Patent Publication Number: US-8995885-B2

Title: Image forming apparatus and toner case

Description:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
     This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent application No. 2012-124853 filed on May 31, 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus and a toner case installed to the image forming apparatus. 
     An electrographic image forming apparatus carries out the development process by supplying a toner (a developer) from a development device to an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of a photosensitive drum or the like. The toner used in such development process is supplied from a toner case configured to be attachable and detachable to an apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus. 
     The above-mentioned toner case includes a case main body having a discharge port discharging the toner and a shutter opening/closing the discharge port. For example, the shutter rotatably installed to the case main body and opening/closing the discharge port in accordance with the rotation is known. In such a technique, a locking member attached to the toner case locks the shutter in a closing state, thereby preventing the toner from leaking from the toner case during transport of the toner case. 
     The above-mentioned technique is provided presupposing the transport of single toner case. In this case, the toner case is separately packed from the apparatus main body, and accordingly, the capacity and number of the packaging material are unnecessarily increased, thereby incurring an increase of a packaging cost. 
     Moreover, in the imaging forming apparatus including the tone case configured as mentioned above, there is a fear that the toner case is installed, in a situation of the shutter closing the discharge port, to the apparatus main body by operation mistake of a worker, such as a user. However, a technique mentioned above does not take measures for solving the fear and it is difficult to prevent the operation mistake of the worker. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, an image forming apparatus includes a toner case, an apparatus main body and a cover. The toner case is configured to include a case main body having a discharge port configured to discharge a toner, a shutter configured to open/close the discharge port, and a lever connected with the shutter. To the apparatus main body, the toner case is attachably/detachably installed. The cover is openably/closably attached to the apparatus main body and configured to cover at least a part of the toner case. The lever is configured to be shifted to a first position in order to make the shutter close the discharge port and to allow the close of the cover without interfering with the cover, to a second position in order to make the shutter close the discharge port and to interfere with the cover, or to a third position in order to make the shutter open the discharge port and to allow the close of the cover without interfering with the cover. 
     Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, a toner case is attachably/detachably installed to an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus and covered by a cover openably/closably attached to the apparatus main body. The toner case includes a case main body, a shutter and a lever. The case main body has a discharge port configured to discharge a toner. The shutter is configured to open/close the discharge port. The lever is configured to connect with the shutter and to be shifted to a first position in order to make the shutter close the discharge port and to allow the close of the cover without interfering with the cover, to a second position in order to make the shutter close the discharge port and to interfere with the cover, or to a third position in order to make the shutter open the discharge port and to allow the close of the cover without interfering with the cover. 
     The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure is shown by way of illustrative example. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram schematically showing a printer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the printer in a situation, in which an upper cover is opened, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a right top perspective view showing a toner container in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a back perspective sectional view showing the toner container in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view showing the toner container in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a front right perspective view showing the toner container in a situation, in which a lever is detached from a case main body, in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  is a right side view showing the toner container in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing the printer in a situation, in which the upper cover is closed, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 9A  is a right side view showing the toner container in a situation, in which the lever is located at a first position, in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 9B  is a right side view showing the toner container in another situation, in which the lever is located at a second position, in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 9C  is a right side view showing the toner container in a further situation, in which the lever is located at a third position, in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 10A  is a bottom perspective view showing the toner container in a situation, in which the lever is located at the first position, in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 10B  is a bottom perspective view showing the toner container in another situation, in which the lever is located at the second position, in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 10C  is a bottom perspective view showing the toner container in a further situation, in which the lever is located at the third position, in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 11A  is a schematic diagram showing the toner container in a situation, in which a gripper of the lever engages with a stopper, in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 11B  is a schematic diagram showing the toner container in a another situation, in which the gripper of the lever is going to be shifted from an engaging state with the stopper to a released state, in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 11C  is a schematic diagram showing the toner container in a further situation, in which the engagement of the gripper of the lever with a stopper is released, in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 12A  is a side view showing a transmission coupling in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 12B  is a side view showing a roughly fan-formed transmission coupling in the printer according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 12C  is a side view showing a roughly arc-formed transmission coupling in the printer according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 12D  is a side view showing a rectangle-formed transmission coupling in the printer according to a furthermore embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , the entire structure of an electrographic printer (an image forming apparatus)  1  will be described.  FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram schematically showing the printer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Hereinafter, it will be described so that the front side of the printer  1  is positioned at the left-hand side of  FIG. 1 . 
     The printer  1  includes a box-formed printer main body  2  (apparatus main body). To a lower part of the printer main body  2 , a sheet feeding cartridge  3  configured to store sheets (not shown) is installed and, on the top surface of the printer main body  2 , an ejecting tray  4  is mounted. To the upper front part of the printer main body  2 , a toner container  5  as a toner case is attachably/detachably installed and, above the toner container  5 , an upper cover  6  (cover) is openably/closably attached. 
     To an upper part of the printer main body  2 , an exposure device  7  composed of a laser scanning unit (LSU) is installed below the sheet ejecting tray  4 . Below the exposure device  7 , an image forming unit  8  is installed. To the image forming unit  8 , a photosensitive drum  10  as an image carrier is rotatably installed. Around the photosensitive drum  10 , a charger  11 , a development device  12 , a transfer roller  13  and a cleaning device  14  are located along a rotating direction (refer to arrow X in  FIG. 1 ) of the photosensitive drum  10 . 
     Inside the printer main body  2 , a sheet conveying path  15  is arranged. At an upper stream end of the conveying path  15 , a sheet feeder  16  is positioned. At an intermediate stream part of the conveying path  15 , a transferring unit  17  constructed of the photosensitive drum  10  and transfer roller  13  is positioned. At a lower stream part of the conveying path  15 , a fixing device  18  is positioned. At a lower stream end of the conveying path  15 , a sheet ejecting unit  20  is positioned. Below the conveying path  15 , an inversion path  21  for duplex printing is arranged. 
     Next, the operation of forming an image by the printer  1  having such a configuration will be described. 
     When the power is supplied to the printer  1 , various parameters are initialized and initial determination, such as temperature determination of the fixing device  18 , is carried out. Subsequently, in the printer  1 , when image data is inputted and a printing start is directed from a computer or the like connected with the printer  1 , image forming operation is carried out as follows. 
     First, the surface of the photosensitive drum  10  is electrically charged by the charger  11 . Then, exposure corresponding to the image data on the photosensitive drum  10  is carried out by a laser (refer to two-dot chain line P in  FIG. 1 ) from the exposure device  7 , thereby forming an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum  10 . Subsequently, the electrostatic latent image is developed to a toner image with a toner (a developer) in the development device  12 . 
     On the other hand, a sheet fed from the sheet feeding cartridge  3  by the sheet feeder  16  is conveyed to the transferring unit  17  in a suitable timing for the above-mentioned image forming operation, and then, the toner image on the photosensitive drum  10  is transferred onto the sheet in the transferring unit  17 . The sheet with the transferred toner image is conveyed to a lower stream on the conveying path  15  to go forward to the fixing device  18 , and then, the toner image is fixed on the sheet in the fixing device  18 . The sheet with the fixed toner image is ejected from the sheet ejecting unit  20  to the sheet ejecting tray  4 . Toner remained on the photosensitive drum  10  is collected by the cleaning device  14 . 
     Next, with reference to  FIGS. 2-7 , the toner container  5  will be described in detail.  FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the printer in a situation, in which the upper cover is opened, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 3  is a right top perspective view showing the toner container in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 4  is a back perspective sectional view showing the toner container in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view showing the toner container in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 6  is a front right perspective view showing the toner container in a situation, in which a lever is detached from a case main body, in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 7  is a right side view showing the toner container in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     Arrow Fr suitably put on each figure indicates the front side of the printer  1  ( FIG. 8  and other figure is illustrated in similar way). Because  FIG. 4  is the back perspective sectional view, the left-hand and right-hand sides of the figure are converse to the actual left-hand and right-hand sides. That is, the right-hand side illustrated in  FIG. 4  is the left-hand side of the toner container  5  and the left-hand side illustrated in  FIG. 4  is the right-hand side of the toner container  5 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the toner container  5  is located below the upper cover  6 . The toner container  5  is also attachably/detachably installed at a top surface of the development device  12  (refer to  FIG. 1 ) to the printer main body  2 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the toner container  5  is formed in an extended-shape in left and right directions or a horizontal direction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the toner container  5  includes a box-formed case main body  22  with an opened top surface, a conveying screw (a rotating member)  23 , a stirring paddle (another rotating member)  24 , a covering body  25 , a lever  26 , a transmitting member  27  and a shutter  28 . The conveying screw  23  is installed to a lower rear part of the case main body  22 . The stirring paddle  24  is installed near a center part of the case main body  22 . The covering body  25  covers the top surface of the case main body  22 . The lever  26  is attached to a right end of the case main body  22 . The transmitting member  27  is placed on the right end of the case main body  22  together with the lever  26 . The shutter  28  is attached on a right bottom end of the case main body  22 . The transmitting member  27  is omitted in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
     The case main body  22  is formed in an extended-shape in the horizontal direction to contain the toner. On a left end wall  30  of the case main body  22 , a toner filling port  31  is formed and the toner filling port  31  is closed by a cap  32 . On the circumference of a top end of the case main body  22 , a main body side flange  33  is formed. 
     At the right bottom end of the case main body  22 , a cylinder-formed discharge duct  34  is protruded to a right direction and, in a right end of the discharge duct  34 , an aperture  36  is formed. In a bottom of the discharge duct  34 , a discharge port  35  discharging the toner is bored. On the circumference of a lower part of the discharge duct  34 , a sealing member  37  is attached and, in the sealing member  37 , a communication port  38  is bored at a correspondent position to the discharge port  35 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , at the center of a right end wall  40  of the case main body  22 , a cylinder-formed boss  42  having a communication hole  41  is protruded to a right direction (an outside direction). On a right surface (an external surface) of the right end wall  40  of the case main body  22 , a restrain rib  43  is protruded to an upper backward direction of the boss  42 . Below the first restrain rib  43 , a protrusion  44  is formed. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6  and other figure, on the right surface (the external surface) of the right end wall  40  of the case main body  22 , a stopper  45  is protruded to an upper forward direction of the boss  42 . The stopper  45  is connected with the restrain rib  43  by a connecting rib  46 . 
     The stopper  45  includes a curved piece  47 , an engagement piece  48 , a reinforcement piece  49  and a connection piece  50 . The curved piece  47  curves in an arc-liked shape around the boss  42 . The engagement piece  48  is connected with a rear side of an upper part of the curved piece  47 . The reinforcement piece  49  is located above the engagement piece  48 . The connection piece  50  connects the engagement piece  48  and reinforcement piece  49 . On a lower part and an intermediate part in upper and lower directions or a vertical direction of the curved piece  47 , support pieces  51  are protruded backward. The engagement piece  48  is formed in a U-shape laid on side to include a pair of upper and lower engagement plates  52 . In the reinforcement piece  49  and engagement plates  52 , inclined parts  53  are respectively formed. Each inclined part  53  inclines so that protruded length from the right surface of the right end wall  40  of the case main body  22  is gradually lengthen from a front side to a rear side. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4  and other figure, the conveying screw  23  is formed in an extended-shape in the horizontal direction and installed to the case main body  22  in a rotatable state. The conveying screw  23  includes a bar-formed rotating shaft and a spiral fin  55  concentrically mounted on the circumference of the rotating shaft  54 . A left end of the rotating shaft  54  is pivotally supported by the left end wall  30  of the case main body  22 . Right side parts of the rotating shaft  54  and spiral fin  55  are inserted into the discharge duct  34 . A right end of the rotating shaft  54  protrudes from the discharge duct  34  via the aperture  36  to the right direction and, on the protruding part, a conveying gear  56  is fixedly attached. 
     The stirring paddle  24  is located above and in front of the conveying screw  23  and formed in an extended-shape in the horizontal direction. The stirring paddle  24  is installed to the case main body  22  in a rotatable state. The stirring paddle  24  includes a supporting frame  57  formed in a frame plate-liked shape and a sheet-formed stirring fin  58  supported by the supporting frame  57 . Left and right ends (both horizontal ends) of the supporting frame  57  are pivotally supported by the left end wall  30  and right end wall  40  of the case main body  22 . The stirring fin  58  is formed out of plastic sheet, e.g. lumirror. As shown in  FIG. 4 , one side of the stirring fin  58  is fixedly attached onto the supporting frame  57  along the horizontal direction. 
     On a bottom end of the covering body  25 , a covering body side flange  59  is formed in the correspondent form to the main body side flange  33  of the case main body  22 . The main body side flange  33  and covering body side flange  59  are ultrasonic-welded together so that the case main body  22  and covering body  25  are unified. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the lever  26  includes a lever main body  60  with a circular profile in a side view. The lever main body  60  is attached on the circumference of the boss  42  arranged on the right surface of the right end wall  40  of the case main body  22 . Thereby, the lever  26  is rotatably supported to the case main body  22  so that the lever  26  turns along the right surface of the right end wall  40  of the case main body  22 . On an upper part of the lever main body  60 , a gripper  61  is protruded to the outside in the radial direction. A top end of the gripper  61  extends to the right side of the covering body  25 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the gripper  61  is hollow and, in a lower front part of the gripper  61 , a depression  62  is formed. On the lever main body  60 , a protrusion piece  63  is protruded to the outside in the radial direction at a front side of the gripper  61 . On the circumference of a lower rear part of the lever main body  60 , lever side gear  64  (refer to  FIG. 7 ) is formed. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5  and other figure, the transmitting member  27  includes a disc-formed transmitting member main body  65 . On a right surface (an external surface) of the transmitting member main body  65 , a transmission coupling  66  is protruded in the form of a triangle shape in a side view. The transmission coupling  66  is attachably/detachably jointed to a drive coupling  90  (refer to  FIG. 9C ) connected with a driver  91  (refer to  FIG. 9C ), such a motor. Accordingly, when the driver  91  makes the drive coupling rotates, this rotation is transmitted to the transmitting member  27 , and then, the transmitting member  27  rotates. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5  and other figure, on a left surface (an internal surface) of the transmitting member main body  65 , an insertion piece  67  is protruded. The insertion piece  67  is inserted into the communication hole  41  bored in the boss  42  of the case main body  22 , and then, jointed to the supporting frame  57  of the stirring paddle  24 . Accordingly, when the transmitting member  27  rotates, this rotation is transmitted to the stirring paddle  24 , and then, the stirring paddle  24  rotates so that the toner in the case main body  22  is stirred and conveyed to the conveying screw  23 . 
     On the circumference of the transmitting member main body  65 , a transmission gear  68  is formed. The transmission gear  68  meshes with the conveying gear  56  of the conveying screw  23 . Accordingly, when the transmitting member  27  rotates, this rotation is transmitted to the conveying screw  23 , and then, the conveying screw  23  rotates so that the toner in the case main body  22  is discharged from the discharge port  35  and filled into the development device  12  (refer to  FIG. 1 ). In the outside part of the transmitting member main body  65  in the radial direction, an aperture  69  curved in an arc-liked shape is bored. 
     The shutter  28  is formed in a roughly cylinder-liked shape and rotatably installed to the circumference of the discharge duct  34  of the case main body  22 . In a lower surface of the shutter  28 , a discharge aperture  70  is bored. As shown in  FIG. 7 , on the shutter  28 , a roughly fan-formed guiding piece  71  is protruded. In the guiding piece  71 , an arc-formed guiding hole  72  is formed and, with the guiding hole  72 , the protrusion  44  of the case main body  22  engages. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4  and other figure, in the shutter  28 , a cylinder-formed bearing  73  is formed and, into the bearing  73 , the right end of the rotating shaft  54  of conveying screw  23  is pivotally supported. On the right side of the bearing  73 , a gear box  74  is attached and the gear box  74  houses the conveying gear  56 . As shown in  FIG. 5  and other figure, in the gear box  74 , a communication aperture  75  is formed so that the conveying gear  56  can be housed in the gear box  74  via the communication aperture  75 . 
     The shutter  28  is provided with a shutter side gear  76 . The shutter side gear  76  meshes with the lever side gear  64  of the lever  26 . Thereby, the lever  26  is connected to the shutter  28  so that the shutter  28  turns in the opposite direction to the lever  26  accompanying to the turn of the lever  26 . On the right end of the shutter  28 , an elliptic locking piece  77  is attached. In a lower part of the shutter  28 , a pressing protrusion  78  is formed at the right side of the discharge aperture  70 . 
     Next, with reference to  FIG. 8 , the upper cover  6  will be described.  FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing the printer in a situation, in which the upper cover is closed, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. Hereinafter, the terms of upper and lower, left and right, and front and back (rear) are used so as to indicate the directions in view of the closed upper cover (refer to  FIG. 8 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the upper cover  6  includes an upper plate  81  and a front plate  82  and is formed with a roughly L-shaped section. The upper plate  81  covers an upper surface side of the toner container  5  and the front plate  82  covers a front surface side of the toner container  5 . The front plate  82  is bended downward from a front end of the upper plate  81 . 
     A rear end of the upper plate  81  is attached to the printer main body  2  via a hinge (not shown) so that the upper cover  6  opens or closes to the printer main body  2  by turning around the hinge as a fulcrum. At an upper surface side of the upper plate  81 , an operation unit (not shown) constructed by a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an electric luminescent display (ELD) is provided. According to handling of keys or buttons arranged to the operation unit by a user, the various functions of the printer  1  are actualized. 
     On an inside surface (a lower surface in the embodiment) of the upper plate  81 , a base part  83  in a rectangular shape in a side view is protruded and, to a lower surface of the base part  83 , a trapezoid-formed protrusion  84  is attached. On a front end of the protrusion  84 , a first guiding face  85  inclined below and backward is formed and, on a rear end of the protrusion  84 , a second guiding face  86  inclined below and forward is formed. 
     In the above-mentioned structure, an operation of the lever  26  will be described mainly with reference to  FIG. 9A  to  FIG. 11C .  FIG. 9A  is a right side view showing the toner container in a situation, in which the lever is located at a first position, in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 9B  is a right side view showing the toner container in another situation, in which the lever is located at a second position, in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 9C  is a right side view showing the toner container in a further situation, in which the lever is located at a third position, in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 10A  is a bottom perspective view showing the toner container in a situation, in which the lever is located at a first position, in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 10B  is a bottom perspective view showing the toner container in another situation, in which the lever is located at a second position, in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 10C  is a bottom perspective view showing the toner container in a further situation, in which the lever is located at a third position, in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 11A  is a schematic diagram showing the toner container in a situation, in which a gripper of the lever engages with a stopper, in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 11B  is a schematic diagram showing the toner container in an ongoing situation, in which the gripper of the lever is shifted from an engaging state with the stopper to a released state, in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 11C  is a schematic diagram showing the toner container in a situation, in which the engagement of the gripper of the lever with a stopper is released, in the printer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     When the printer  1  is taken on market, as shown in  FIG. 9A , the gripper  61  of the lever  26  is tilted forward and, as shown in  FIG. 10A , the shutter  28  closes the discharge port  35  of the case main body  22 . In addition, as shown in  FIG. 11A , the gripper  61  of the lever  26  engages with the stopper  45 , thereby restricting the turn of the lever  26 . A position of the lever  26  at this moment is called as a “first position”. 
     Thus, when the upper cover  6  is shifted to a closing state in a situation, in which the lever  26  is located at the first position, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the first guiding face  85  of the protrusion  84  of the upper cover  6  faces to the gripper  61  of the lever  26 . At that moment, because the gripper  61  of the lever  26  and protrusion  84  of the upper cover  6  are not interfered with each other, the close of the upper cover  6  is allowed. 
     On the other hand, when the printer  1  is used, as indicated by arrow A in  FIG. 9A , a worker, such as a user or a serviceman, pushes the gripper  61  of the lever  26  backward. By this push, as shown in  FIG. 11B , the gripper  61  of the lever  26  is shifted backward along the inclined parts  53  of the stopper  45 . At that moment, the depression  62  (refer to  FIG. 6  and other figures) formed on the gripper  61  of the lever  26  engages with the lower engagement plate  52 , thereby slightly decreasing a necessary pushing force for making the lever  26  turned backward. In  FIGS. 11A ,  11 B and  11 C, only the inclined part  53  of the upper engagement plate  52  is shown. 
     When the gripper  61  of the lever  26  is pushed further backward, as shown in  FIG. 11C , the gripper  61  of the lever  26  gets over the inclined parts  53  of the stopper  45 . Thereby, as shown in  FIG. 9B , the engagement of the gripper  61  of the lever  26  with the stopper  45  is released and the lever  26  turns to a slighter back position than the first position. The position of the lever  26  at this time is called as a “second position”. Thus, when the lever  26  turns from the first position to the second position, the shutter  28  slightly turns accompanying to this. However, as shown in  FIG. 10B , the shutter  28  still closes the discharge port  35  of the case main body  22 . 
     Therefore, even if the close of the upper cover  6  is tried in another situation, in which the lever  26  is located at the second position, as indicated one-dot chain line in  FIG. 8 , because the gripper  61  of the lever  26  and protrusion  84  of the upper cover  6  are interfered with each other, the close of the upper cover  6  is prevented. 
     Next, as indicated by arrow B in  FIG. 9B , when the worker pushes the lever  26  furthermore backward, as shown in  FIG. 9C , the lever  26  turns to a further back position than the second position. The position of the lever  26  at this time is called as a “third position”. Thus, when the upper cover  6  is shifted to the closing state in a further situation, in which the lever  26  is located at the third position, as indicated two-dot chain line in  FIG. 8 , the second guiding face  86  of the protrusion  84  of the upper cover  6  faces to the gripper  61  of the lever  26 . At that moment, because the gripper  61  of the lever  26  and protrusion  84  of the upper cover  6  are not interfered with each other, the close of the upper cover  6  is allowed. 
     Thus, when the lever  26  turns to the third position, as indicated by arrow C in  FIG. 9B , the shutter  28  connected with the lever  26  turns, too. Accordingly, as shown in  FIG. 10C , the shutter  28  opens the discharge port  35  of the case main body  22 , and then, the inside of the case main body  22  and the inside of the development device  12  are communicated with each other. It is therefore possible to supply the toner from the toner container  5  to the development device  12 . 
     When the toner container  5  is replaced, by returning the lever  26  to the second position, the shutter  28  closes the discharge port  35  of the case main body  22 . In such a situation, the toner container  5  may be pulled out from the printer main body  2 . 
     As mentioned above, in the embodiment, by installing the toner container  5  to the printer main body  2  in the situation of the lever  26  located at the first position, it is possible to close the upper cover  6  in a situation, in which the shutter  28  closes the discharge port  35  of the case main body  22 . Accordingly, it is possible to surely prevent the toner from leaking from the toner container  5  during transport and to take the toner container  5  combined with the printer main body  2  on market. Therefore, the specific packaging material for packing the toner container  5  is unnecessary, thereby decreasing a packaging cost. 
     In addition, when the printer  1  is used, if the toner container  5  is installed to the printer main body  2  in the other situation of the lever  26  located at the second position, the gripper  61  of the lever  26  and protrusion  84  of the upper cover  6  are interfered with each other, thereby preventing the close of the upper cover  6 . Therefore, it is possible to make the worker aware that the upper cover  6  is going to be closed by mistake while the discharge port  35  of the case main body  22  is closed, and then, to prevent the following operation mistake by the worker. Moreover, when the printer  1  is used, if the lever  26  is shifted to the third position, it is possible to close the upper cover  6  in a situation, in which the shutter  28  opens the discharge port  35  of the case main body  22 , and then, to carry out the operation of forming the image. 
     Thus, by switching the position of the lever  26  to the first position, second position or third position, it is possible to surely prevent the toner from leaking from the toner container  5  during the transport, to decrease a packaging cost and to prevent the operation mistake by the worker. 
     Moreover, in the situation of the lever  26  located at the first position, because the gripper  61  of the lever  26  engages with the stopper  45  to restrict the turn of the lever  26 , it is possible to surely maintain the situation of the lever  26  in the first position. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the lever  26  from turning from the first position to the third position over the second position during the transport of the printer  1  and to prevent the shutter  28  from opening the discharge port  35  of the case main body  22 . Therefore, it is possible to prevent failure as leakage of the toner from the toner containers during the transport of the printer  1 . 
     In addition, the embodiment is configured so that the gripper  61  of the lever  26  gets over the inclined parts  53  of the stopper  45 , when the gripper  61  of the lever  26  shifts from an engagement state with the stopper  45  to a release state. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the lever  26  turned once from the first position to the second position from going back to the first position again. 
     Furthermore, it is possible to surely maintain, while the upper cover  6  is closed, the situation of the lever  26  located at the first position or the third position by making the first guiding face  85  or second guiding face  86  formed on the protrusion  84  of the upper cover  6  facing to the gripper  61  of the lever  26 . 
     In the embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 12A , the transmission coupling  66  is formed in a triangle shape in a side view and the drive coupling  90  attachably/detachably jointed to the transmission coupling  66  is formed in a triangle shape in a side view corresponding to the transmission coupling  66 . However, in other embodiments, the transmission coupling  66  may be formed in a roughly fan shape as shown in  FIG. 12B , in a roughly arc shape as shown in  FIG. 12C  or in a rectangular shape as shown in  FIG. 12D . In these cases, the drive coupling  90  may be variously formed in a jointable shape with the corresponding to the transmission coupling  66 . In particular, if the transmission coupling  66  and drive coupling  90  are differently formed according to each destination, it is possible to prevent the toner container  5  for one destination being installed to the printer main body  2  for another destination and to restrict failure caused by mistaken installation of the toner container  5 . 
     The embodiment was described in case of applying the configuration of the disclosure to the upper cover  6 . However, in another embodiment, the configuration of the disclosure may be applied to a front cover, a side cover or another cover. 
     The embodiment was described in case of forming the lever  26  and shutter  28  separately. However, in a further embodiment, the lever  26  and shutter  28  may be formed in a body. 
     Although the embodiment was described in a case where ideas of the disclosure are applied to the printer  1 , as a furthermore embodiment, the ideas of the disclosure may be applied to another image forming apparatus except the printer  1 , such as a copying machine, a facsimile or a multifunction machine. 
     While the present disclosure has been described with reference to the particular illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by the embodiments. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.