Patent ID: 7720417

Claim:
A toner container comprising: a container body configured to contain toner and that includes an opening for discharging toner, the container body being a longitudinal body which is horizontally oriented when the toner container is mounted within an image forming apparatus; and an end attached to the container body and couplable in a non-rotating manner with a toner-container holder of the image forming apparatus, the end including a toner outlet coupled to the opening of the container body for discharging the toner out of the toner container; a plug that blocks the toner outlet when the end is disengaged from the toner-container holder, and does not block the toner outlet when the end is engaged with the toner container holder; and a pair of groove guides which are longitudinal and configured to engage with a corresponding pair of positioning members of the toner container holder to position the end, each of the pair of groove guides having an upper surface and a lower surface, the groove guides being tapered so that grooves thereof which receive the positioning members are taller at a position where the positioning members enter the groove guides than other parts of the grooves.