Developer supply device and image forming apparatus provided with same

摘要

A developer supply device includes a shaft portion arranged in a container main body, a moving wall movable along the shaft portion, a developer discharge port and a shutter mechanism. A control unit causes the moving wall to be arranged at a first position when a remaining amount of the developer is a predetermined first remaining amount and moves the moving wall to a second position closer to the developer discharge port than the first position in the first direction when the remaining amount is a second remaining amount smaller than the first remaining amount, and causes the shutter mechanism to be set in a first open state with a predetermined opening degree when the moving wall is at the first position and causes the shutter mechanism to be set in a second open state larger than the first open state when the moving wall is at the second position.

主权项

1. A developer supply device, comprising;
a container main body with a wall defining an inner space for containing developer; a shaft portion arranged to extend in a first direction in the inner space; a moving wall configured to convey the developer by moving from an upstream side to a downstream side in the first direction along the shaft portion in the inner space; a developer discharge port arranged near a downstream end of the container main body in the first direction and penetrating through the wall to allow communication between the inner space and outside; a shutter mechanism configured to switch an open state of the developer discharge port among a closed state, a first open state where the developer discharge port is open to a predetermined opening degree and a second open state where the developer discharge port is open to a larger opening degree than in the first open state; and a control unit configured to control a movement of the moving wall and a switch of the open state of the shutter mechanism, wherein the control unit: causes the moving wall to be arranged at a first position in the first direction when a remaining amount of the developer in the container main body is a predetermined first remaining amount and moves the moving wall to a second position closer to the developer discharge port than the first position in the first direction when the remaining amount is a second remaining amount smaller than the first remaining amount; and causes the shutter mechanism to be set in the first open state when the moving wall is at the first position and causes the shutter mechanism to be set in the second open state when the moving wall is at the second position.