A developer cartridge includes a housing, a developing roller, an agitator, a memory, and a cover. The housing is configured to store toner therein and has one end portion and the other end portion in a first direction. The developing roller is rotatable about a first axis extending in the first direction. The agitator is rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction. The agitator is positioned spaced apart from the developing roller. The memory includes an electrical contact surface. The electrical contact surface is positioned at an outer surface of the housing and at the one end portion of the housing in the first direction, and is disposed between the developing roller and the agitator in a second direction from the first axis toward the second axis. The cover has an opening open in the second direction and covers the electrical contact surface.

A remaining toner amount detecting apparatus detects a remaining toner amount in a toner bottle. The remaining toner amount detecting apparatus includes at least one pair of electrodes that are configured to face each other with the toner bottle interposed between the electrodes; a first estimator configured to estimate the remaining toner amount based on a capacitance between the electrodes of the at least one pair of electrodes; a second estimator configured to estimate the remaining toner amount by counting a number of pixels in a printed image; and an estimation selector configured to use either one of the first estimator or the second estimator to output the remaining toner amount, based on a temperature or a humidity inside an apparatus in which the toner bottle is mounted.

A material cartridge includes a first unit including a first attachment portion, a second unit and a first memory unit. The first memory unit that is attached to the first attachment portion and includes a first electrode and a first storage element. A cartridge reproduction method includes: detaching the first memory unit from the first attachment portion; attaching an electrode unit to the first attachment portion, the electrode unit including a second electrode, the second electrode configured to be brought into contact with a main body electrode of an image forming apparatus so as to be electrically connected to the main body electrode; and attaching, to the first unit, an element unit including a second storage element configured to be electrically connected to the second electrode. The element unit is located in a gap formed between the first unit and the second unit.

A drum cartridge includes a first photosensitive drum, a frame, a main body connector, a first toner cartridge connector, a drum-cartridge circuit board, a harness, and a first harness. The harness is electrically connected between the main body connector and the drum-cartridge circuit board. The harness extends in the first direction. The first harness is electrically connected between the first toner cartridge connector and the drum-cartridge circuit board. The first harness extends in the second direction.

A toner container includes a container body, an opening, a cover, a toner discharge port, a shutter, a cylindrical structure, protrusions, and an identifier. The shutter is attached to the cover and includes a main shutter covering the toner discharge port. The main shutter moves between a closed position to close the toner discharge port and an open position to open the toner discharge port. The protrusions are on both sides of the cover and protrude in a direction orthogonal to a toner container mounting direction. The identifier is on the cover to indicate a toner color. The cylindrical structure's leading end is downstream of leading ends of the protrusions in the mounting direction. The main shutter's leading end is downstream of the protrusions' leading ends in the mounting direction when the main shutter is in the closed position. The protrusions are downstream of the identifier in the mounting direction.

A toner container includes a container body, an opening, a cover, a toner discharge port, a shutter, a cylindrical structure, protrusions, and an identifier. The shutter is attached to the cover and includes a main shutter covering the toner discharge port. The main shutter moves between a closed position to close the toner discharge port and an open position to open the toner discharge port. The protrusions are on both sides of the cover and protrude in a direction orthogonal to a toner container mounting direction. The identifier is on the cover to indicate a toner color. The cylindrical structure's leading end is downstream of leading ends of the protrusions in the mounting direction. The main shutter's leading end is downstream of the protrusions' leading ends in the mounting direction when the main shutter is in the closed position. The protrusions are downstream of the identifier in the mounting direction.

A remaining toner amount detecting apparatus detects a remaining toner amount in a toner bottle. The remaining toner amount detecting apparatus includes at least one pair of electrodes that are configured to face each other with the toner bottle interposed between the electrodes; a first estimator configured to estimate the remaining toner amount based on a capacitance between the electrodes of the at least one pair of electrodes; a second estimator configured to estimate the remaining toner amount by counting a number of pixels in a printed image; and an estimation selector configured to use either one of the first estimator or the second estimator to output the remaining toner amount, based on a temperature or a humidity inside an apparatus in which the toner bottle is mounted.

An image forming apparatus includes a sensor configured to detect a remaining amount of a recording agent in a cartridge mounted in the image forming apparatus, an output device configured to output at least one of visual and audio information, and a controller. The controller is configured to, upon a first cartridge being dismounted, store, as a previous remaining amount, a remaining amount of a recording agent in the first cartridge detected by the sensor. The controller is also configured to, upon a remaining amount of a recording agent in a second cartridge that has been mounted in the image forming apparatus after the first cartridge is dismounted decreasing to or below a first threshold value as detected by the sensor, control the output device to output information that varies based on a value of the previous remaining amount.

In an example, an apparatus includes a container to hold a quantity of a consumable resource. A mechanical drive coupling is attached to the container. The mechanical drive coupling includes a bore and a locking mechanism integrated into the bore. The locking mechanism locks the container to a drive mechanism when the bore and the drive mechanism are rotatably engaged.

A process cartridge mountable in and dismountable from an image forming apparatus includes a frame, a storing portion provided on a mounting surface of the frame and configured to store information on the process cartridge, a projection projecting outwardly of the mounting surface in a direction normal to the mounting surface, and an electrical contact portion mounted on the projection and electrically connected to the storing portion.