a first position when said second gear portion and said second gear member are engaged with each other in the mounting operation, wherein said movable member takes a second position which is an end of a maximum movable range of said movable member with respect to a direction of opening said shutter member in a state in which said toner container is mounted to the image forming apparatus, wherein said movable member takes a third position which is an end of a maximum movable range of said movable member with respect to a direction of closing said shutter member in a state in which said toner container is mounted to the image forming apparatus, wherein a moving distance of said second gear portion in the direction of opening said shutter member from the first position to the second position is smaller than a moving distance of said said second gear portion in the direction of closing said shutter member from the second position to the third position.