Developer container holder, developer container, and image forming apparatus

1. A developer container holder for removably holding a developer container including a developer supply port and a shutter for opening and closing the developer supply port, the developer container holder guiding the developer container in a first direction when the developer container is attached to the developer container holder and in a second direction when the developer container is removed from the developer container holder, the developer container holder comprising:

a holder that holds the developer container;

a support that supports the holder slidably within a predetermined slide region in an attachment direction in which the developer container is attached to and removed from the developer container holder; and

an elastic member placed between the holder and the support, the elastic member urging the holder in the first direction when the holder is located on a first side of a predetermined position in the slide region and in the second direction when the holder is located on a second side of the predetermined position in the slide region.

2. The developer container holder of claim 1 , wherein when the holder is located at an end of the slide region in the first direction while holding the developer container, the developer container is positioned at a predetermined attachment position.

3. The developer container holder of claim 2 , further comprising a developer receiving opening that faces the developer supply port when the developer container is located at the attachment position.

4. The developer container holder of claim 1 , further comprising a shutter movement limiter that, when the developer container is attached to the developer container holder, prevents the shutter from moving in the first direction after the developer container has moved by a predetermined amount in the first direction.

5. The developer container holder of claim 4 , wherein the holder located at an end of the slide region in the second direction holds the developer container before the developer container has moved by the predetermined amount in the first direction.

6. The developer container configured to be removably held by the developer container holder of claim 4 , the developer container comprising:

a main body including a developer storing portion that stores developer;

the developer supply port, which discharges the developer stored in the developer storing portion;

the shutter for opening and closing the developer supply port, the shutter being slidably held by the main body;

an urging member that urges the shutter in the first direction to close the shutter; and

an engagement portion formed on the shutter, the engagement portion engaging with the shutter movement limiter of the developer container holder to prevent movement of the shutter in the first direction,

wherein when the developer container is positioned at a predetermined attachment position, the shutter is opened against urging force of the urging member.

7. The developer container of claim 6 , further comprising a handle for removing the developer container from the developer container holder.

8. The developer container of claim 6 , wherein when the developer container is positioned at the predetermined attachment position, the developer supply port overlaps a developer receiving opening formed in the developer container holder in the attachment direction.

9. An image forming apparatus comprising the developer container holder of claim 4 , wherein the developer container includes:

a main body including a developer storing portion that stores developer;

the developer supply port, which discharges the developer stored in the developer storing portion;

the shutter for opening and closing the developer supply port, the shutter being slidably held by the main body;

an urging member that urges the shutter in the first direction to close the shutter; and

an engagement portion formed on the shutter, the engagement portion engaging with the shutter movement limiter of the developer container holder to prevent movement of the shutter in the first direction,

wherein when the developer container is positioned at a predetermined attachment position, the shutter is opened against urging force of the urging member.

10. The image forming apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:

the developer container includes an agitating shaft that agitates the developer and a passive gear fixed to an end portion of the agitating shaft;

the developer container holder includes a gear that meshes with the passive gear when the developer container is positioned at the predetermined attachment position, the gear rotating in a rotational direction to transmit drive to the passive gear; and

the gear has a predetermined play in the rotational direction.

11. The image forming apparatus of claim 9 , wherein F 3 ′ is greater than Fs, where Fs is the urging force of the urging member when the developer container is positioned at the predetermined attachment position, and F 3 ′ is a component in the first direction of force of the elastic member when the holder is located at an end of the slide region in the first direction while holding the developer container.

12. The image forming apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:

the developer container holder includes an opposing surface that faces the shutter; and

when the developer container is attached to the developer container holder, before the engagement portion comes into engagement with the shutter movement limiter, the developer container translates from a position where the shutter is slightly separated from the opposing surface to a position where the shutter is in contact with the opposing surface.

13. The developer container holder of claim 1 , wherein the elastic member is a torsion spring.

14. The developer container holder of claim 1 , wherein when the holder is located at an end of the slide region in the second direction while holding the developer container, the holder releases the developer container upon receiving a force exceeding a predetermined threshold in the second direction.

15. The developer container holder of claim 1 , wherein when the developer container is attached to the developer container holder, the developer container moves from the second side to the first side.