Patent ID: 8260176

Claim:
A developer storing container comprising: a developer storing portion with an elongated shape for storing a developer, said developer storing portion having a developer outlet opening at a substantially longitudinal center portion of said developer storing portion; and an agitation member that rotates about a rotation axis to agitate said developer in said developer storing portion so as to eject said developer via said developer outlet opening, said agitation member including a supporting member that rotates about said rotation axis and that includes longitudinal ends and a center, a mounting portion with a mounting surface along said rotation axis, a plurality of connecting members connecting the supporting member and the mounting portion so as to form a plurality of inner spaces therebetween, a plurality of the inner spaces being formed at the longitudinal ends of the supporting member and one of the inner spaces being formed at the center of the supporting member, each of the inner spaces formed at the longitudinal ends being larger than the one inner space formed at the center of the supporting member, a plurality of the connecting members being disposed at the longitudinal ends of the supporting member and one of the connecting members being disposed at the center of the supporting member, and each of the connecting members disposed at the longitudinal ends having a length that is longer than a length of the one connecting member disposed at the center of the supporting member, a flexible member having an elongated shape and having first and second ends facing each other, said flexible member being mounted to said mounting portion at said first end so that said second end defines a sliding end portion at which said flexible member slides along an inner surface of said developer storing portion in a sliding direction, longitudinal end portions of said sliding end portion sliding along said inner surface of said developer storing portion, ahead of a substantially longitudinal center portion of said sliding end portion in said sliding direction, and being inclined with respect to a direction perpendicular to said sliding direction.