Patent ID: 7515854

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an apparatus body including a replenishing device arranged to replenish toner; and a developing device removably mounted to the apparatus body and arranged to receive toner from the replenishing device; wherein the developing device includes an inlet port arranged to receive the toner from the replenishing device, a first shutter that slides to open and close the inlet port, and a first urging member arranged to urge the first shutter in a direction to close the inlet port; the replenishing device includes a discharge port arranged to discharge the toner to the developing device, a second shutter that slides to open and close the discharge port, and a second urging member arranged to urge the second shutter in a direction to close the discharge port; an interlocking mechanism is arranged to cause the second shutter to slide in conjunction with the first shutter when the first shutter slides in a mounting direction in association with a mounting operation of the developing device to the apparatus body, and to cause the first shutter to slide in conjunction with the second shutter when the second shutter slides in a separating direction, which is an opposite direction from the mounting direction, in association with a separating operation of the developing device from the apparatus body; the direction in which the second shutter opens the discharge port is the same direction as the mounting direction; and a first urging force that the first urging member applies to the first shutter which closes the inlet port is smaller than a second urging force that the second urging member applies to the second shutter which closes the discharge port.