Toner feeder

The toner feeder is removably mounted in an image forming apparatus including a rotation driver for rotating a toner container and a rotation controller for controlling the rotation driver. The toner feeder comprises a toner container for containing toner, and a support holder which holds the toner container in an axially rotatable manner. The toner container has a toner outlet port and a magnetic member provided on an outer peripheral surface thereof. The support holder includes magnetism detection means which detects passage of the magnetic member and outputs a detection signal to the rotation controller. The rotation controller controls the rotation driver so as to stop the toner container with the toner outlet port oriented upward with respect to a gravity direction on the basis of the output of the magnetism detection means after the toner container is rotated by the rotation driver to feed out a predetermined amount of toner from the toner outlet port.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to Japanese patent application No. 2005-16015 filed on Jan. 24, 2005, whose priority is claimed under 35 USC § 119, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a toner feeder and, more specifically, to a toner feeder for supplying toner to a developing device of an image forming apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art

A toner feeder of the prior art related to the present invention is adapted to read information recorded on a bar code attached to a peripheral surface of a toner container bottle by an optical sensor to detect the specifications of the toner container bottle (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-235936).

Image forming apparatuses such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine and a printer utilizing an electrophotographic system typically include a photosensitive drum on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by laser irradiation means or the like, and a developing device provided in the vicinity of the photosensitive drum for developing the electrostatic latent image with toner. In such an image forming apparatus, a toner feeder (toner cartridge) is removably mounted for supplying the toner to the developing device.

Where the developing device employs a two-component developing agent containing a toner and a carrier such as iron powder, for example, the toner and the carrier are stirred to be homogeneously mixed in a stirring chamber, and the resulting two-component developing agent is transported to the vicinity of a developing roller incorporating a magnetic member.

The developing agent transported to the vicinity of the developing roller is carried on a surface of the developing roller by a magnetic field of the developing roller to provide a so-called magnetic brush. When the magnetic brush is brought into opposed relation to the photosensitive drum, only negatively charged toner is transferred onto the photosensitive drum to develop the electrostatic latent image. When the carrier separated from the toner thereafter passes through a repulsive magnetic field of the developing roller, the carrier falls back into the stirring chamber of the developing device.

Therefore, the toner concentration of the developing agent in the developing device is gradually reduced during repeated image formation. The reduction of the toner concentration is detected by a sensor provided in the developing device. In response to the detection, a toner hopper in which the toner is preliminarily stirred for easy mixing of the toner with the developing agent is driven to supply the toner to the developing device. When the toner concentration is recovered to a predetermined concentration level, the driving of the toner hopper is stopped.

When the amount of the toner in the toner hopper is reduced to less than a predetermined level, the reduction of the toner amount is detected by a sensor provided in the toner hopper, and a developing agent feeder is driven. That is, a toner container bottle is rotated to supply toner into the toner hopper from a toner outlet port thereof. When the toner is supplied to the predetermined level, the driving of the developing agent feeder is stopped.

The amount of the toner in the toner container bottle is also reduced during repeated supply of the toner. When the toner container bottle is substantially emptied, a message for replacement of the toner feeder is displayed on an operation panel of the image forming apparatus or the like to prompt a user to replace the toner feeder.

In order to prevent residual toner from leaking from the toner outlet port in the replacement of the toner feeder, the toner feeder generally has a shutter of a certain configuration provided on the toner outlet port.

The rotational position of the toner container bottle at which the toner container bottle is stopped after having been rotated by the driving of the toner feeder is not particularly defined. Therefore, the toner container bottle is often stopped with its toner outlet port oriented downward with respect to a gravity direction.

In this case, a pressure is exerted on toner present around the shutter, so that the toner is liable to be partly agglomerated. The agglomeration of the toner causes an excess load when the toner feeder is actuated, and results in poor toner supply and malfunction of the shutter.

If the shutter malfunctions, the toner leaks from the toner output port during demounting and mounting of the toner feeder, so that not only the inside of the image forming apparatus but also user's hands and the installation site of the image forming apparatus are contaminated with the toner.

The demounting and mounting of the toner feeder is required not only when the toner container bottle is emptied but also when a trouble such as a paper jam occurs. In this case, a great amount of toner remains in the toner container bottle, so that the malfunction of the shutter inevitably results in severe contamination.

The toner feeder disclosed in the aforesaid patent publication is capable of reading information on the bar code attached to the peripheral surface of the toner container bottle by the optical sensor to detect the specifications of the toner container bottle, particularly, to determine whether or not the toner container bottle is a genuine product. However, the toner feeder is incapable of stopping the toner outlet port at a specific rotational position.

It is also conceivable to detect timing at which the bar code passes by the optical sensor for stopping the toner outlet port at a specific rotational position at which no load is exerted on the shutter. However, the optical sensor is susceptible to contamination with scattered toner. If the bar code and the optical sensor are contaminated with the scattered toner, malfunction will occur.

It is also conceivable to provide cleaners for removing the scattered toner from the bar code and the optical sensor. However, the construction of the toner feeder is complicated, thereby resulting in poor reliability and cost increase.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a toner feeder which has a simple construction and is capable of assuredly stopping its toner outlet port at a specific rotational position and preventing leak of toner which may otherwise occur during demounting and mounting of the toner feeder.

According to the present invention, there is provided a toner feeder which is removably mounted in an image forming apparatus including a rotation driver for rotating a toner container and a rotation controller for controlling the rotation driver, and comprises a toner container for containing toner, and a support holder which holds the toner container in an axially rotatable manner, the toner container having a toner outlet port and a magnetic member provided on an outer peripheral surface thereof, the support holder including magnetism detection means which detects passage of the magnetic member and outputs a detection signal to the rotation controller, wherein the rotation controller controls the rotation driver so as to stop the toner container with the toner outlet port oriented upward with respect to a gravity direction on the basis of the output of the magnetism detection means after the toner container is rotated by the rotation driver to feed out a predetermined amount of toner from the toner outlet port.

According to the present invention, the rotation controller controls the rotation driver on the basis of the output of the magnetism detection means. Therefore, the toner outlet port can be assuredly stopped at a rotational position at which the toner outlet port is oriented upward with respect to the gravity direction regardless of contamination with scattered toner. Thus, leak of the toner can be prevented which may otherwise occur during demounting and mounting of the toner feeder.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A toner feeder according to the present invention is removably mounted in an image forming apparatus including a rotation driver for rotating a toner container and a rotation controller for controlling the rotation driver. The toner feeder comprises a toner container for containing toner, and a support holder which holds the toner container in an axially rotatable manner. The toner container has a toner outlet port and a magnetic member provided on an outer peripheral surface thereof. The support holder includes magnetism detection means which detects passage of the magnetic member and outputs a detection signal to the rotation controller. The rotation controller controls the rotation driver so as to stop the toner container with the toner outlet port oriented upward with respect to a gravity direction on the basis of the output of the magnetism detection means after the toner container is rotated by the rotation driver to feed out a predetermined amount of toner from the toner outlet port.

In the present invention, the type of the image forming apparatus to be used with the toner feeder is not particularly limited, as long as the image forming apparatus is capable of forming an image by using toner. Examples of the image forming apparatus include copying machines and facsimile machines of an electrophotographic system.

The construction of the rotation driver is not particularly limited, as long as the rotation driver is capable of rotatively driving the toner container. For example, the rotation driver includes an electric motor, reduction gears and a driving shaft.

The construction of the rotation controller is not particularly limited, as long as the rotation controller is capable of controlling the rotation driver on the basis of the output of the magnetism detection means. For example, the rotation controller includes an I/O port which receives the output of the magnetism detection means, a CPU, a ROM which stores a control program, a RAM which stores various setting conditions, and a driver circuit which applies a voltage to the rotation driver on the basis of an output of the CPU.

The shape and structure of the toner container are not particularly limited, as long as the toner container has a toner outlet port and is axially rotatable.

The construction of the support holder is not particularly limited, as long as the support holder is capable of holding the toner container in an axially rotatable manner.

The type and structure of the magnetic member are not particularly limited, as long as the magnetic member is capable of generating a magnetic field.

In the present invention, the expression “to stop the toner container with the toner outlet port oriented upward with respect to the gravity direction” means that the toner container is stopped at a rotational position at which the weight of the toner is not exerted on the toner outlet port.

In the inventive toner feeder, the magnetism detection means may be a reed switch, a Hall element or a magnetoresistance element. With this arrangement, the magnetism detection means can be provided as having high reliability with a simple construction.

In the inventive toner feeder, the support holder may include a toner transport path communicating with the toner outlet port and a shutter provided at an end of the toner transport path. With this arrangement, the shutter provided at the end of the toner transport path assuredly prevents the leak of the toner which may otherwise occur during the demounting and mounting of the toner feeder.

In the present invention, as described above, the rotation controller controls the rotation driver so as to stop the toner outlet port at the rotational position at which the toner output port is oriented upward with respect to the gravity direction. This prevents partial agglomeration of the toner which may otherwise occur when a pressure is exerted on toner present around the toner outlet port. Therefore, various adverse effects such as an excess load at actuation of the toner feeder, a toner supply failure and malfunction of the shutter can be prevented which may otherwise occur due to the agglomeration of the toner.

Since the malfunction of the shutter is prevented as described above, the leak of the toner which may otherwise occur during the demounting and mounting of the toner feeder can be assuredly prevented as primarily intended by the present invention.

In the inventive toner feeder, the magnetic member may include a plurality of magnetic members arranged in spaced relation, and the rotation controller may be adapted to detect specifications of the toner feeder on the basis of time intervals of the passage of the magnetic members. With this arrangement, the specifications of the toner feeder are detected on the basis of the time intervals of the passage of the magnetic members, so that the detection of the specifications of the toner feeder can be assuredly achieved regardless of the contamination with the toner. The specifications of the toner feeder herein means information including, for example, whether or not the toner feeder is a genuine product, the destination of the toner, the volume of the toner container and the color of the toner.

If it is determined that the toner feeder is not genuine as a result of the detection of the specifications of the toner feeder, for example, a message for prompting a user to replace the toner feeder with a genuine product is displayed on a control panel, thereby preventing disorder and malfunction of the image forming apparatus.

In the inventive toner feeder, the magnetism detection means may include a connector, and the support holder may have a hollow cylindrical wall for supporting a part of the toner container provided with the magnetic member in an axially rotatable manner. The magnetism detection means may be spaced from the toner container with the intervention of the wall, and electrically connected to the rotation controller of the image forming apparatus via the connector. This arrangement prevents the connector from being contaminated with scattered toner, thereby ensuring the reliability of the electrical connection to the rotation controller. With this arrangement, the magnetism detection means detects the passage of the magnetic member through the wall of the support holder. The detection is based on magnetism but not on light, so that the wall does not hinder the function of the magnetism detection means.

In the inventive toner feeder, the toner container may be composed of a soft resilient resin, and the magnetic member may be a flexible rubber magnet.

In general, the toner container is produced by blow-molding a soft resilient resin such as polyacetal or polyethylene from the viewpoint of shock resistance. However, if a rigid magnet such as a sintered ferrite magnet is bonded to the toner container, an adhesive surface of the magnet cannot follow deformation and warp of the toner container, resulting in separation of the magnet. However, where the flexible rubber magnet is used as the magnetic member, separation of the magnetic member can be prevented because an adhesive surface of the magnetic member can follow the deformation and warp of the container.

With reference to the attached drawings, the present invention will hereinafter be described in detail by way of an embodiment thereof.

A toner feeder according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described based onFIGS. 1 to 14.

FIG. 1is an explanatory diagram schematically illustrating the construction of a copying machine in which the toner feeder of this embodiment is mounted.FIG. 2is an enlarged diagram of major portions of the copying machine shown inFIG. 1.FIG. 3is an explanatory diagram of the toner feeder and a toner hopper as seen from the top.FIG. 4is a perspective view of a driving plate shown inFIG. 3.FIG. 5is a perspective view of the toner feeder.FIG. 6is a plan view of a toner container bottle.FIG. 7is a partial enlarged perspective view illustrating only a third container portion of the toner container bottle shown inFIG. 6.FIG. 8is a sectional view of the toner feeder shown inFIG. 5.FIG. 9is a partial perspective view illustrating the toner feeder shown inFIG. 5with its toner supply port being closed by a shutter.FIGS. 10(a) to10(h) are explanatory diagrams illustrating opening and closing of the shutter.FIGS. 11(a),11(b),12(c) and12(d) are explanatory diagrams illustrating the state of the toner container bottle rotated for toner supply.FIG. 13is an explanatory diagram illustrating a signal waveform detected by a reed switch when a magnetic member passes by the reed switch during rotation of the toner container bottle.FIG. 14is a block diagram schematically illustrating the construction of a rotation controller.

As shown inFIG. 1, the toner feeder (toner cartridge)30of this embodiment is removably mounted in a copying machine (image forming apparatus)100which includes a rotation driver80(seeFIG. 3) for rotating a toner container bottle (toner container)31and a rotation controller90for controlling the rotation driver80. The copying machine100includes a toner hopper8, a developing device4, a photosensitive drum1, a charging device2, a laser exposure device3, a transfer device5, a sheet feeder6and a fixing device7in addition to the rotation driver80, the rotation controller90and the toner feeder30.

The copying machine100is adapted to electrically charge the photosensitive drum1as an electrostatic latent image carrier by the charging device2and then form an electrostatic latent image on a surface of the photosensitive drum1by the laser exposure device3.

In the developing device4, toner supplied from the toner feeder30through the toner hopper8is mixed with a carrier of iron powder with stirring by a stirring roller4ato provide a two-component developing agent, which is in turn carried on a surface of a developer roller4bhaving a plurality of magnetic fields to form a so-called magnetic brush.

When the magnetic brush formed on the surface of the developer roller4bis brought into opposed relation to the photosensitive drum1, negatively charged toner is transferred onto the photosensitive drum1to develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image on the photosensitive drum1. The toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum1is transferred onto a paper sheet fed from the sheet feeder6by the transfer device5. The toner image transferred onto the paper sheet is thermally fixed on the paper sheet in the fixing device7, and the paper sheet is outputted to the outside.

As shown inFIG. 2, a concentration sensor (not shown) for measuring the toner concentration of the developing agent is provided in the developing device4. If the toner concentration is reduced to less than a predetermined concentration level, a stirring member11of the toner hopper8is driven to stir the toner for easy mixing of the toner with the developing agent and supply the toner into the developing device4via a feed roller12.

A sensor (not shown) for measuring the amount of the toner in the toner hopper8is provided in the toner hopper8. If the amount of the toner in the toner hopper8is reduced to less than a predetermined level, the rotation controller90(seeFIG. 1) drives the rotation driver80(seeFIG. 3) to supply the toner into the toner hopper8from the toner feeder30. Thus, the toner concentration of the developing agent in the developing device4is constantly maintained within a predetermined range.

Next, the toner feeder30will be explained in greater detail. As shown inFIG. 5, the toner feeder30includes a hollow cylindrical toner container bottle31which contains toner, and a support holder32which holds the toner container bottle31in an axially rotatable manner.

As shown inFIG. 6, the toner container bottle31includes a first container portion33and a second container portion34having the same outer diameter, and a third container portion35having a greater outer diameter than the first and second container portions33,34and disposed between the first and second container portions33and34.

As shown inFIG. 3, the first container portion33has two projections37a,37bprovided on an end face33athereof for engagement with two engagement pieces87a,87bof a driving plate81of the rotation driver80.

As shown inFIGS. 3 and 6, the end face33ahas a toner charging port47provided at the center thereof for recharging toner into a toner container bottle recycled after use, and the toner charging port47is closed by a supply cap46. As shown inFIG. 4, the driving plate81has a hole82formed at the center thereof for receiving the supply cap46.

As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, the driving plate81is attached to one end of a rotation shaft84which extends through a housing88. A coil spring83for biasing the driving plate81toward the end face33aof the toner container bottle31is provided between the housing88and the driving plate81. As shown inFIG. 3, an electric motor85as a driving source is connected to the other end of the rotation shaft84via a plurality of reduction gears86.

As shown inFIG. 6, the first container portion33and the second container portion34respectively have transport ribs36and39provided on inner peripheral surfaces thereof as projecting helically at a predetermined inclination angle for transporting toner contained in the first and second container portions33,34to the third container portion35during rotation of the toner container bottle31.

As shown inFIG. 7, the third container portion35has an outlet path provision region35ain which a toner outlet path41is provided, and guide piece provision regions35b,35cin which guide pieces44b,44care provided on opposite sides of the outlet path provision region35a.

The toner outlet path41is provided in the outlet path provision region35ain a recess formed in an outer peripheral surface portion of the third container portion35. One end of the toner outlet path41is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the third container portion35via a steep step portion41a. A toner outlet port43is provided in the step portion41aby utilizing a level different of the step portion41a. The other end of the toner outlet path41is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the third container portion35via a gently raised portion41b.

The third container portion35further has a recessed portion42provided on a side opposite from the toner outlet path41as projecting inward thereof for raising the toner in the third container portion35to promote discharge of the toner from the toner outlet port43.

Before use of the toner feeder30, the toner outlet port43is sealed with a seal62. The seal62is automatically removed when the toner container bottle31is first rotated after the toner feeder30is mounted in the copying machine100.

The guide pieces44band44care provided on outer peripheral surface portions in the guide piece provision regions35band35cas projecting outward so that toner leaking from the toner outlet path41to the guide piece provision regions35b,35cis guided into the toner outlet path41or the recessed portion42.

Magnetic members45prepared by stamping a rubber magnet sheet (BQK12 available from TDK) are bonded onto the outer peripheral surface portion in the guide piece provision region35coutside the guide pieces44cas arranged at predetermined intervals.

As shown inFIGS. 5 and 8, the support holder32which holds the toner container bottle31in an axially rotatable manner includes a hollow cylindrical support portion55which supports the toner container bottle31in an axially rotatable manner, and a base56which supports the support portion55. The support portion55covers the third container portion35(seeFIG. 6), and supports portions of the toner container bottle31adjacent to boundaries between the first container portion33and the third container portion35and between the second container portion34and the third container portion35via sealing members (not shown) having a V-shape in section. The base56has a mount guide portion56a. A reed switch70which is turned on by passage of the magnetic members45and a connector75which electrically connects the reed switch70to the rotation controller90of the copying machine100with the toner feeder30mounted in the copying machine100are housed in the mount guide portion56a.

The support portion55has a toner transport path52which is intermittently connected to the toner outlet path41of the third container portion35via a scraper20during the rotation of the toner container bottle31. A shutter58is provided at an end of the toner transport path52, i.e., at a toner supply port50.

The shutter58is opened as shown inFIG. 5only when the toner feeder30is mounted in the copying machine100, whereby the toner supply port50of the support holder32communicates with a toner inlet port8aof the toner hopper8as shown inFIG. 2. On the other hand, when the toner feeder30is demounted from the copying machine100, the shutter58is closed as shown inFIG. 9to prevent the leak of the toner.

More specifically, as shown inFIG. 10(a), a shutter plate58aof the shutter58is closed before the toner feeder30is mounted in the copying machine100. In this state, a lock claw58fprovided on the shutter plate58ais in engagement with a stopper58gprovided on a shutter plate guide portion58b. That is, the stopper58gprevents the shutter plate58afrom being needlessly opened.

As shown inFIG. 10(b), the toner feeder30is inserted into the copying machine100parallel to a longitudinal axis of the toner container bottle31from the outside of the copying machine.100thereby to be mounted in the copying machine100. At this time, a rib101fixed to the toner hopper8depresses the stopper58gtoward the toner container bottle31. Thus, the lock claw58fis disengaged from the stopper58g,thereby making the shutter plate58amovable.

When the toner feeder30reaches a hopper region in the copying machine100as shown inFIG. 10(c), an end of a hopper shutter102of the toner hopper8abuts against the shutter58with an opening claw103of the toner hopper8in contact with the shutter plate58a.

When the toner feeder30is further moved into the hopper region, the hopper shutter102is pushed by the toner feeder30. Thus, the toner inlet port8aof the toner hopper8is opened, and the shutter plate58ais opened.

When the hopper shutter102and the shutter plate58aare thereafter completely opened as shown inFIG. 10(d), the toner feeder30abuts against a stopper (not shown) provided in the copying machine100, whereby further movement of the toner feeder30is restricted. In this state, the toner supply port50of the toner feeder30and the toner inlet port8aof the toner hopper8are opposed to each other for communication therebetween.

On the other hand, when the toner feeder30is demounted from the copying machine100, as shown inFIG. 10(e), the hopper shutter102follows the movement of the toner feeder30by a biasing force of a spring not shown, whereby the toner inlet port8aof the toner hopper8is closed.

When the toner feeder30is further moved, a resilient end portion58dprovided at an end of the shutter plate58ais brought into abutment against a closing claw104provided on the toner hopper8as shown inFIG. 10(f), whereby the shutter plate58ais pushed by the closing claw104to be moved relative to the shutter plate guide58b.

When the toner supply port50is thereafter completely closed by the shutter plate58aas shown inFIG. 10(g), the shutter plate58aabuts against a stopper (not shown) of the shutter58, whereby further movement of the shutter plate58ais restricted.

When the toner feeder30is thereafter further moved, the stopper58gwhich has been depressed toward the toner container bottle31by the rib101is moved back into its original position by its resilience as shown inFIG. 10(h), whereby the lock claw58fis brought into engagement with the stopper58gwith the resilient end portion58dfitted in a notch of the shutter plate guide58b.

In this manner, the shutter58of the toner feeder30is automatically opened when being mounted in the copying machine100, and is automatically closed when being demounted from the copying machine100.

With the toner feeder30mounted in the copying machine100, the toner supply port50of the toner feeder30communicates with the toner inlet port8aof the toner hopper8as shown inFIG. 2. When the amount of the toner in the toner hopper8is reduced to less than the predetermined level in this state, the sensor detects the reduction of the toner amount and outputs a signal to the rotation controller90. In response to the signal, the rotation controller90drives the rotation driver80to rotate the toner container bottle31of the toner feeder30for supplying the toner into the toner hopper8.

When the toner container bottle31is rotated, as shown inFIGS. 11(a) and11(b), toner27is discharged from the toner outlet port43, and the discharged toner27ais charged in a space defined between the toner outlet path41and an inner peripheral surface of the support portion55.

The toner27acharged in the space defined between the toner outlet path41and the inner peripheral surface of the support portion55is transported along the inner peripheral surface of the support portion55as shown inFIG. 12(c), and guided onto the toner transport path52by the scraper20provided at the end of the toner transport path52of the support portion55in sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface of the toner container bottle31as shown inFIG. 12(d). Then, the toner27ais supplied into the toner inlet port8a(seeFIG. 2)of the toner hopper8through the toner supply port50.

A blocking prevention member26which follows the movement of the scraper20for forcibly scraping the toner on the toner transport path52is provided on the toner transport path52. Thus, the toner is prevented from remaining and agglomerating on the toner transport path52.

When the toner container bottle31is rotatively driven as described above, the magnetic members45bonded onto the outer peripheral surface of the guide piece provision region35care intermittently brought into opposed relation to the reed switch70housed in the mount guide portion56aof the support holder32. The reed switch70is turned on when it is opposed to each of the magnetic members45, and turned off when it is not opposed to any of the magnetic members45. Therefore, a signal according to the intervals of the magnetic members45as shown inFIG. 13is inputted to the rotation controller90every time the toner container bottle31makes one turn.

As shown inFIG. 14, the rotation controller90mainly includes an I/O port91to which the signal of the reed switch70is inputted, a CPU92, a ROM93which stores a control program for the CPU92, a RAM94which stores setting conditions, and a driver circuit95which applies a voltage to the electric motor85of the rotation driver80on the basis of an output of the CPU92. The rotation controller90compares the signal inputted from the reed switch70with an on-off waveform preliminarily stored in the RAM94to determine whether or not the toner feeder30is a genuine product. If it is judged that the toner feeder30is not genuine, a message for suggesting use of a genuine toner feeder is displayed on the operation panel of the copying machine100.

If the toner feeder30is genuine, the rotation controller90compares the signal inputted from the reed switch70with the on-off waveform preliminarily stored in the RAM94to detect the rotational position of the toner outlet port43of the toner container bottle31. When a signal indicating that the amount of the toner in the toner hopper8reaches the predetermined level is inputted from the sensor, the rotation controller90controls the rotation driver80to stop the toner outlet port43of the toner container bottle31at a position P at which the toner outlet port43is oriented upward with respect to a gravity direction (seeFIG. 12(c)).

Thus, the agglomeration of the toner can be prevented which may otherwise occur when a pressure is exerted on toner present around the shutter58during the stop of the toner container bottle31. Thus, the shutter58can constantly maintain its normal function.

Further, the toner supply port50is automatically closed by the shutter58when the toner feeder30is demounted from the copying machine100. Therefore, the leak of the toner can be assuredly prevented which may otherwise occur during the demounting and mounting of the toner feeder30.

Although the reed switch70is used as the magnetism detection member in this embodiment, a Hall element (Hall IC)120which generates a voltage in response to a magnetic field as shown inFIG. 15or a magnetoresistance element (MR element)130whose resistance is varied by a magnetic field as shown inFIG. 16may be used instead of the reed switch70. InFIG. 15, a reference numeral121denotes a fixed resistor which constitutes a bridge. InFIG. 16, a reference numeral131denotes a pull-up resistor of an open collector of the magnetoresistance element130.

Different numbers of magnetic members45having different lengths may be provided at different intervals45to specify a greater amount of information including the destination of the toner, the amount of the toner, the color of the toner and the like.