Toner container and image forming apparatus

Abstract

A toner container detachably attached to a toner-container holder of a main body of an image forming apparatus includes a container body that includes an opening, and discharges toner contained in the container body, from the opening; and a held portion that is held by the toner-container holder in a non-rotating manner. The held portion includes an open/close member for opening/closing the toner outlet in synchronization with an attachment/detachment operation of the held portion to/from the toner-container holder.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A storage and dispensing device for toner, comprising:
 a cap portion through which toner is dispensed, the cap portion having at least a portion which is cylindrical-shaped; and 
 a storage volume connected to the cap portion, a portion of the storage volume being disposed within an interior of the cylindrical-shaped portion, and 
 a longitudinal axis,  
 the cap portion including: 
 a front portion which includes a section which is at least partially cylindrical and has a radius; 
 a first pair of flat vertical exterior surfaces which are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the storage and dispensing device, disposed below the section which is at least partially cylindrical, the first pair of flat vertical exterior surfaces disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the storage and dispensing device; 
 a second pair of flat vertical exterior surfaces which are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the storage and dispensing device, disposed below the first pair of vertical surfaces, the second pair of flat vertical exterior surfaces disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the storage and dispensing device; and 
 a projection on an exterior of the cap portion, the projection corresponding to a particular color of toner, a thickness of the projection in a vertical direction being less than or equal to a the radius of the cylindrical-shaped portion section which is at least partially cylindrical, 
 the storage and dispensing device further comprising a storage volume connected to the cap portion, a portion of the storage volume being disposed within an interior of the section which is at least partially cylindrical, 
 wherein a distance from a center of the cylindrical-shaped front portion of the cap portion to an outer edge of the projection is at least 15% greater than a the radius of the cylindrical-shaped portion section which is at least partially cylindrical, 
 wherein the each flat vertical surface of the first pair of flat vertical surfaces is closer to a vertical line at a front portion of the cap portion than each flat vertical surface of the second pair of flat vertical surfaces, the vertical line being centered relative to the front portion of the cap, 
 wherein a profile, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, of the projection includes an upper horizontal line including an outer end, a lower horizontal line including an outer end, and a convex line which is an outer edge of the projection connecting the outer end of the upper horizontal line with the outer end of the lower horizontal line. 
 
     
     
       2. The storage and dispensing device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the storage and dispensing device is for use in a machine which uses at least two different color toners, and 
 anthe outer edge of the projection has a minimum distance from a center of the cylindrical-shapedfront portion of the cap portion which is greater than a largest radius of a cylindrical-shapedfront portion of the cap portion of any other toner storage and dispensing device of the machine. 
 
     
     
       3. The storage and dispensing device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a distance from a center of the cylindrical-shaped front portion of the cap portion to an the outer edge of the projection is at least 25% greater than a the radius of the cylindrical-shaped portion section which is at least partially cylindrical. 
 
     
     
       4. The storage and dispensing device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a distance from a center of the cylindrical-shaped front portion of the cap portion to an the outer edge of the projection is at least 35% greater than a the radius of the cylindrical-shaped portion section which is at least partially cylindrical, 
 a distance from a center of the cylindrical-shaped cap portion to an outer edge of the projection is at least 35% greater than a radius of the cylindrical-shaped portion. 
 
     
     
       5. The storage and dispensing device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 toner stored with the storage and dispensing device. 
 
     
     
       6. The storage and dispensing device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second projection on an exterior of the cap, the second projection in combination with said projection corresponding to a particular color of toner, a distance from a center of the cylindrical-shaped front portion of the cap portion to an outer edge of the second projection is at least 15% greater than a the radius of the cylindrical-shaped portion section which is at least partially cylindrical. 
 
     
     
       7. The storage and dispensing device according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 a distance from a center of the cylindrical-shaped front portion of the cap portion to an the outer edge of each of the two projections is at least 25% greater than a radius of the cylindrical-shaped portion section which is at least partially cylindrical. 
 
     
     
       8. The storage and dispensing device according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 a distance from a center of the cylindrical-shaped front portion of the cap portion to an the outer edge of each of the two projections is at least 35% greater than a radius of the cylindrical-shaped portion section which is at least partially cylindrical. 
 
     
     
       9. The storage and dispensing device according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 a sum of thicknesses of the two projections in a vertical direction being less than or equal to a radius of the cylindrical-shaped portion section which is at least partially cylindrical. 
 
     
     
       10. A storage device for toner, comprising:
 a storage volume to store toner;   an end, connected to the storage volume, through which toner is dispensed and including a front portion which includes a section which is at least partially cylindrical, the end including an exterior;   a longitudinal axis;   a first pair of flat vertical exterior surfaces which are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the storage device, disposed below the section which is at least partially cylindrical, the first pair of flat vertical exterior surfaces disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis;   a second pair of flat vertical exterior surfaces which are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the storage device, disposed below the first pair of flat vertical surfaces, the second pair of flat vertical exterior surfaces disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the storage device; and   a projection at an exterior of the storage device, the projection corresponding to a particular color of toner, a thickness of the projection in a vertical direction being less than or equal to a distance from a center of the end to the exterior of the end, the projection including an outer edge at an outer circumferential portion thereof, the outer edge of the projection being further from the longitudinal axis than an outer surface of the partially cylindrical section is from the longitudinal axis,   wherein a distance from the center of the end to the outer edge of the projection at the outer circumferential portion is at least 15% greater than a distance from the center of the end to the outer circumferential portion where the projection does not exist, and   wherein each flat vertical surface of the first pair of flat vertical surfaces is closer to a vertical line at the front portion of the end than each flat vertical surface of the second pair of flat vertical surfaces, the vertical line being centered relative to the front portion of the end,   wherein a profile, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, of the projection includes an upper horizontal line including an outer end, a lower horizontal line including an outer end, and a convex line which is the outer edge of the projection connecting the outer end of the upper horizontal line with the outer end of the lower horizontal line.   
     
     
       11. The storage device according to claim 10, wherein:
 the storage device is for use in a machine which uses at least two different color toners, and   the outer edge of the projection has a minimum distance from the center of the end which is greater than a largest distance from the center of the end to the outer circumferential portion where the projection does not exist of any other toner storage device of the machine.   
     
     
       12. The storage device according to claim 10, wherein:
 a distance from the center of the end to the outer edge of the projection is at least 25% greater than a distance from the center of the end to the outer circumferential portion where the projection does not exist.   
     
     
       13. The storage device according to claim 10, wherein:
 a distance from the center of the end to the outer edge of the projection is at least 35% greater than a distance from the center of the end to the outer circumferential portion where the projection does not exist.   
     
     
       14. The storage device according to claim 10, further comprising:
 toner stored within the storage device.   
     
     
       15. The storage device according to claim 10, further comprising:
 a second projection at an exterior of the storage device, the second projection in combination with said projection corresponding to a particular color of toner, a distance from the center of the end to an outer edge of the second projection at an outer circumferential portion of the second projection is at least 15% greater than a distance from the center of the end to the outer circumferential portion where the projections do not exist,   a second projection on an exterior of the end, the second projection in combination with said projection corresponding to a particular color of toner, a distance from the center of the end to an outer edge of the second projection at an outer circumferential portion of the second projection is at least 15% greater than a distance from the center of the end to the outer circumferential portion where the projections do not exist.   
     
     
       16. The storage device according to claim 15, wherein:
 a distance from the center of the end to the outer edges of each of the two projections is at least 25% greater than a distance from the center of the end to the outer circumferential portion where the projections do not exist.   
     
     
       17. The storage device according to claim 15, wherein:
 a distance from the center of the end to the outer edges of each of the two projections is at least 35% greater than a distance from the center of the end to the outer circumferential portion where the projections do not exist.   
     
     
       18. The storage device according to claim 15, wherein:
 a sum of thicknesses of the two projections in a vertical direction is less than or equal to a distance from the center of the end the outer circumferential portion where the projections do not exist.   
     
     
       19. The storage device according to claim 10, wherein:
 the end comprises a cap.   
     
     
       20. The storage device according to claim 10, wherein:
 a portion of the storage volume is disposed within an interior of the end.   
     
     
       21. The storage and dispensing device according to claim 1, further comprising
 a chip on an electronic substrate, the electronic substrate facing forward along the longitudinal axis of the storage and dispensing device.   
     
     
       22. The storage and dispensing device according to claim 21, wherein:
 the chip on the electronic substrate is disposed at a front of the storage and dispensing device.   
     
     
       23. The storage device according to claim 10, wherein:
 the front portion further includes a chip on an electronic substrate, the electronic substrate facing forward along the longitudinal axis of the storage device.   
     
     
       24. The storage device according to claim 23, wherein:
 the chip on the electronic substrate is disposed at a front of the storage device.   
     
     
       25. The storage device according to claim 10, further comprising:
 a pair of flat horizontal surfaces which connect the first pair of flat vertical surfaces and the second pair of flat vertical surfaces.   
     
     
       26. The storage and dispensing device according to claim 1, further comprising:
 a pair of flat horizontal surfaces which connect the first pair of flat vertical surfaces and the second pair of flat vertical surfaces.