JP4534632B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic system such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine, or a multifunction machine of these.

  In an image forming apparatus such as a printer or a copier using an electrophotographic method, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of an image carrier made of a drum or belt-shaped organic photoreceptor by a known electrophotographic process. The electrostatic latent image is developed by, for example, a developing device (developer) using a two-component developer composed of toner and a carrier to form a toner image on the photosensitive drum, and the toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum. The toner image is transferred and fixed on a transfer sheet to form an image. The toner remaining on the photosensitive drum after the toner image on the photosensitive drum is transferred onto the transfer sheet is removed and collected by a cleaner.

  Here, when the developer is stirred and mixed inside the developing device, the toner is frictionally charged to a charge amount of a predetermined polarity by the developer carrier, and is eventually transported to the developing roll of the developing device. Used to develop an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum.

  In such a developing device, as the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum is developed, the toner in the two-component developer is consumed, and the toner density gradually decreases. Therefore, the toner density in the developing device is detected by a toner density detecting means (toner density sensor), and the toner replenishing operation is performed so that the toner density in the developing device falls within a certain range. Yes.

  The toner supply is performed by a toner supply device (toner dispenser or developer supply device) connected to the developing device via a connecting portion. In the state where the toner replenishing device and the developing device are connected, toner contamination (developer contamination) is prevented by an effect such as a seal (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-167882 (page 4, FIG. 6)

When removing the developing device from the image forming apparatus for replacement of the developing apparatus or repair of the image forming apparatus, the toner replenishing device is detached, so that toner contamination is always generated.
Here, there are many toner replenishment positions in the developing device near the front side (front side) end of the developing device. On the other hand, since a high-speed machine or the like has a large developing device, the attaching / detaching operation of the developing device is generally performed from the front side.
In this case, when the developing device is attached or detached, the toner contamination portion near the toner replenishing portion is touched, which causes problems such as deterioration in workability and toner contamination due to toner dropping to the peripheral portion. Some of the lower part of the developing device is provided with a fall prevention member (catch pan) or the like on the image forming apparatus main body side to prevent foreign matter from falling, but there is no fall prevention member only within the frame of the image forming apparatus main body, Since the fall prevention member remains in the main body of the image forming apparatus when the developing device is removed, there is no effect of preventing the fall when working, and conversely, the toner collected on the fall prevention member when the developing device is removed. There is concern about spilling outside.

  The present invention has been made to solve the technical problems as described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus for preventing developer contamination near the developer replenishing portion in the developing device. There is.

For this purpose, an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied is an image carrier and a replenisher for developing the electrostatic latent image formed by the image carrier with a developer and receiving the developer. A developer having a mouth, a developer replenishing means having a connecting portion detachably attached to the developing device , and attaching the connecting portion to the developer so as to replenish the developer from the replenishing port; And a projecting portion projecting outward from the replenishing port so as to be disposed below the coupling portion when the developer replenishing means is mounted on the developing device. A developer receiving member that receives the developer spilled from the supply port of the developer supplied to the container at a portion including the protruding portion.
The developer receiving member may include a gear extending portion that extends below a drive gear provided in the developing device. Further, the developing device includes a discharge port for discharging the developer inside the developing device, and the developer receiving member has a discharge port extending portion extending below the discharge port of the developing device. Can be a feature.

From another point of view, an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied is for developing an image carrier and an electrostatic latent image formed by the image carrier with a developer, and receiving a developer supply. A developing device having a replenishing port, and a replenishing port that is attached to the developing device, protrudes from the developing device, and is disposed below a connecting portion that is attached to the developing device when the developer is replenished with the developer. And a developer receiving member that has a protruding portion that protrudes to the outside, and that receives the developer spilled from the replenishing port of the developing device at a portion including the protruding portion.
The developer receiving member attached to the developing device is separated from the outer wall of the developing device, and an air passage is defined between the outer wall of the developing device and the developer receiving member. The part to receive may comprise a part of ventilation path. On the other hand, the developer receiving member attached to the developing unit is separated from the outer wall of the developing unit, and an air passage is defined between the outer wall of the developing unit and the developer receiving member, and the developer receiving member The portion for receiving the developer may be located outside the ventilation path. Further, the developer receiving member may constitute a part of a conveyance path of a sheet to be developed by the developing device.

Further, from another point of view of the present invention, an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied includes an image carrier and an electrostatic latent image formed by the image carrier that is detachably accommodated in the image forming apparatus body. A developing device that develops with a developer, and a protrusion that is attached to the developing device and protrudes from the developing device, and is positioned below the connecting portion attached to the developing device when the developer is replenished with the developer. And a handle member having a developer receiving portion for receiving the developer spilled from the end of the developing device.
The handle member may include a guide portion that guides the developing device in the insertion / removal direction with respect to the image forming apparatus main body. The grip member is self-supporting when the developing device removed from the image forming apparatus main body is placed on a substantially horizontal plane, and has a posture substantially the same as that when the developing device is attached to the image forming apparatus main body. It can be characterized by having a posture holding portion for holding.

  According to the present invention, the developer spilled from the developer supply port of the developing device or the end of the developing device is received by the developer receiving member, so that it is possible to prevent developer contamination around the developing device. Become.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a developing device of the image forming apparatus 1 partially enlarged. These are top views seen from the arrow III of FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a photosensitive drum 11 on which a toner image is formed by, for example, an electrophotographic method, and a toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 11 so as to face the photosensitive drum 11. A transfer belt unit 12 for transferring the toner image onto the paper P, and a fixing device 20 for fixing the transferred toner image onto the paper.
Here, the fixing device 20 includes a heating roll 21 and a pressure roll 22 that are arranged in pressure contact with each other, and performs fixing by heating and pressing the paper P on which the toner image is transferred. A paper discharge tray 2 for discharging the paper P after image formation is attached to the side surface of the image forming apparatus 1.

Around the photosensitive drum 11, there are a charger 13 for charging the photosensitive drum 11, an exposure device 14 such as a laser scanning device in which an electrostatic latent image is written on the photosensitive drum 11, and a photosensitive drum 11. A developing device 30 that visualizes the electrostatic latent image of the toner with toner and a cleaner 15 that removes residual toner, paper dust, and the like from the surface of the photosensitive drum 11 after the toner image transfer process is completed are sequentially arranged. It is installed.
Here, the developing device 30 includes a two-component developer composed of a non-magnetic toner and a magnetic carrier, and a toner replenishing device 40 for replenishing the toner is disposed adjacent to the developing device 30. ing. The exposure unit 14 writes an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 11 based on a digital image signal input from an image formation processing unit (IPS) 16.

Next, the paper transport system will be described. The paper transport system includes a plurality (two in the present embodiment) of paper trays 51 and 52 on which the paper P is stacked, and a manual feed tray 53 that supplies the paper P from the outside of the image forming apparatus 1. In addition, at the top of each paper tray 51, 52, there is a drawing roll (nudger roll) 54 that contacts the stacked paper P and picks up from the top surface. On the downstream side of the paper, there is a paper-sheet-spreading section 55 composed of a paper supply roll and a paper-rolling roll one by one, and further on the downstream side, the paper P is temporarily stopped and then retransmitted with a predetermined timing. A takeaway roll 56 is provided.
The takeaway roll 56 functions as a transport roll for simply transporting the paper P to the paper path when the paper P is supplied from the lower tray 52. In the paper path 61 corresponding to the downstream side of the takeaway roll 56, the pre-registration roll 57 that transports the paper P to the further downstream roll and forms a loop, and the rotation is resumed at the timing after the stop and the photosensitive roll It has a registration roll (registration roll) 58 for supplying the paper P while performing registration adjustment on a transfer portion formed by the body drum 11 and the transfer belt unit 12.
In the vicinity of the manual feed tray 53, a paper feed roll 59 for feeding the paper P on the manual feed tray 53 is provided. The paper P is placed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 11 by the registration roll 58 at a predetermined timing. Be transported.

Further, in the present embodiment, when the duplex mode is selected, a sheet return conveyance mechanism is provided for inverting the sheet P that has been fixed on one side by the fixing device 20 and feeding it again to the transfer unit. The sheet return transport mechanism includes a reverse approach path 64 that branches downward with respect to an external discharge path 63 that is linearly connected to the sheet discharge path 62 from the fixing device 20. A sheet reversing path 65 is provided as a first sheet conveying path that extends to the side at a substantially right angle to the reversing approach path 64, and the second is returned from the sheet reversing path 65 to the sheet path 61 before the pre-registration roll 57. A sheet return path 66 as a sheet conveyance path is connected in communication. The paper discharge path 62, the external discharge path 63, the reverse approach path 64, the paper reverse path 65, and the paper return path 66 are provided with an appropriate number of conveying rolls 68, and in particular, provided in the paper reverse path 65. The transport roll 68a is rotated forward and backward at appropriate timing.
The image forming apparatus 1 is provided with a controller 69 for controlling the supply of the paper P, the conveying operation, and the like in addition to various controls during image formation.

Next, the developing device 30 and the toner replenishing device 40 of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the developing device 30 includes a housing 31, toner conveying paths 32 and 33 for agitating and conveying the developer in the housing 31, and a toner carrier disposed on the photosensitive drum 11 side of the housing 31. And a developing roll 34.
As shown in FIG. 2, in the developing device 30, a spiral plate formed along the axial direction rotates in each toner conveyance path 32, 33 to convey the developer in opposite directions while stirring the developer. The augers 32a and 33a are arranged in parallel to each other. The augers 32a and 33a are rotationally driven at a low speed by a drive motor (not shown) via drive gears 32b and 33b (see FIG. 6) provided on the IN side (back side and rear side) of the apparatus. Further, the developing roller 34 is rotationally driven via a drive gear 34b (see FIG. 6) of the same drive system as the drive gears 32b and 33b (see FIG. 6).
The toner transport paths 32 and 33 are separated from each other by a partition plate 35, but communicate with each other through passages 36a and 36b provided at both ends in the transport direction as shown in FIG. Further, a toner receiving portion 37 that communicates with the toner conveyance path 32 and receives toner replenishment from the toner replenishing device 40 is provided at an end portion 31 a on the OUT side (front side, front side) of the housing 31.

  In the housing 31 of the developing device 30, as shown in FIG. 2, a blade 38 for regulating the layer thickness of the toner conveyed by the developing roll 34 is provided. A toner concentration sensor 39 for detecting the toner concentration in the component developer is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the toner replenishing device 40 includes a toner cartridge 41 for storing toner, a reserve tank 42 for storing toner from the toner cartridge 41, and an auger for toner replenishment rotated by a motor (not shown). And a toner supply unit 43 that conveys and supplies the toner from the reserve tank 42 to the toner receiving unit 37 of the developing device 30.

Since the developing device 30 and the toner replenishing device 40 are configured as described above, the developer in the developing device 30 circulates in the toner conveying paths 32 and 33 in one direction by driving the augers 32a and 33a, and When the toner concentration detected by the toner concentration sensor 39 decreases, the toner is replenished from the toner replenishing device 40 via the toner supply unit 43 and the toner receiving unit 37.
That is, by rotating a toner supply motor from a toner cartridge 41 configured separately from the developing device 30, the auger of the toner supply unit 43 of the toner supply device 40, as shown in FIG. A developer obtained by mixing a magnetic carrier in non-magnetic toner is supplied to a toner conveyance path 32 in the developing device 30 through a toner receiving portion 37. The developer containing a large amount of nonmagnetic toner supplied to the inside of the developing device 30 is agitated and mixed with the developer by the auger 32a while being conveyed along the axial direction (longitudinal direction) of the developing device 30, and the passage 36a. Then, the toner is transferred to another toner conveyance path 33. The transferred developer is stirred and mixed with the developer while being conveyed along the axial direction of the auger 33a, and is transferred again to the toner conveying path 32 through the passage 36b.

  As described above, the developer supplied to the inside of the developing device 30 is conveyed and agitated and mixed by the two augers 32a and 33a together with the developer in the developing device 30, and has a predetermined polarity by the magnetic carrier of the developer. Is charged to the developing roller 34 and is used to develop the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 11.

  Here, the developing device 30 employs a so-called trickle developing method (a technology for mixing and supplying a carrier in the toner to be dispensed, and discharging the developer to extend the total life of the developer). Yes. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the developing device 30 is provided with a trickle discharge port 32c at the downstream end portion of the toner conveyance path 32, and a deteriorated developer out of the trickle discharge port 32c has a predetermined value. It is discharged at the timing. As a result, the charging performance of the developer in the developing device 30 can be kept constant, and the reduction of the copy image can be suppressed.

Next, a mechanism for transporting the replenishment toner from the toner cartridge 41 through the reserve tank 42 to the toner receiving portion 37 of the developing device 30 by the toner supply portion 43 will be described.
4 is a perspective view of the developing device 30 and the toner replenishing device 40 as viewed from the OUT side of the device, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a toner delivery portion from the toner replenishing device 40 to the developing device 30. a) shows the state at the time of replenishment, and (b) shows the state after completion of replenishment. In FIG. 4, the developing roll 34 shown in FIG. 1 or 2 is not shown.
As shown in FIG. 4, the toner replenishing device 40 has a connecting portion 44 on the downstream side of the toner supplying portion 43 in the replenishing toner transport direction. As shown in FIG. 5, the connecting portion 44 has a seal member 45 attached to the inner peripheral surface thereof, and can be engaged with the housing 31 of the developing device 30 via the seal member 45. In other words, the connecting portion 44 of the toner replenishing device 40 is slidable in the IN / OUT direction A of the apparatus with respect to the housing 31 of the developing device 30, and by sliding in this way, with respect to the housing 31. It is detachable. In the present embodiment, normally, the connecting portion 44 of the toner replenishing device 40 is mounted on the housing 31 of the developing device 30, and when removing the developing device 30 during work, the connecting portion 40 is removed from the housing 31. It is configured.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the cover (developer receiving portion, handle member) 80 is attached to the developing device 30 in a state of being separated from the housing 31 on the lower side of the developing device 30. The cover 80 covers the lower side of the portion of the housing 31 corresponding to the toner receiving portion 37 of the developing device 30, and further extends so as to protrude from the outer end surface of the supply port in the housing 31 to the OUT side. It has a part (protrusion part) 81. A rib 82 extending toward the developing device 30 is provided at the edge of the cover 80.

  Next, the operation when the replenishment toner is replenished to the developing device 30 will be described. When the connecting portion 44 of the toner replenishing device 40 is attached to the housing 31 of the developing device 30 and positioned as shown in FIG. 5A, the toner replenishing device 40 communicates with the toner supplying portion 43. Then, replenishment toner is replenished to the toner receiving portion 37 of the developing device 30 via the toner replenishing port 37a. At this time, since the periphery of the toner replenishing port 37a is sealed with the seal 45, the replenishing toner does not leak outside.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5B, after the connecting portion 44 of the toner replenishing device 40 is slid to the OUT side and removed from the housing 31 of the developing device 30, the toner replenishing port 37a is exposed. For this reason, there may be a case where the toner is smeared with the replenishing toner around the toner replenishing port 37a. That is, when the toner for replenishment remains in the vicinity of the toner replenishing port 37a, it spills from the toner replenishing port 37a or adheres to the hand of the operator who has touched the toner replenishing port 37a.
Therefore, in the present embodiment, as described above, the cover 80 that is separated from the developing device 30 and covers the lower portion of the developing device 30 is attached to the developing device 30. The extending portion 81 of the cover 80 protrudes further toward the OUT side than the end portion 31a on the OUT side of the housing 31, and extends below the toner supply port 37a. For this reason, the toner spilled from the toner replenishing port 37a is received by the extending portion 81 of the cover 80, and the falling toner accumulates on the cover 80, so that the inside of the image forming apparatus 1 is prevented from being more unnecessarily stained with toner. be able to. Further, since the cover 80 is attached to the developing device 30, even when the developing device 30 is removed from the image forming apparatus 1, an operator can take out the cover 80 from the image forming apparatus 1 and remove it from the image forming apparatus 1. It is possible to prevent the toner replenishing port 37a from being touched by hand. Furthermore, since the extended portion 81 of the cover 80 protrudes to the OUT side from the developing device 30, it is considered that the toner supply port 37a with toner contamination can be prevented from being touched by mistake. In this sense, the extended portion 81 can be viewed as a handle portion, and the cover 80 can be viewed as a handle member.

As described above, the cover 80 can be said to be a toner fall prevention member when viewed from the operation surface, but the cover 80 has other functions as described below. This will be described below.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view seen from the IN side for explaining the positional relationship between the developing device 30 and the cover 80 on the IN side of the apparatus, and FIG. 7 explains the positional relationship between the developing device 30 and the cover 80. 8 is a plan view of the cover 80, FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a cover of a modified example, and FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. is there.
As shown in FIG. 6, the cover 80 has an extending portion 83 that extends to the IN side of the apparatus. The extending portion 83 covers the lower side of the drive system components. For example, the lower side of the drive gears 32b and 33b provided on the IN side of the augers 32a and 33a is covered, and the lower side of the drive gear 34b provided on the IN side of the developing roll 34 is covered.
Furthermore, the extending portion 83 of the cover 80 also covers the lower side of the trickle discharge port 32 c for discharging the deteriorated developer in the developing device 30 to the outside of the developing device 30.
Since the extending portion 83 of the cover 80 is configured as described above, the extending portion 83 of the cover 80 can receive powder, for example, resin powder, generated by wear of the drive gears 32b, 33b, and 34b.

The cover 80 also has a duct function as described below. As shown in FIG. 7, the cover 80 covers the entire lower surface (outer wall surface) of the housing 31 of the developing device 30. The cover 80 and the housing 31 are separated from each other by a predetermined distance, and the separation gap functions as a duct (ventilation path).
Here, in the image forming apparatus 1, for example, in order to cool a temperature rising portion such as a drive motor or to collect a toner cloud (floating toner) scattered inside, a suction device or a blower (not shown) is used. The apparatus is provided in the image forming apparatus 1. In the present embodiment, since the duct is constituted by the cover 80 with the rib 82 attached to the developing device 30 and the housing 31 of the developing device 30, it is not necessary to separately provide a duct member in addition to the cover 80. For this reason, space can be saved and cost reduction can be realized.

  As shown in FIG. 8, on the inner surface 80a of the cover 80, that is, the surface facing the developing device 30, a duct-shaped portion 84 having a wide ventilation inlet portion 84a and a narrowed ventilation outlet portion 84b is formed. The duct-shaped portion 84 does not communicate with the extended portion 81 where the dropped toner that has fallen from the developing device 30 accumulates. Although it is considered that the amount of the falling toner is not so much, if the falling toner is sucked, a filter (not shown) may be clogged, and thus the configuration is made in this way. However, instead of the duct-shaped portion 84 of FIG. 8, a duct-shaped portion 85 provided with a communication portion 85c communicating with the extending portion 81 can be used as shown in FIG. In this case, not only the toner cloud (floating toner) but also the falling toner of the extending portion 81 can be collected.

As described above, the developing device 30 with the cover 80 attached can be removed from the image forming apparatus 1, that is, attached / detached. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, when the developing device 30 removed from the image forming apparatus 1 is placed on a horizontal surface such as a table surface or a floor surface, and attached to the image forming apparatus 1. A posture holding portion 86 for allowing the developing device 30 to take substantially the same posture is provided on the outer surface 80 b of the cover 80, that is, the surface opposite to the surface facing the developing device 30. That is, the outer surface 80b of the cover 80 has a substantially horizontal surface 80c that is substantially horizontal when attached to the image forming apparatus 1, and an inclined surface 80d that is inclined without being substantially horizontal. The posture holding unit 86 is provided on the inclined surface 80d. The inclined surface 80d is formed for interference with other components.
As shown in FIG. 10, the substantially horizontal plane 80 c is formed to be relatively wide. However, in relation to the position of the center of gravity of the developing device 30, the substantially horizontal plane 80 c has a balance when placed on a horizontal surface such as a table. Since it may be bad, the inclined surface 80d is provided with a rib-like posture holding portion 86 that protrudes outward, so that the posture substantially the same as when attached to the image forming apparatus 1 can be more reliably taken. become.
As described above, since the posture holding unit 86 is provided, even when the developing device 30 is detached from the image forming apparatus 1 and placed on a horizontal surface such as a table, the developing device 30 alone does not roll, and thus, for example, in the developing device 30. The toner distribution is not partially biased. If it is partially biased, it is assumed that the stirring performed after being attached to the image forming apparatus 1 cannot be sufficiently performed. Therefore, by providing the posture holding unit 86, such a situation can be prevented.

The cover 80 also has a guide mechanism for attachment and detachment. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, a rail-shaped portion 87 is formed on the outer surface 80 b of the cover 80 corresponding to the two guides 3 provided at a predetermined interval in the image forming apparatus 1. That is, the rail-shaped portion 87 is formed on the substantially horizontal surface 80c of the outer surface 80b so as to extend in the same direction as the guide 3, that is, the IN / OUT direction (the direction perpendicular to the paper surface). Therefore, when the developing device 30 is slid and attached or removed, the rail-shaped portion 87 on the developing device 30 side is guided to the guide 3 on the image forming apparatus 1 side.
As described above, since the cover 80 is provided with the guide mechanism, it is not necessary to attach a guide unit in addition to the cover 80. Therefore, the space in the image forming apparatus can be saved, the image forming apparatus can be made compact, and the cost can be reduced. Can be realized.

As described above, the present embodiment has been described including modifications, but when other possible modifications are described, the outer surface 80b of the cover 80 is configured to form a part of the conveyance path of the paper P. Can be considered. That is, it is conceivable that the outer surface 80b forms the wall surface of the transport path. With this configuration, further space saving can be realized.
In addition, the cover 80 can have a shape that makes it easier for an operator to hold the developing device 30 when inserting or removing it from the image forming apparatus 1. It is also conceivable to attach a handle member to the cover 80.

1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus to which the exemplary embodiment is applied. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a partially enlarged developing device of the image forming apparatus. It is the top view seen from the arrow III of FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the developing device and the toner supply device as viewed from the OUT side of the apparatus. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a toner delivery portion from a toner supply device to a developing device. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a developing device and a cover as viewed from the IN side of the apparatus. It is sectional drawing of a developing device and a cover. It is a top view of the cover attached to a developing device. It is a top view which shows the cover of one modification. It is sectional drawing by line XX of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image forming apparatus, 3 ... Guide, 30 ... Developing device, 31 ... Housing, 32, 33 ... Toner conveyance path, 32a, 33a ... Auger, 32b, 33b, 34b ... Drive gear, 32c ... Trickle discharge port, 34 ... Developing roller 37 ... Toner receiving portion 37a ... Toner replenishing port 40 ... Toner replenishing device 43 ... Toner supplying portion 44 ... Connecting portion 80 ... Cover 80a ... Inner surface 80b ... Outer surface 81, 83 ... Extending Part, 84, 85 ... duct shape part, 86 ... posture holding part, 87 ... rail shape part

Claims (10)

An image carrier;
A developer having a replenishment port for developing the electrostatic latent image formed by the image carrier with a developer and receiving replenishment of the developer;
A developer replenishing means having a connecting portion detachably attached to the developing device , attaching the connecting portion to the developing device, and supplying the developer to the developing device from the replenishing port;
Projecting from the developing device and having a projecting portion projecting outward from the replenishing port so as to be disposed below the connecting portion when the connecting portion of the developer replenishing means is attached to the developing device. And a developer receiving member that receives the developer spilled from the replenishment port of the developer replenished to the developing device by the developer replenishing means at a portion including the protruding portion. .   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the developer receiving member includes a gear extending portion that extends below a drive gear provided in the developing device. The developing device includes a discharge port for discharging the developer inside the developing device,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the developer receiving member includes a discharge port extending portion that extends below a discharge port of the developing device. An image carrier;
A developer having a replenishment port for developing the electrostatic latent image formed by the image carrier with a developer and receiving replenishment of the developer;
Attached to the developing unit, protrudes from the developing unit, and protrudes outward from the replenishment port so as to be disposed below a connecting portion attached to the developing unit when supplying developer to the developing unit. And a developer receiving member that receives the developer spilled from the replenishing port of the developing device at a portion including the protruding portion. The developer receiving member attached to the developing unit is separated from the outer wall of the developing unit, and an air passage is defined between the outer wall of the developing unit and the developer receiving member,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a portion of the developer receiving member that receives the developer constitutes a part of the ventilation path. The developer receiving member attached to the developing unit is separated from the outer wall of the developing unit, and an air passage is defined between the outer wall of the developing unit and the developer receiving member,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a portion of the developer receiving member that receives the developer is located outside the ventilation path.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the developer receiving member constitutes a part of a conveyance path of a sheet to be developed by the developing unit. An image carrier;
A developer that is removably accommodated in the image forming apparatus main body and that develops the electrostatic latent image formed by the image carrier with a developer;
Attached to the developing unit, protrudes from the developing unit, and has a projecting portion that is positioned below the connecting portion that is attached to the developing unit when replenishing the developer with the developer and can be gripped. And a grip member having a developer receiving portion for receiving the developer spilled from the end portion of the developing device.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the handle member includes a guide portion that guides the developing device in the insertion / removal direction with respect to the image forming apparatus main body.   The grip member is self-supporting when the developing device removed from the image forming apparatus main body is placed on a substantially horizontal plane, and has substantially the same posture as when the developing device is attached to the image forming apparatus main body. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a posture holding unit for holding the posture.

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