Developer supply container
Conventionally, the developer in the developer supply container is discharged by an air-supply pump and a suction pump which are provided in the main assembly side of the image forming apparatus, and therefore, the developer is compacted by the increase of the internal pressure of the developer supply container resulting from the air-supply. Therefore, the proper suction of the developer from the developer supply container becomes difficult with the result of shortage of the developer amount to be supplied. A bellow-like pump is provided on the side of the developer supply container, and the pump alternately repeats the suction operation and the discharging operation through the discharge opening by a driving force inputted from the image forming apparatus side. By this, the developer can be sufficiently loosened, thus properly discharging the developer.
1. A developer supply container comprising:
developer having a fluidity energy of not less than 4.3×10 −4 kg·m 2 /s 2 and not more than 4.14×10 −3 kg·m 2 /s 2 ;
a developer accommodating portion configured to accommodate the developer, the developer accommodating portion including (i) a discharge opening provided in a bottom surface of the developer accommodating portion and configured to permit discharge of the developer in the developer accommodating portion and (ii) a gear; and
a bellow pump configured to act on the developer accommodating portion by a rotational force received by the gear, the bellow pump being made from a resin material,
wherein the bellow pump is configured to alternately change an internal pressure of the developer accommodating portion between a pressure lower than an ambient pressure and a pressure higher than the ambient pressure to supply the developer along with air out of the developer supply container through the discharge opening, which has an area of not more than 12.6 mm 2 .
2. A developer supply container according to claim 1 , wherein the developer includes a non-magnetic toner.
3. A developer supply container according to claim 2 , wherein the developer includes a magnetic carrier.
4. A developer supply container according to claim 1 , wherein the developer includes a magnetic toner.