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 toner case includes a case main body, a conveying member and a transmitting member. The case main body is configured to store a toner and has a discharge port for the toner. The conveying member is configured to rotate around a rotation axis extending along a rotation axis direction and to convey the toner in the case main body to the discharge port. The transmitting member is configured to transmit rotation to the conveying member. The conveying member is movable along the rotation axis direction with respect to the transmitting member between a coupling position where the conveying member is coupled to the transmitting member and a release position where a coupling of the conveying member to the transmitting member is released.

A developing cartridge includes: a casing; a first gear; a second gear; a cover; a link; and an urging member engaging with the second gear and the link. The second gear is rotatable from a first position to a second position in accordance with the first gear when the second gear engages with the first gear. The link is movable together with rotation of the second gear and pivotally movable relative to the second gear. The link has: a first state where a distal end portion of the link contacts the cover; and a second state where the link pivotally moves relative to the second gear. The first state is provided due to resilient deformation of the urging member in the first position of the second gear. The second state is provided due to a restoring force of the urging member in the second position of the second gear.

An image forming apparatus includes a developing device including a developing roller and a storage frame including a storage portion, a body frame with an opening, a toner cartridge which is configured to store the toner, which is attachable to and detachable from the developing device through the opening, which is movable to an attached position and a retracted position where the toner cartridge is retracted from the attached position, with respect to the storage frame, and which is configured to supply the toner to the storage portion in a state in which the toner cartridge is at the attached position, a moving device configured to move the toner cartridge from the attached position to the retracted position and move the toner cartridge from the retracted position to the attached position, and a driving device including a drive source and configured to drive the moving device.

An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge storage portion that is installed in an image forming apparatus main body, and a toner cartridge that is configured so as to be able to be inserted into and removed from the cartridge storage portion. The cartridge storage portion has a storage opening that receives the toner cartridge, and has a gap between an end part of the toner cartridge and the storage opening, through which the end part of the toner cartridge is not able to be held, when the toner cartridge is stored in the cartridge storage portion.

A toner container includes containing chambers, a shaft member, rotary members, and stirring members. The containing chambers are arrayed in a first direction and partitioned from each other. The containing chambers contain respective toners of different colors. The shaft member extends in the first direction, passes through the containing chambers, and is rotatable about a rotational axis extending in the first direction. The rotary members are disposed in the respective containing chambers and each have a through-hole extending in the first direction. The rotary members are rotatable in response to rotation of the shaft member in an inserted state of the shaft member in the through-holes. The stirring members are supported by the respective rotary members and each extend in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The stirring members are pivotable in response to rotation of the respective rotary members. The stirring members have different pivoting positions upon pivoting.

A toner container includes containing chambers, a shaft member, rotary members, and stirring members. The containing chambers are arrayed in a first direction and partitioned from each other. The containing chambers contain respective toners of different colors. The shaft member extends in the first direction, passes through the containing chambers, and is rotatable about a rotational axis extending in the first direction. The rotary members are disposed in the respective containing chambers and each have a through-hole extending in the first direction. The rotary members are rotatable in response to rotation of the shaft member in an inserted state of the shaft member in the through-holes. The stirring members are supported by the respective rotary members and each extend in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The stirring members are pivotable in response to rotation of the respective rotary members. The stirring members have different pivoting positions upon pivoting.

A toner container is for mounting to a mounting portion of an image forming apparatus along a mounting direction. The toner container includes a container body and an engaging protrusion. The container body houses a toner and rotates. The engaging protrusion projects from an outer peripheral surface of the container body. The engaging protrusion has a spiral pattern and rotates integrally with the container body. The mounting portion includes a lock portion is engageable with the engaging protrusion. Rotation of the container body and the engaging protrusion in one rotation direction in a state where removal of the toner container from the mounting portion is permitted causes the toner container to move to a back side (downstream) in the mounting direction while shifting an engaging part of the engaging protrusion relative to the lock portion to restrict the removal of the toner container from the mounting portion.

A toner container according to one example embodiment includes an alignment guide for contacting an electrical connector of an image forming device during insertion of the toner container into the image forming device to move the electrical connector of the image forming device relative to the toner container during insertion of the toner container into the image forming device with the first end of the body leading in order to align the electrical connector of the image forming device with an electrical contact of the toner container.

An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge storage portion that is installed in an image forming apparatus main body, and a toner cartridge that is configured so as to be able to be inserted into and removed from the cartridge storage portion. The cartridge storage portion has a storage opening that receives the toner cartridge, and has a gap between an end part of the toner cartridge and the storage opening, through which the end part of the toner cartridge is not able to be held, when the toner cartridge is stored in the cartridge storage portion.