Patent ID: 8897676
Filing Date: 2014-11-25
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image bearing member which carries a toner image on a circumferential surface thereof; a developing apparatus which supplies toner to the circumferential surface of the image bearing member; and a toner container which replenishes the developing apparatus with toner; wherein the developing apparatus includes: a toner bearing member which carries toner; a first conveyance member which conveys the toner while agitating the toner and has a first rotational shaft and a agitating blade, disposed on an outer circumference of the first rotational shaft, and rotating in unison with the first rotational shaft; a housing which accommodates the toner bearing member and the first conveyance member and includes a ceiling plate that is disposed above the first conveyance member and extends in a direction of the first rotational shaft to cover the first conveyance member; a toner replenishment port provided in the ceiling plate, for receiving toner onto the first conveyance member, and a first gear provided on the ceiling plate and near the toner replenishment port for transmitting a rotational drive force the toner container includes: a toner accommodating unit which accommodates toner to be replenished into the developing apparatus, the toner accommodating unit including a container main body that is a main storage location for the toner and a tubular section that projects from a lower part of one side surface of the container main body; a second conveyance member which conveys toner accommodated in the toner accommodating unit, and which has a second rotational shaft and a conveyance blade, disposed on an outer circumference of the second rotational shaft, and rotating in unison with the second rotational shaft; a toner discharge port for discharging toner that has been conveyed via the second conveyance member, towards the toner replenishment port, the toner discharge port being provided in the tubular section, and a second gear disposed on a front end surface of the tubular section and connected to the second conveyance member, the developing apparatus and the toner container are assembled in such a manner that the first rotational shaft and the second rotational shaft are in mutually perpendicular directions, and the toner replenishment port and the toner discharge port are mutually overlapping in a vertical direction, and the second gear meshes with the first gear when the toner container is installed in the developing apparatus, the toner replenishment port has an upstream side portion and a downstream side portion in an opening range thereof in a toner conveyance direction by the first conveyance member; the agitating blade has a conveyance capacity restricting section for locally restricting a conveyance capacity of the toner, on a downstream side of the toner replenishment port in terms of the toner conveyance direction, the conveyance capacity restricting section being a member that causes the toner retained by the conveyance capacity restricting section to start to restrict the movement of the toner at the downstream side portion of the toner replenishment port; and the first gear causes the second conveyance member to rotates in a direction whereby the toner is discharged from the toner discharge port to the toner replenishment port at a position on the upstream side portion of the toner replenishment port.