Patent ID: 11662673

Abstract:
A toner container includes a toner accommodating body, a nozzle in fluid communication with the toner accommodating body, and a shutter configured to open and close the opening of the nozzle. A projection is positioned at an end portion of the toner container in a direction of the rotational axis, the projection having an inner peripheral surface facing towards the rotational axis. When the toner container is oriented such that the toner accommodating body is above the nozzle, the nozzle is above the projection, and the projection is at a bottommost side of the toner container, (i) the opening of the nozzle is positioned such that toner may be discharged from a lateral side of the toner container that is above the bottommost side, (ii) the projection includes (ii-i) a first surface facing downward, (ii-ii) a second surface facing downward, and (ii-iii) a third surface facing upward, with the first surface, the second surface, and the third surface being positioned outside the inner peripheral surface of the projection and inside the opening of the nozzle in the direction perpendicular to the rotational axis, (iii) the first surface extends such that a distance in the direction of the rotational axis from the first surface to the toner accommodating body decreases along the first surface in the first rotational direction, (iv) the second surface extends such that a distance in the direction of the rotational axis from the second surface to the toner accommodating body decreases along the second surface in the first rotational direction, (v) a distance, measured along a line that is perpendicular to the rotational axis, from the rotational axis to at least a part of the first surface is less than a distance, measured along a line that is perpendicular to the rotational axis, from the rotational axis to a part of the second surface that is closest from the rotational axis, and (vi) at least a part of the third surface is above an uppermost part of the second surface.