An image forming apparatus has a developing portion; a toner storing container; and a supply path capable of supplying toner to the developing portion from the toner storing container, where the toner storing container is attachably and detachably provided to the supply path, and the toner storing container has a screw-like conveying member configured to convey the toner; a discharge portion configured to discharge the toner toward the supply path; and a first cleaning member arranged at an end portion of the conveying member and configured to clean the discharge portion by scraping the toner on the discharge portion based on a rotation of the conveying member.

A developing device includes a housing, a developing roller, a developer conveying section, and a conveying screw. The developing roller includes a stationary magnet, and a sleeve rotatable around the stationary magnet. The developing roller faces a photoconductive drum. The developer conveying section is disposed below the developing roller for circularly conveying developer therein. The conveying screw conveys developer to supply developer to the developing roller. The stationary magnet includes a separation pole for producing a magnetic field that causes separation of developer from the sleeve. The housing includes a standing wall disposed downstream of the developing position in a rotational direction of the sleeve and facing the developing roller. The standing wall is formed with at least one opening that faces the separation pole in a horizontal direction. The developing device further includes at least one filter section covering the at least one opening.

A configuration in which an opening is covered with a plurality of partition members is provided, and timings of causing the partition members to move are differentiated, so that torque is reduced.

Provided is an elastic member which is obtained by forming a resin coating layer on at least a part of the surface of a base that is formed of an elastic material, and which is characterized in that the resin coating layer is a coating film that contains 1.5-45 parts by mass of a low-friction powder per 100 parts by mass of a base resin and has a 100% modulus of 22-30 MPa. This elastic member has a resin coating layer that has a good balance between film formability and low friction, and is suitable as a sealing member for an opening part of a toner container that is provided on a toner cartridge of a printer, a copy machine or the like.

A developer cartridge includes a developer container, a casing, a sealing member, and a drive input. The developer container is configured to sealingly contain developer therein. The developer container has an outlet through which the developer flows out of the developer container. The casing is configured to accommodate the developer container therein. The casing supports the developer container to allow the developer container to rotate about an axis thereof in a rotating direction. The sealing member is configured to seal the outlet. The drive input is configured to transmit rotational driving force to the developer container. The sealing member is fixed to the casing.

A developing cartridge includes: a casing; a developer container; a developing roller; an unsealing mechanism; a first rotary body; a second rotary body; and a delayed transmission mechanism. The developer container is sealed to accommodate developer. The unsealing mechanism unseals the developer container. The first rotary body is provided at the unsealing mechanism. A drive force from a drive source is transmitted to the first rotary body and the second rotary body. The second rotary body transmits the drive force to the developing roller. The delayed transmission mechanism delays transmission of the drive force to the second rotary body for at least a prescribed time after transmission of the drive force to the first rotary body is initiated. The prescribed time is equivalent to a time that elapses from a moment the unsealing mechanism begins rotating to a moment the unsealing mechanism has unsealed the developer container.

When, in a state where a developer borne by a developer bearing member is sandwiched by an opposing portion of an image bearing member and the developer bearing member, C denotes capacitance between the image bearing member and the developer bearing member, ΔV denotes a development contrast, Q/S denotes a charge amount per unit area of the developer borne by the developer bearing member, and Δv denotes a peripheral velocity ratio which is a ratio of a peripheral velocity of the developer bearing member to a peripheral velocity of the image bearing member, a first peripheral velocity ratio is set so that |Q/S×Δv|≦|C×ΔV| is satisfied, and a second peripheral velocity ratio which is larger than the first peripheral velocity ratio is set so that |Q/S×Δv|>|C×ΔV| is satisfied.

A powder container case includes a first member, a second member, a main joint, and an additional joint. The first member and the second member are joined to form an edge portion of a case opening. The main joint is disposed between the first member and the second member, and has an end portion at the edge portion of the case opening. The additional joint is disposed adjacent to the end portion of the main joint.

A developing device includes: a housing in which a developer is contained; a cover member configured to cover an upper opening of the housing; a developer holder that is supported by the housing and holds the developer on an outer surface and rotates; a regulating member that faces the developer holder and configured to regulate an amount of the developer on the outer surface; a first exit path inclined toward an inside of the housing and configured to exit air from the inside of the housing to an outside of the cover member; and a second exit path that connects the first exit path and a filter member provided on the cover member, the filter member preventing passage of the developer and allowing passage of the air.

An example developing device includes a housing to contain a developer and having an opening, a developing sleeve provided in the housing and partially exposed to the outside of the housing through the opening, a magnetic member including a plurality of magnetic poles and located inside the developing sleeve, and an elastic member blocking an inflow of air through a space between a downstream edge of the opening in a rotation direction of the developing sleeve and an outer circumferential surface of the developing sleeve. The elastic member includes a fixed portion fixed to the housing at a position adjacent to the downstream edge of the opening and an extension portion extending from the fixed portion in a bent form in the rotation direction of the developing sleeve to be elastically in contact with the surface of the developing sleeve.