US 12,321,111 B2
Image forming apparatus
Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Tokyo (JP); Masaaki Sato, Kanagawa (JP); Hiroshi Takarada, Kanagawa (JP); Koji Fujinaka, Tokyo (JP); Akitoshi Toyota, Kanagawa (JP); Yuichiro Inaba, Kanagawa (JP); Kenichi Iida, Tokyo (JP); and Susumu Nittani, Shizuoka (JP)
Assigned to CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Oct. 6, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/377,373.
Application 18/377,373 is a continuation of application No. 17/945,238, filed on Sep. 15, 2022, granted, now 11,809,095.
Application 17/945,238 is a continuation of application No. 17/473,131, filed on Sep. 13, 2021, granted, now 11,487,222, issued on Nov. 1, 2022.
Application 17/473,131 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2020/011084, filed on Mar. 13, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-049215 (JP), filed on Mar. 15, 2019; and application No. 2020-042022 (JP), filed on Mar. 11, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0036497 A1, Feb. 1, 2024
Int. Cl. G03G 15/08 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/0889 (2013.01) [G03G 15/0865 (2013.01); G03G 15/0877 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image forming apparatus to and from which a replenishment container accommodating developer is attachable and detachable and which executes an image formation in which a developer image is formed on a recording material, the image forming apparatus comprising:
(i) an image bearing member which is rotatable while bearing the developer image;
(ii) a developer bearing member which is rotatable about a first rotational axis, bears the developer and supplies the developer to the image bearing member;
(iii) a developer container including:
an accommodating portion which accommodates the developer to be borne on the developer bearing member; and
a replenishment port to and from which the replenishment container is attachable and detachable and through which the accommodating portion is replenished with the developer from the replenishment container;
(iv) an agitation member which is rotatable about a second rotational axis extending in a direction of the first rotational axis to agitate the developer accommodated in the accommodating portion, the agitation member including a shaft and a flexible sheet fixed to the shaft;
(v) an opening/closing member which is movable between a closed position where the opening/closing member closes the replenishment port and an open position where the opening/closing member opens the replenishment port; and
(vi) a control portion which controls driving of the agitation member,
wherein execution of the image formation is possible when the opening/closing member is at the closed position,
wherein the execution of the image formation is not possible when the opening/closing member is at the open position, and
wherein the driving of the agitation member is possible in a state that the opening/closing member is at the open position.