A developer cartridge comprises a first gear. The first gear may include a first protrusion extending in a radial direction of the first gear. The first protrusion may be positioned at a circumference of a column of the first gear. The first protrusion may be spaced apart from a second end face opposite to a first end face facing an exterior surface of a casing configured to accommodate developer therein. The first protrusion may be further from the second end face than a large-diameter gear in an axial direction. A rotational circumference of the first protrusion defined by rotation of the first protrusion and a portion of the large-diameter gear are aligned in the axial direction.

An image forming apparatus includes a mounting unit, a restricting member, a driving source, a reading unit, a storage unit, and a control unit. The reading unit reads mounting-destination information from a storage medium. The mounting-destination information is information stored in the storage medium located in the container and information assigned to the image forming apparatus used by an ordering source user who has ordered the container. The own-apparatus information is information assigned to its own apparatus. The control unit that determines whether the mounting-destination information read from the storage medium of the container mounted to the mounting unit by the reading unit matches the own-apparatus information or not when the container is mounted to the mounting unit, and the control unit controlling driving of the driving source to move the restricting member to a restriction position when the mounting-destination information matches the own-apparatus information.

A printer apparatus comprises one or more ports (201.sub.1 to 201.sub.M) for receiving one or more colorant units (INK.sub.1 to INK.sub.N), and a processing unit. The processing unit is adapted to determine which one or more colorant units (INK.sub.1 to INK.sub.N) have been loaded into the printer apparatus. The processing unit is adapted to retrieve colorant information from each loaded colorant unit (INK.sub.1 to INK.sub.N), and determine an ink-set configuration using the colorant information retrieved from each loaded colorant unit (INK.sub.1 to INK.sub.N). Operation of the printer apparatus is configured according to the determined colorant-set configuration.

A toner container includes: a containing unit that contains a toner; a storage device that stores information; and an attachment unit. The attachment unit includes a cover member, a supporting member, and an insertion member. The cover member has a first projection and an insertion opening. The first projection extends in a first direction. The insertion opening is provided on the first projection and extends in a second direction. The supporting member has a first depression and a through opening. The first depression extends in the first direction and allows the first projection to be inserted into the first depression. The through opening extends in the second direction and is in communication with the first depression. The insertion member is inserted into the through opening and the insertion opening in a state where the storage device is positioned between the cover member and the supporting member.

An image forming device includes an attachment part to which a toner unit having a fuse that can be molten by being supplied with an electric current is detachably attached, and a control part that applies each of a non-melting conduction signal corresponding to a first current supply state where the fuse is not molten and a melting conduction signal corresponding to a second current supply state where the fuse is molten to the fuse. The control part detects each of whether or not the fuse is molten by applying the non-melting conduction signal and whether or not the fuse is molten by applying the melting conduction signal. The control part determines whether or not the toner unit attached to the attachment part is a specific exchange unit on the basis of a detection result of whether or not the fuse is molten.

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 printer apparatus comprises one or more ports (201.sub.1 to 201.sub.M) for receiving one or more colorant units (INK.sub.1 to INK.sub.N), and a processing unit. The processing unit is adapted to determine which one or more colorant units (INK.sub.1 to INK.sub.N) have been loaded into the printer apparatus. The processing unit is adapted to retrieve colorant information from each loaded colorant unit (INK.sub.1 to INK.sub.N), and determine an ink-set configuration using the colorant information retrieved from each loaded colorant unit (INK.sub.1 to INK.sub.N). Operation of the printer apparatus is configured according to the determined colorant-set configuration.

A system with a container including a protrusion, and a receiver to receive the container. The receiver includes a slide block that is movable relative to a body of the receiver, the slide block including two surfaces, a first surface, initially contacted by the protrusion of the container during insertion of the container into the receiver, having a first slope to resist movement of the container towards the receiver, and a second surface, subsequently contacted by the protrusion of the container during the insertion of the container into the receiver, having a second slope to interact with the protrusion of the container to assist movement of the container towards the receiver. This construction provides the user with a changing insertion force to indicate proper mounting of the container.

A toner container is attachably and detachably formed at a container-attaching part of an image forming apparatus, and includes a first IC tag. The first IC tag is arranged on a circumferential surface of the toner container. The first IC tag makes communication with a reader arranged at the container-attaching part when the toner container is attached to the container-attaching part. The first IC tag cannot make communication with the reader when a distance between the first IC tag and the reader is less than a threshold distance (for example, less than 2 mm). With the first IC tag being arranged at a position opposite to the reader, the distance (for example, 1 mm) between the first IC tag and the reader is shorter than the threshold distance. The first IC tag is arranged at a position separate from the position opposite to the reader.

A developer cartridge comprises a first gear. The first gear may include a first protrusion extending in a radial direction of the first gear. The first protrusion may be positioned at a circumference of a column of the first gear. The first protrusion may be spaced apart from a second end face opposite to a first end face facing an exterior surface of a casing configured to accommodate developer therein. The first protrusion may be further from the second end face than a large-diameter gear in an axial direction. A rotational circumference of the first protrusion defined by rotation of the first protrusion and a portion of the large-diameter gear are aligned in the axial direction.