Patent ID: 7139516

Claim:
A developer replenishment apparatus for supplying a developer for replenishment to a developing apparatus to develop an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member with the developer, comprising: a first developer container for accommodating said developer for replenishment; a rotatable conveyance member disposed in the first developer container to discharge said developer for replenishment through a first opening of said first developer container; a second developer container for receiving said developer for replenishment discharged from said first opening; a rotatable agitating member disposed in the second developer container to agitate said developer for replenishment; a rotatable conveyance screw disposed in said second developer container to discharge said developer for replenishment through a second opening of said second developer container toward said developing apparatus; and driving means which generates a rotational driving force; a driving transmission mechanism which has a plurality of driving force transmission paths connected with said driving means and controls transmission of the rotational driving force to each of said rotational conveyance member, said rotatable agitating member and said rotatable conveyance screw by switching one of the driving force transmission paths to another of the driving force transmission paths, wherein said driving transmission mechanism has a path which does not transmit the rotational driving force to said rotatable conveyance screw in a case where the rotatable driving force is simultaneously transmitted to said rotatable conveyance member and said rotatable agitating member.