The present disclosure relates to a toner case and an image forming apparatus provided with the toner case.
An electrographic image forming apparatus carries out the development process by supplying a toner (a developer) from a development device to an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of a photosensitive drum or the like. The toner used in such development process is supplied from a toner case, such as a toner container or an intermediate hopper, to the development device. The toner case comprises a case main body containing the toner and the case main body is provided with a discharge port discharging the toner to the development device.
This discharge port is generally covered by a shutter. For instance, the rotational shutter configured to open/close the discharge port inward is disclosed. This shutter is connected with a lever rotatably attached to the case main body via a gear so that the shutter turns accompanying to a turn of the lever.
Inside the case main body, a rotating member is installed. The rotating member is connected with a transmitting member located outside the lever so that the rotating member rotates accompanying to a rotation of the transmitting member.
However, the transmitting member covers a meshing part of a lever side gear and a shutter side gear. Consequently, after the transmitting member is attached to the case main body, it is difficult to confirm that the lever side gear and shutter side gear are meshed together at a suitable position. Therefore, there is a fear that an assembling work of the toner case is finished with an unsuitable meshing position of the lever side gear and shutter side gear, thereby causing malfunction or the like of the shutter.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds