Patent ID: 8873977

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: an upper cover; an image forming unit comprising: an image carrier; and a developing device to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier with developer; a toner container detachably connectable to the developing device to supply toner to the developing device through an opening in the toner container; a shutter provided to the toner container and biased by a first elastic member in a direction to close the opening of the toner container with an elastic force; a link member integrated with the shutter; a shutter switching member to switch a position of the shutter to an open position against the elastic force of the first elastic member by applying an elastic force of a second elastic member to the link member and moving the link member to a pressing position; and an interlock mechanism to retract the shutter switching member from the pressing position against the elastic force of the second elastic member in conjunction with opening of the upper cover of the image forming apparatus, the opening being closed with the shutter receiving the elastic force of the first elastic member by switching the shutter switching member to a retracted position in conjunction with the opening of the upper cover.