The present disclosure provides a developer supply container and a developer supply method using the same. The developer supply container includes a container body, a piston rod and a piston sealing element. The piston sealing element is inserted into the container body; an outer side of an end of the piston rod is fixedly connected with a bolt; a first conductive iron sheet is provided near to a front side of an end of the bolt, a lower side of the first conductive iron sheet is provided with a second conductive iron sheet, and an end of each of the first conductive iron sheet and the second conductive iron sheet is electrically coupled with a processor chip fixed at the container body; and the end of the container body away from the piston rod is provided with a powder outlet deviating from a center of the container body.

A toner container includes a housing having a toner reservoir. An input gear is positioned on the housing for mating with a corresponding output gear in an image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device. A toner agitator is movably positioned in the reservoir. The toner agitator is operatively connected to the input gear such that rotation of the input gear in a first rotational direction causes movement of the toner agitator for agitating toner in the reservoir. An encoded member is encoded with authentication information of the toner container and is operatively connected to the input gear such that rotation of the input gear in a second rotational direction causes movement of the encoded member for communicating the authentication information of the toner container to a controller of the image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device.

A toner container includes a housing having a toner reservoir. An input gear is positioned on the housing for mating with a corresponding output gear in an image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device. A toner agitator is movably positioned in the reservoir. The toner agitator is operatively connected to the input gear such that rotation of the input gear in a first rotational direction causes movement of the toner agitator for agitating toner in the reservoir. An encoded member is encoded with authentication information of the toner container and is operatively connected to the input gear such that rotation of the input gear in a second rotational direction causes movement of the encoded member for communicating the authentication information of the toner container to a controller of the image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device.

An image forming apparatus on which a developer container is replaceably mounted and which is improved in usability. An image forming unit of the apparatus forms an image using developer contained in a container which is mounted on a mount section. A replenishment mechanism replenishes the developer in the container to the image forming unit, and a cover is opened to mount the container on the mount section and is closed to protect the container mounted on the mount section. If the cover is opened after it is closed in a state in which the container has been removed from the mount section while a predetermined condition related to a remaining amount of the developer in the container is not satisfied, a remount screen is displayed for prompting a user to remount the removed container.

A toner cartridge includes a cylinder having an opening and accommodating carbon powder, a transmission member having a pipe portion sleeved onto the cylinder, an end portion and at least one outlet communicating with the opening, a powder guiding member having a main body disposed at the end portion and blades extended from the main body radially, a powder storing cover having a cover body sleeved onto the pipe portion, a powder exiting passage located under the powder guiding member and a powder exit provided on the bottom side of the cover body and communicating with the powder exiting passage, and a spring. As a result, when the blades stir the spring, the carbon powder accumulating in the powder exiting passage can be vibrated, so the carbon powder remaining near the powder exit can be effectively reduced and the powder exit can be prevented from being blocked.

A toner cartridge includes a housing configured to contain toner. The housing includes a main body, a first side plate, and a second side plate. The main body has a tubular shape extending in a first direction. The main body is made of paper. The first side plate is located at one end of the main body in the first direction. The first side plate is made of resin. The second side plate located at an other end of the main body in the first direction. The second side plate is made of resin. The main body includes a peripheral surface having a discharge opening. The discharge opening is configured to discharge toner in the housing.

A toner container is attachable to and detachable from a body of an image forming apparatus and includes a substantially cylindrical container body and a substantially cylindrical cap. The container body conveys toner stored inside the container body. The cap has a through hole through which a toner conveying nozzle disposed in the body of the image forming apparatus is to be inserted into the container body. The through hole is in a central portion of the cap. The cap has a fitted portion to be fitted with a fitting portion disposed in the body of the image forming apparatus to position the cap non-rotatably to the body of the image forming apparatus. The fitted portion is disposed in each of an upper portion and a lower portion of the cap when the cap is attached to the body of the image forming apparatus.

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.

A toner cartridge includes a cylinder having an opening and accommodating carbon powder, a transmission member having a pipe portion sleeved onto the cylinder, an end portion and at least one outlet communicating with the opening, a powder guiding member having a main body disposed at the end portion and blades extended from the main body radially, a powder storing cover having a cover body sleeved onto the pipe portion, a powder exiting passage located under the powder guiding member and a powder exit provided on the bottom side of the cover body and communicating with the powder exiting passage, and a spring. As a result, when the blades stir the spring, the carbon powder accumulating in the powder exiting passage can be vibrated, so the carbon powder remaining near the powder exit can be effectively reduced and the powder exit can be prevented from being blocked.

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.