An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier; a charging section that charges the surface of the image carrier; an electrostatic-charge-image-forming section that forms an electrostatic charge image on the charged surface of the image carrier; a developing section that contains toner for electrostatic charge image development and develops the electrostatic charge image on the surface of the image carrier into a toner image using the toner; a replenishment toner supplying section that supplies the toner to the developing section, the replenishment toner supplying section including a replenishment toner cartridge, the replenishment toner cartridge containing the toner, having a cap and a body, and detachably attached to the image forming apparatus, the cap being at a first axial end of the replenishment toner cartridge and having an outlet for the replenishment toner to be ejected therethrough, whereas the body having a ridged portion by which the toner inside is moved in the direction from a second axial end of the replenishment toner cartridge to the outlet as the body rotates; a transfer section that transfers the toner image formed on the surface of the image carrier to the surface of a recording medium; and a fixing section that fixes the toner image transferred to the surface of the recording medium. The toner satisfying the following relations: (ln (T1)ln (T2))/(T1T2)0.14; (ln (T2)ln (T3))/(T2T3)0.15; and (ln (T1)ln (T2))/(T1T2)<(ln (T2)ln (T3))/(T2T3), where (T1) represents a viscosity of the toner at 60 C., (T2) represents a viscosity of the toner at 90 C., and (T3) represents a viscosity of the toner at 130 C.

An image forming apparatus is capable of being attached with a toner supply container. The toner supply container stores a toner that is to be supplied to a developing portion. An attachment location of the toner supply container is below a light scanning portion in a vertical direction.

A method and apparatus for discriminating bottle types, for stirring the toner, and for detecting the amount of toner remaining in the toner bottle. A toner bottle is adapted to fit the apparatus for discriminating toner bottle types, and a toner bottle is adapted for the apparatus for stirring toner. The genuineness of the toner bottle product is checked by sensing a rib assumed to be formed with a predetermined length on the outer surface of the toner bottle. Toner is stirred by continuously rotating the toner bottle in forward and reverse directions. The toner bottle can be easily rotated in the forward and reverse directions by sensing the rib of the toner bottle by using the sensor. Since the load of rotation of the toner bottle changes in accordance with the amount of remaining toner, the rotational speed of the toner bottle is sensed by using the sensor to check whether toner is close to empty.

A waste toner system includes a rotatable photoconductive drum and a cleaner member. A first toner sump extends along a length of the photoconductive drum for receiving waste toner removed from the outer surface of the photoconductive drum by the cleaner member. A first rotatable auger extends along the first toner sump. A pass-through opening extends from the first toner sump to a second toner sump. A second rotatable auger extends along the second toner sump. The first auger is positioned to move waste toner in the first toner sump to the pass-through opening upon rotation of the first auger in an operative rotational direction of the first auger and the second auger is positioned to distribute waste toner received through the pass-through opening into the second toner sump upon rotation of the second auger in an operative rotational direction of the second auger.

In the case that a developer supply container is provided with a feeding portion for feeding a developer by receiving a rotational force and a pump portion for discharging the developer by reciprocation, and the rotational force and a reciprocating force are received from a main assembly side of an image forming apparatus, there is a liability that a driving connection is not properly established between a portion of the developer supply container for receiving the reciprocating force and a portion of the main assembly side for applying the reciprocating force.

The developer supply container is provided with a drive converting mechanism for converting the rotational force received from the main assembly side to a force for operating a volume changing type pump.

Provided are a developer storage container in which a large change of a developer distributed state due to a backward movement of a moving wall is restrained and an image forming apparatus provided with the developer storage container. A toner container includes a container body, a moving wall and a shaft. The moving wall includes a first wall portion and a second wall portion. When the shaft is rotated in a first rotating direction, the second wall portion presses the first wall portion, whereby the second wall portion moves in a first direction integrally with the first wall portion. When the shaft is rotated in a second rotating direction, the second wall portion relatively moves to an upstream side in the first direction with respect to the first wall portion.

In the case that a developer supply container is provided with a feeding portion for feeding a developer by receiving a rotational force and a pump portion for discharging the developer by reciprocation, and the rotational force and a reciprocating force are received from a main assembly side of an image forming apparatus, there is a liability that a driving connection is not properly established between a portion of the developer supply container for receiving the reciprocating force and a portion of the main assembly side for applying the reciprocating force. The developer supply container is provided with a drive converting mechanism for converting the rotational force received from the main assembly side to a force for operating a volume changing type pump.

Provided are a developer storage container in which a large change of a developer distributed state due to a backward movement of a moving wall is restrained and an image forming apparatus provided with the developer storage container. A toner container includes a container body, a moving wall and a shaft. The moving wall includes a first wall portion and a second wall portion. When the shaft is rotated in a first rotating direction, the second wall portion presses the first wall portion, whereby the second wall portion moves in a first direction integrally with the first wall portion. When the shaft is rotated in a second rotating direction, the second wall portion relatively moves to an upstream side in the first direction with respect to the first wall portion.

A waste toner system includes a rotatable photoconductive drum and a cleaner member. A first toner sump extends along a length of the photoconductive drum for receiving waste toner removed from the outer surface of the photoconductive drum by the cleaner member. A first rotatable auger extends along the first toner sump. A pass-through opening extends from the first toner sump to a second toner sump. A second rotatable auger extends along the second toner sump. The first auger is positioned to move waste toner in the first toner sump to the pass-through opening upon rotation of the first auger in an operative rotational direction of the first auger and the second auger is positioned to distribute waste toner received through the pass-through opening into the second toner sump upon rotation of the second auger in an operative rotational direction of the second auger.

In the case that a developer supply container is provided with a feeding portion for feeding a developer by receiving a rotational force and a pump portion for discharging the developer by reciprocation, and the rotational force and a reciprocating force are received from a main assembly side of an image forming apparatus, there is a liability that a driving connection is not properly established between a portion of the developer supply container for receiving the reciprocating force and a portion of the main assembly side for applying the reciprocating force.

The developer supply container is provided with a drive converting mechanism for converting the rotational force received from the main assembly side to a force for operating a volume changing type pump.