Developer storage container and image forming apparatus using the same

1. A developer storage container that is inserted into and removed from a container receiving portion of a chassis of an image forming apparatus and that stores a developer therein, the developer storage container comprising:

a container body that stores the developer therein;

an opening formed in a portion of the container body;

an opening-and-closing cover that blocks the opening;

a cover holding frame that holds the opening-and-closing cover so that the opening-and-closing cover is movable in an opening-and-closing operation direction between an opening position in which the opening is open and a closing position in which the opening is closed;

a protrusion portion that is formed in the opening-and-closing cover and that protrudes toward the cover holding frame in a direction intersecting the opening-and-closing operation direction in a state where the opening-and-closing cover is located in the closing position;

a blocking portion that is provided on the cover holding frame, the blocking portion being disposed in a position where the blocking portion intersects a straight line drawn along the opening-and-closing operation direction from a distal end of the protrusion portion in a direction perpendicular to the opening-and-closing operation direction to be separate from the protrusion portion, in the state where the opening-and-closing cover is located in the closing position, wherein when the opening-and-closing cover moves from the closing position toward the opening position in the opening-and-closing operation direction, at a time point where the opening-and-closing cover reaches a before-opening-start position in which it has not been started to open the opening, the blocking portion is disposed in a position where the blocking portion is in contact with the protrusion portion so as to be in contact with the protrusion portion of the opening-and-closing cover moving toward the opening position to block the opening-and-closing cover; and

a position regulating protrusion that is provided so as to protrude from the cover holding frame in the direction intersecting the opening-and-closing operation direction, wherein when the opening-and-closing cover moves from the position where the protrusion portion and the blocking portion are in contact toward the closing position, the position regulating protrusion contacts the opening-and-closing cover to cause the opening-and-closing cover to move in the direction intersecting the opening-and-closing direction and regulates a position of the opening-and-closing cover in the direction intersecting the opening-and-closing direction so that the blocking portion intersects the straight line drawn from the distal end of the protrusion portion along the opening-and-closing direction.

2. The developer storage container according to claim 1 , wherein:

if it is assumed that a width direction is the direction perpendicular to the opening-and-closing operation direction of the opening-and-closing cover and that for w 1 to w 3 , w 5 , w 6 , f, h, k,

w 1 : a maximum width of the cover holding frame up to a distal end of the position regulating protrusion,

w 2 : a width of the cover holding frame from the distal end of the position regulating protrusion to the blocking portion,

w 3 : a width of the cover holding frame between both sides thereof excluding the position regulating protrusion,

w 5 : a width of the opening-and-closing cover from an inner surface of one side wall thereof in the width direction to the protrusion portion,

w 6 : a maximum width of the opening-and-closing cover between both side walls thereof in the width direction excluding the protrusion portion,

f: a blocking length of the blocking portion,

h: a protrusion length of the protrusion portion, and

k: a protrusion length of the position regulating protrusion,

f>w 5 −w 2

h>w 6 −w 1

k>w 5 −w 3.

3. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image forming apparatus chassis formed with a container receiving portion; and

a developer storage container that is inserted into and removed from the container receiving portion of the image forming apparatus chassis and that stores a developer therein,

wherein the developer storage container includes:

a container body that stores the developer therein,

an opening formed in a portion of the container body,

an opening-and-closing cover that blocks the opening,

a cover holding frame that holds the opening-and-closing cover so that the opening-and-closing cover is movable in an opening-and-closing operation direction between an opening position in which the opening is open and a closing position in which the opening is closed,

a protrusion portion that is formed in the opening-and-closing cover and that protrudes toward the cover holding frame in a direction intersecting the opening-and-closing operation direction in a state where the opening-and-closing cover is located in the closing position,

a blocking portion that is provided on the cover holding frame, the blocking portion being disposed in a position where the blocking portion intersects a straight line drawn along the opening-and-closing operation direction from a distal end of the protrusion portion in a direction perpendicular to the opening-and-closing operation direction to be separate from the protrusion portion, in the state where the opening-and-closing cover is located in the closing position, wherein when the opening-and-closing cover moves from the closing position toward the opening position in the opening-and-closing operation direction, at a time point where the opening-and-closing cover reaches a before-opening-start position in which it has not been started to open the opening, the blocking portion is disposed in a position where the blocking portion is in contact with the protrusion portion so as to be in contact with the protrusion portion of the opening-and-closing cover moving toward the opening position to block the opening-and-closing cover, and

a position regulating protrusion that is provided so as to protrude from the cover holding frame in the direction intersecting the opening-and-closing operation direction, wherein when the opening-and-closing cover moves from the position where the protrusion portion and the blocking portion are in contact toward the closing position, the position regulating protrusion contacts the opening-and-closing cover to cause the opening-and-closing cover to move in the direction intersecting the opening-and-closing direction and regulates a position of the opening-and-closing cover in the direction intersecting the opening-and-closing direction so that the blocking portion intersects the straight line drawn from the distal end of the protrusion portion along the opening-and-closing direction, and

wherein the container receiving portion of the image forming apparatus chassis includes:

a cover guide rail that guides a movement trajectory of the opening-and-closing cover of the developer storage container,

a cover movably holding mechanism wherein when insertion of the developer storage container is being completed, the cover movably holding mechanism abuts against the opening-and-closing cover to move the opening-and-closing cover toward the opening position and then holds the opening-and-closing cover, and when the developer storage container is being removed, the cover movably holding mechanism moves the opening-and-closing cover, which is located in the opening position, toward the closing position, and

a cover-holding releasing mechanism, wherein when the developer storage container is being removed, at a time point where the opening-and-closing cover reaches the closing position, the cover-holding releasing mechanism releases a state in which the cover movably holding mechanism holds the opening-and-closing cover.