JP2003280346A - Developer cartridge and developer replenishing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve workability in the attachment of a developer cartridge and the sealing property of the cartridge. <P>SOLUTION: A cap covering over a developer discharge port is constituted to freely rotate, and can move to slide when it rotates by a specified angle. The cap is rotated interlocked with action to push the cartridge by a guide barrel provided in an image forming apparatus main body, and moved to slide by pushing the cartridge further after it is rotated by the specified angle, whereby the developer discharge port is exposed. The developer discharge port is hermetically sealed by contrary action interlocked with action to pull out the cartridge. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a developer cartridge containing a developer and having an openable / closable discharge port, and a developer replenishing device for mounting the developer cartridge and supplying the developer to a developer receiving portion. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a means for replenishing a developer from a developer cartridge containing a developer to a developer accommodating portion of an image forming apparatus, a developer cartridge is set in an apparatus main body when replenishing the developer, There has been a type in which all the developer in the developer cartridge is replenished to the developer receiving portion, and when the replenishment is completed, the developer cartridge is removed from the apparatus main body. However, the replenishment method of the above-mentioned type may replenish the developer to the developer receiving portion at one time, so that the developer may overflow from the developer receiving portion, and a means for preventing excessive replenishment of the developer should be provided. I had to set it up.

However, it is difficult to prevent oversupply,
Further, even if the means for preventing excessive replenishment can be installed in the main body of the apparatus, the cost and size of the apparatus are increased. Therefore, set the developer cartridge that has a spiral protrusion inside the container approximately horizontally to the main body of the device, and rotate it around the central axis of the developer cartridge as the center of rotation to discharge the developer from the developer discharge port of the developer cartridge. The type that replenishes the developer to the developer receiving section, or the inside of the container is provided with a screw or a rotating splash with an inclined surface, and the developer cartridge is set almost horizontally with respect to the main body of the device. A type has been developed in which a screw or a rotary splash is rotated about the rotation center to discharge the developer from the developer discharge port of the developer cartridge and supply the developer to the developer receiving portion. In this type, the developer cartridge is always installed in the main body of the device, so when the developer in the developer receiving section is reduced, the developer cartridge or screw or rotating blade is rotated at any time to develop in the developer receiving section. Since the developer can be replenished, it is not necessary to prevent the above-mentioned excessive replenishment of the developer.

[0004]

However, the conventional developer cartridge still has the following problems.

In the developer replenishing device, for example, when the developer cartridge is attached or detached, the developer overflows into the cartridge mounting portion, and when a new developer cartridge is tried to be mounted in this state, air existing between the developer cartridge and the cartridge mounting portion is present. There is a possibility that the toner will be ejected by the mounting operation and the overflowed developer will be scattered to the user side.

A developer cartridge containing a developer is mounted in a cartridge mounting portion installed in the image forming apparatus, and a screw or a rotating spring in the developer cartridge rotates to cause the developer installed in the image forming apparatus. In the image forming apparatus that replenishes the developer to the receiving portion, the developer may not be properly replenished to the developer receiving portion depending on the position of the mounted developer cartridge. It was troublesome to do the special act of setting.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems in a developer cartridge, and an object thereof is to improve workability and sealability when mounting the developer cartridge.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a developer cartridge and a developer replenishing device having the following features.

(1) In a developer cartridge which is mounted on an image forming apparatus and supplies a developer to the image forming apparatus by rotating a screw or a rotary vane having an inclined surface, the developer discharge port of the developer cartridge is The provided developer discharge part is formed in a cylinder, the developer discharge cover is rotatably provided so as to cover the developer discharge port, and the guide pin for rotating the developer discharge cover is the developer discharge cover. At least one developer cartridge is provided on the developer cartridge mounting portion provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus, and is provided with positioning means for guiding the developer cartridge in a predetermined phase. It is installed on both sides and the developer cartridge of the image forming apparatus main body is received by pushing the developer cartridge according to the positioning means. The guide groove of the developer discharge port cover fitted on the guide groove formed on the guide cylinder provided in the container is fitted, and the developer discharge port cover is rotated in association with the pushing operation, At least 1 in the developer discharge part after rotating by
The lock key provided on the one side and the lock groove provided on the developer discharge port cover in the same number as the lock keys are in the same phase, so that the developer discharge port cover can be slid and moved, and the developer cartridge is further pushed. As a result, the developer discharge port cover is slid to expose the developer discharge port.

(2) A means for urging the developer outlet cover in the direction of closing the developer outlet is provided between the developer outlet cover and the developer cartridge. Developer cartridge.

(3) The center of rotation of the screw or the rotary vane having an inclined surface provided in the developer cartridge is set substantially concentric with the cylinder of the developer discharge portion, and the rotary shafts of the screw and the rotary blade are the developer discharge portion. And a drive transmission means for rotating the screw and the rotary blade provided at the tip of the developer discharge portion and at the tip of the rotary shaft of the screw and the rotary blade. The developer cartridge according to (1) or (2) above.

(4) In the developer cartridge which is mounted on the image forming apparatus and supplies the developer to the image forming apparatus by rotating a screw or a rotary vane having an inclined surface, the developer discharge port of the developer cartridge is The provided developer discharge part is formed in a cylinder, the developer discharge cover is rotatably provided so as to cover the developer discharge port, and the guide pin for rotating the developer discharge cover is the developer discharge cover. At least one guide cylinder is provided on the side of the developer receiving portion where the developer discharging portion is guided, and a guide cylinder having a guide groove formed in a substantially spiral shape for rotating the developer discharging outlet cover is provided. The guide groove of the guide cylinder has a V-shaped guide groove entrance so that the guide pin can be guided in any phase, and the developer outlet cover is reversely rotated with respect to the guide groove rotation direction. A rotation stopper for stopping the rotation and a rotation stopper for stopping the rotation after rotating by a predetermined angle, and the rotation angle of the guide groove is set to be equal to or larger than a predetermined rotation angle of the developer discharge port cover. The cover is interlocked with the operation of pushing the developer cartridge, and the guide pin is guided along the substantially spiral guide groove to stop the rotation after a predetermined rotation angle, and the lock is provided on the developer outlet cover. When the groove and the lock key provided on the developer discharge portion are in phase with each other, it is configured to be thrust-movable with respect to the developer discharge portion. By further pushing the developer cartridge, the developer discharge port is exposed. Characteristic developer cartridge.

(5) A means for urging the developer discharge port cover in a direction of closing the developer discharge port is provided between the developer discharge port cover and the developer cartridge. Developer cartridge.

(6) The center of rotation of the screw or rotary vane having an inclined surface provided in the developer cartridge is set to be substantially concentric with the cylinder of the developer discharge portion, and the rotary shafts of the screw and the rotary blade are the developer discharge portion. And a drive transmission means for rotating the screw and the rotary blade provided at the tip of the developer discharge portion and at the tip of the rotary shaft of the screw and the rotary blade. The developer cartridge according to (4) or (5) above.

(Working) By having the above-mentioned structure, the sealing property of the developer discharge port of the developer cartridge is improved,
It is possible to prevent the developer from overflowing into the developer cartridge mounting portion at the time of attachment / detachment. As a result, it is possible to prevent the user from being contaminated by the developer due to the attachment / detachment operation at the time of attachment / detachment of the developer cartridge, thereby improving usability. Further, since the developer cartridge can be easily mounted without causing mounting failure, the workability of cartridge replacement is improved, and thus the workability of the image forming apparatus main body is improved.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (Embodiment 1) An embodiment of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic structure of a developer cartridge to which the present invention is applied. First, the schematic configuration of the copying machine will be described with reference to FIG. The copying machine 10 shown in FIG. 14 is provided with an automatic document feeder 13 on the upper part of a copying machine main body 11 which can automatically open and close a document on a document table 12 which is a reading position so as to be opened and closed. Therefore, the document can be set on the document table 12 at the reading position automatically by using the automatic document feeder 13, or the user can open and close the automatic document feeder 13. Alternatively, the original may be set directly on the original table 12.

An optical reading system 14 for reading an image of a document is arranged below the document table 12. The optical reading system 14 is a light source that moves along the document table 12 and irradiates the image surface of a document set on the document table 12 with light, and its reflected light (image light) is an image reading device.
It has a mirror and a lens that lead to 14a. The image read by the image reading device 14a is converted into an electrical signal and transmitted to the image writing device 14b, and the image reading device 14b uses the received signal as a basis for the photosensitive drum 1
An electrostatic image is formed on 5.

Around the photosensitive drum 15 of the image forming section, a charging means 16 as a process means and a developing means 1 are provided.
7, a cleaning unit 18, a transfer unit 19 and the like are provided. In this image forming section, first, the surface of the photoconductor drum 15 is uniformly charged by the charging means 16, and the image writing device 14 is formed on the photoconductor drum 15.
The image read by b is irradiated to form a latent image. Then, the latent image is developed by the developing means 17 and a toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 15. The sheet material S is fed in in synchronization with this image forming operation, and the toner image on the photosensitive drum 15 is transferred by the transfer means 19. The toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 15 after the transfer is removed by the cleaning unit 18.

The sheet material S is accommodated in cassettes 1, 2, 3, 4 as sheet material accommodating devices that are installed in the lower portion of the copying machine main body 11 so as to be drawn out and accommodated therein, or side portions of the copying machine main body 11 ( It is housed in a large-capacity deck 5 which is detachably mounted on the right side in FIG. These sheet materials S of various sizes are selectively fed by a pickup roller 6 and a feeding roller pair 7 which are individually provided as feeding means, and are fed one by one from the top. It will be sent. The sheet material S includes a pair of transport rollers 20 and a pair of registration rollers 21 as transport means.
Then, the toner image is transferred to the image forming section and the toner image is transferred as described above. After the transfer, the sheet material S is sent to the fixing means 23 by the conveyor belt 22,
The toner image is fixed. After the fixing, the sheet material S is discharged to the outside of the machine by the discharge roller pair 24.

Here, in the case of recording and forming an image on both sides of the sheet material, a flapper disposed on the front side of the discharge roller pair 24, a reversal conveyance means 26 including a reversal roller pair, etc. The sheet material S after the fixing is turned upside down and fed to the re-conveyance path 27, and is re-fed to the image forming section by the pair of conveyance rollers 28 to 31 as a conveyance means. The sheet material S sent to the image forming unit is discharged to the outside of the machine after being transferred and fixed as described above.

In the main body 11 of the copying machine, a developer cartridge 8 containing a developer for supplying a developer for image formation to the developing means 17 is provided substantially above the developing means 17. The developer is supplied to the developing means in an amount required.

Next, the structure of the developer cartridge 8 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, at least one developer cartridge 8 is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the cartridge body.
One cartridge guide key 401 is provided, and a guide groove 402 is provided in the developer cartridge mounting portion 403 provided in the basic copying body. Further, the developer discharge portion 404 of the developer cartridge 8 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and at least one developer discharge port 405 shown in FIG. 4 is provided vertically downward with respect to the developer discharge portion 404. The developer discharge port 405 is closed by a rotatable developer discharge port cover 406, and the developer discharge port cover 406 has at least one guide pin 407 for rotating the developer discharge port cover in the radial direction. One is provided. A guide groove 503 for guiding and rotating the guide pin 407 is provided in a cylindrical guide tube 502 provided in a developer receiving portion 501 provided in the copying basic body, and as shown in FIG. The guide pin 407 rotates the developer discharge port cover 406 in conjunction with the pushing operation of the developer cartridge 8.
At this time, the developer discharge port 405 is still in the developer receiving portion 501.
Not exposed inside. At least one lock key 408 for preventing the developer discharge port cover 406 from moving in the thrust direction is provided in the developer discharge portion 404 in the radial direction, and the developer discharge port cover 406 has a lock release groove 409 at a predetermined position. Is provided, and the developer discharge port cover 406 is configured to be movable in the thrust direction by engaging with the lock key 408 provided in the developer discharge portion 404 only at a predetermined position.

Next, the operation will be described. Interlocking with the operation of pushing the developer cartridge 8 shown in FIG. 1 to the set position, as shown in FIG. 3, the guide groove 503 of the guide cylinder 502 is shown.
Guide pin 40 on the developer outlet cover 406 according to
7 rotates the developer discharge port cover 406. At this time, the developer discharge port 405 is not exposed as shown in FIG. By rotating the developer discharge port cover 406,
As shown in FIG. 5, the lock release groove 409 and the lock key 408 are fitted together.
As shown in FIG. 4, the developer cartridge 8 is further pushed in, whereby the developer discharge port cover 406 is thrustly moved.
As shown in, the developer discharge port 405 is exposed. As a result, the developer from the developer cartridge 8 can be supplied to the developer receiving portion 501.

At the tip of the developer discharge portion 404, the developer filled in the developer cartridge 8 is filled with the developer discharge port 4
Drive transmission means 411 for rotating and driving a screw or a conveying rotary vane 410 having an inclined surface for conveying to the developer receiving unit 501 by setting the developer cartridge 8 at a predetermined position. The drive from the drive means (not shown) provided on the side can be transmitted. When removing the developer cartridge 8 from the main body of the copying machine, a shutter spring 412 for thrust-moving the developer discharge port cover 406 is attached to the developer discharge port cover 40.
6 is provided so as to urge the developer discharge port 405 in the direction of closing the developer discharge port 405, and the developer discharge port cover is guided by the lock key 408 and the lock release groove 409 in association with the removing operation by the biasing force of the shutter spring 412. The discharge port 405 is closed. Further, the guide pin 407 is interlocked with the removing operation (drawing operation of the developer cartridge 8).
2 is guided by the guide groove 503 and the developer discharge port cover 406 is rotated.
The developer discharge port 405 is closed by rotating the 06 to a position where thrust cannot be moved by the lock key 408, and the used developer cartridge 8 can be removed without contaminating the developer cartridge mounting portion 403 with the developer.

(Second Embodiment) A second embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The schematic structure of the copying machine is omitted. The developer discharging section 404 of the developer cartridge 8
Is formed into a cylinder, and the developer discharge port 4 is formed as shown in FIG.
A plurality of 05 are provided in the circumferential direction with respect to the developer discharging portion 404. Further, the developer discharge port 405 is closed by the rotatable developer discharge port cover 406, and the developer discharge port cover 40 is
6, at least one guide pin 407 for rotating the developer discharge port cover itself is provided in the radial direction.
As shown in FIG. 7, the developer discharge port cover 406 is provided with a stopper 4 so as not to rotate in the reverse direction with respect to the developer discharge portion 404.
13 are provided. A guide groove 503 for guiding and rotating a guide pin 407 is provided in a cylindrical guide tube 502 provided in a developer receiving portion 501 provided in the copying basic body, and an entrance of the guide groove 503 is provided. It is formed in a V shape.

As a result, the guide pin 407 is guided by the V-shaped inclined surface of the guide cylinder 502 and guided by the guide groove 503 in synchronism with the pushing operation of the developer cartridge 8 even if the phase is arbitrary, and then the guide groove 503. The developer discharge port cover 405 is rotated along. At least one lock key 408 for preventing the developer discharge port cover 406 from moving in the thrust direction is provided in the developer discharge portion 404 in the radial direction, and the developer discharge port cover 406 has a lock release groove 409 at a predetermined position. Is provided, and the developer discharge port cover 406 is configured to be movable in the thrust direction by engaging with the lock key 408 provided in the developer discharge portion 404 only at a predetermined position. As shown in FIG. 7, the developer discharge port cover 4
06 is provided with a stopper 414 so as not to rotate more than a rotation angle until the preset lock key 408 and lock release groove 409 are in phase, and a guide groove 503 for guiding and rotating the developer discharge port cover 406 is provided. The twist angle is set to be larger than the preset rotation angle of the developer discharge port cover 406.

Next, the operation will be described. As shown in FIG. 8, the guide pin 407 comes into contact with the V-shaped slope of the guide cylinder 502 in conjunction with the operation of pushing the developer cartridge 8 into the set position. When the developer cartridge is further pushed in that state, the developer discharge port cover 406 is rotated along the V-shaped slope on the guide cylinder 502. At this time, when the developer discharge port cover 406 is rotated in the opposite direction, as shown in FIG.
The developer cartridge 8 is reversely rotated together with the cartridge body by the reverse rotation stopper 413 shown in FIG. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 9, the guide pin 407 is guided to the guide groove 503 of the guide cylinder 502, and the developer cartridge 8
By pushing the guide groove 5 as shown in FIG.
03, the guide pin 407 on the developer discharge port cover 406 rotates the developer discharge port cover 406, and the lock release groove 409 and the lock key 408 are fitted together. At this time, as shown in FIG. 10, the developer discharge port 405 is not exposed in the developer receiving portion 501.

As shown in FIG. 13, by further pushing in the developer cartridge 8 from this state, the developer discharge port cover 406 thrust-moves in accordance with the lock key 408 and the lock release groove 409, and as shown in FIG. The discharge port 405 is exposed, and the developer in the developer cartridge 8 can be supplied to the developer receiving portion 501. Further, at the tip of the developer discharging portion 403, the screw or the conveying rotary vane 41 having an inclined surface shown in FIG. 1 for conveying the developer filled in the developer cartridge 8 to the developer discharging port 405.
Drive transmitting means 411 for rotationally driving 0 is provided, and by setting the developer cartridge 8 at a predetermined position, it is possible to transmit drive from a drive means (not shown) provided on the developer receiving portion 501 side. become.

When the developer cartridge 8 is removed from the main body of the copying machine, a shutter spring 412 for thrust-moving the developer discharge port cover 406 is provided with a developer discharge port cover 406.
Is provided so as to urge the developer discharge port 405 in the direction of closing the developer discharge port 405, and the developer discharge port cover 406 is locked by the biasing force of the shutter spring 412 in conjunction with the removal operation.
8 and the lock release groove 409, the developer discharge port 405 is guided.
Close up. Further, in conjunction with the further removing operation (drawing operation of the developer cartridge 8), the guide pin 407 is guided by the guide groove 503 provided in the guide cylinder 502 to rotate the developer discharge cover, and the developer discharge cover. Four
When the developer discharge port cover 406 is rotated to a position where the lock key 408 cannot move thrust, the developer discharge port 405 is sealed and the developer cartridge mounting portion 402 is not contaminated with the developer. 8 can be removed.

[0031]

As described above, the sealing property of the developer discharge port of the developer cartridge is improved so that the developer does not overflow into the developer cartridge mounting portion at the time of attachment / detachment. Improves usability by eliminating stains from the developer. Further, since the developer cartridge can be easily mounted without causing mounting failure, the workability of cartridge replacement is improved, and thus the workability of the image forming apparatus main body is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a developer cartridge according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a developer cartridge according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a developer cartridge according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a developer cartridge according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a developer cartridge according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a developer cartridge according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a developer discharge port cover according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a developer cartridge according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a developer cartridge according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a developer cartridge according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a developer cartridge according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a developer cartridge according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a developer cartridge according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus main body showing a schematic configuration of a copying machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Sheet material accommodation device 2: Sheet material accommodation device 3: Sheet material accommodation device 4: Sheet material accommodation device 5: Large capacity sheet material storage device 6: Pickup roller 7: Pair of feeding rollers 10: Image forming apparatus 11: Image forming apparatus main body 12: Platen 13: Automatic document feeder 14: Optical reading system 14a: Document reading device 14b: image writing device 15: Photosensitive drum 16: charging means 17: developing means 18: Cleaning device 19: Transfer device 20: Transport roller pair 21: Pair of cash register rollers 22: Conveyor belt 23: Fixing means 24: Ejection roller pair 26: Inversion transport means 27: Re-transportation path 28: Re-conveying roller pair 29: Re-conveying roller pair 30: Re-conveyance roller pair 31: Re-conveying roller pair 401: Cartridge guide key 402: Guide groove 403: Cartridge mounting part 404: developer discharge section 405: developer outlet 406: Developer outlet cover 407: Guide pin 408: Lock key 409: Lock release groove 410: Conveyor screw 411: Conveying screw driving means 412: spring 413: Reverse rotation stopper 414: Rotation stopper

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A developer cartridge which is mounted on an image forming apparatus and supplies a developer to the image forming apparatus by rotating a screw or a rotary vane having an inclined surface, wherein a developer discharge port of the developer cartridge is provided. The developer discharge part is formed in a cylinder, a developer discharge cover is rotatably provided so as to cover the developer discharge port, and a guide pin for rotating the developer discharge cover is provided on the developer discharge cover. At least one of which is provided to the developer cartridge mounting portion provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus, and is provided with positioning means for guiding the developer cartridge to a predetermined phase. The developer receiving portion of the image forming apparatus main body is provided on both sides, and the developer cartridge is pushed in according to the positioning means. The guide groove formed in a substantially spiral shape on the provided guide cylinder and the guide pin of the developer discharge port cover are fitted, and the developer discharge port cover is rotated in association with the pushing operation, and only at a predetermined angle. At least 1 in the developer discharge part after rotation
The lock key provided on the one side and the lock groove provided on the developer discharge port cover in the same number as the lock keys are in the same phase, so that the developer discharge port cover can be slid and moved, and the developer cartridge is further pushed. As a result, the developer discharge port cover is slid to expose the developer discharge port. 2. The developing device according to claim 1, wherein means for urging the developer discharge port cover in a direction of closing the developer discharge port is provided between the developer discharge port cover and the developer cartridge. Agent cartridge. 3. A screw provided in the developer cartridge or a rotary vane having an inclined surface has a center of rotation substantially concentric with a cylinder of the developer discharging portion, and a rotary shaft of the screw and the rotary feather of the developer discharging portion is provided. A drive transmission means for rotating the screw and the rotary vane is provided so as to penetrate the cylindrical portion in the thrust direction, and is provided at the tip of the developer discharging portion and at the tip of the rotary shaft of the screw and the rotary vane. The developer cartridge according to claim 1 or 2. 4. A developer cartridge, which is mounted on an image forming apparatus and supplies a developer to the image forming apparatus by rotating a screw or a rotary blade having an inclined surface, wherein a developer discharge port of the developer cartridge is provided. The developer discharge part is formed in a cylinder, a developer discharge cover is rotatably provided so as to cover the developer discharge port, and a guide pin for rotating the developer discharge cover is provided on the developer discharge cover. A guide cylinder provided with a guide groove formed in a substantially spiral shape for rotating the developer discharge port cover is provided on the side of the developer receiving portion where the developer discharge portion is guided. The guide groove entrance of the cylindrical guide groove is formed in a V shape so that the guide pin can be guided in any phase, and the developer discharge port cover does not rotate reversely with respect to the guide groove rotation direction. And a rotation stopper for stopping the rotation after rotating by a predetermined angle, the rotation angle of the guide groove is set to a predetermined rotation angle of the developer discharge port cover or more, and the developer discharge port cover Is a lock groove provided on the developer outlet cover, which is interlocked with the operation of pushing the developer cartridge, the guide pin is guided along the substantially spiral guide groove and stopped after rotating by a predetermined rotation angle. And the lock key provided on the developer discharging portion are in phase with each other, so that the developer discharge portion can be thrust-moved, and the developer discharging opening is exposed by further pushing the developer cartridge. And developer cartridge. 5. The developing device according to claim 4, further comprising means for urging the developer discharge port cover in a direction of closing the developer discharge port between the developer discharge port cover and the developer cartridge. Agent cartridge. 6. A screw provided in the developer cartridge or a rotary vane having an inclined surface has a center of rotation substantially concentric with a cylinder of the developer discharge portion, and a rotary shaft of the screw and the rotary feather of the developer discharge portion. A drive transmission means for rotating the screw and the rotary vane is provided so as to penetrate the cylindrical portion in the thrust direction, and is provided at the tip of the developer discharging portion and at the tip of the rotary shaft of the screw and the rotary vane. The developer cartridge according to claim 4 or 5.