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 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 case includes a case main body, a rotator, a transmitter and a moving mechanism. The case main body stores a toner. The rotator is stored in the case main body and rotates around a rotation axis. The transmitter is arranged outside the case main body and transmits rotation to the rotator. The moving mechanism moves the transmitter between a first position and a second position which is arranged at an outside of the first position in a rotation axis direction of the rotator. The moving mechanism includes a holder holding the transmitter. As the holder moves with respect to the case main body, the transmitter moves between the first position and the second position.

An electrophotographic image forming device includes a replaceable unit having a body with a toner reservoir. A drive element on a rear end of the body is unobstructed to mesh with a corresponding drive element in the image forming device. A toner outlet port is positioned on a bottom of the body near the rear end of the body. A latch catch is positioned on a first side of the body to receive a corresponding latch when the replaceable unit is installed in the image forming device. A latch actuator at the front end of the body is movable between a home position and a releasing position. A release handle at the front end of the body is operatively connected to the latch actuator such that actuation of the release handle causes the latch actuator to move from the home position to the releasing position to unlatch the body.

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 cartridge, which is adapted to be removably disposed in an electronic imaging device having a driving gear and at least one supporting member, includes an accommodating part, a gear ring, at least one rolling path portion, and a sensing protrusion. The accommodating part has an opening. The gear ring is provided on the periphery of the accommodating part for being engaged with the driving gear. The rolling path portion is provided on the periphery of the accommodating part and arc-shaped for being abutted on the supporting member in a point-contact manner. The sensing protrusion is provided on the periphery of the accommodating part and located between two ends of the rolling path portion. As a result, the toner cartridge can be positioned positively and prevented from deflection during rotation.

A toner case includes a case main body, a rotator, a transmitter and a moving mechanism. The case main body stores a toner. The rotator is stored in the case main body and rotates around a rotation axis. The transmitter is arranged outside the case main body and transmits rotation to the rotator. The moving mechanism moves the transmitter between a first position and a second position which is arranged at an outside of the first position in a rotation axis direction of the rotator. The moving mechanism includes a holder holding the transmitter. As the holder moves with respect to the case main body, the transmitter moves between the first position and the second position.

An image forming apparatus includes a toner container, a container attachment portion, and a control portion. The toner container has a coupling portion. The container attachment portion includes a coupled portion that includes a first key member. A second key member of the coupling portion is formed at position where it does not interfere with the first key member in attachment state. The second key member is made of insulator. The coupled portion includes a contact terminal in which a contact is opened by the second key member and becomes OFF state when the toner container is inserted to attachment position, and the contact is closed and becomes ON state when the toner container is removed from the attachment position. The control portion detects the toner container attached to the container attachment portion when the contact of the contact terminal changes from the ON state to the OFF state.

A toner container installed in an image forming apparatus includes a toner container main body having a predetermined length and in which toner is accommodated, a discharge port through which the toner is discharged from the toner container main body, a shutter which opens and closes the discharge port, a handle provided on the toner container main body, and a pressed portion provided on the toner container main body and which is pressed by the image forming apparatus to project the handle out from the image forming apparatus.

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 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.