Toner container to facilitate toner discharge
A toner container includes: a bag having an opening; a discharge member having a receiving port aligned with the bag in a first direction and for receiving toner, and a discharge port for discharging the toner; and a shutting member shutting the discharge port. The receiving port is provided on an inner side with respect to the opening in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The receiving port is open in the first direction and has an area greater than or equal to 25 mm 2 . The discharge member has a fixing portion to which the opening is fixed, and a surface between the fixing portion and the receiving port. A filling amount [g] of the toner with respect to a total volume [cm 3 ] up to which the toner in the toner container is allowed to be contained is less than or equal to 0.547 [g/cm 3 ].
1 . A toner container filled with toner, the toner container comprising:
a bag configured to contain the toner and having an opening;
a discharge member provided to align with the bag in a first direction, the discharge member having a receiving port, a discharge port, and a passage, the receiving port being configured to receive the toner in the bag through the opening of the bag, the discharge port being configured to discharge the toner, received from the receiving port, to outside the toner container, the passage allowing the toner to pass through from the receiving port toward the discharge port; and
a shutting member shutting the discharge port,
wherein the receiving port is provided on an inner side with respect to the opening of the bag in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the receiving port is open in the first direction, the receiving port has an area greater than or equal to 25 mm 2 ,
wherein the discharge member has (i) a fixing portion to which the opening of the bag is fixed and (ii) a surface extending in a direction that intersects with the first direction between the fixing portion and the receiving port,
wherein, in a case where the toner container is oriented in a predetermined orientation in which the first direction is oriented in a gravitational direction and the discharge member is located below the bag, the discharge port is provided below the receiving port and is open in the second direction, and
wherein a filling amount [g] of the toner with respect to a total volume [cm 3 ] up to which the toner in the toner container is allowed to be contained is less than or equal to 0.547 [g/cm 3 ].
2 . The toner container according to claim 1 , wherein the toner contained in the bag is configured to be discharged from the discharge port to outside the toner container in a manner such that the bag is pressed from an outer side of the bag in a state where the shutting member is not shutting the discharge port.
3 . The toner container according to claim 1 , wherein the bag has a part of which a width in a direction orthogonal to the first direction narrows as approaching the receiving port in the first direction.
4 . The toner container according to claim 1 , wherein
a length of the passage in the first direction from the receiving port to a lower end of the discharge port is greater than or equal to 30 mm and less than or equal to 50 mm,
a minimum sectional area of the passage is greater than or equal to 75 mm 2 , and
an area of the receiving port and an area of the discharge port are each greater than or equal to 75 mm 2 .
5 . The toner container according to claim 4 , wherein the bag has a part of which a width in the second direction narrows as approaching the receiving port in the first direction.
6 . The toner container according to claim 4 , wherein the area of the receiving port is greater than the area of the discharge port.
7 . The toner container according to claim 4 , wherein, in a case where the toner container is oriented in the predetermined orientation, the passage has an inclined surface inclined in a direction to approach the discharge port toward a lower side.
8 . The toner container according to claim 1 , wherein
the bag is formed by sealing the edges of a sheet through thermocompression bonding, and
the discharge member is made of a resin.
9 . The toner container according to claim 8 , wherein the sheet is a polypropylene sheet.
10 . The toner container according to claim 1 , wherein an inner peripheral surface of the opening of the bag is welded to an outer peripheral surface serving as the fixing portion extending in the first direction of the discharge member.
11 . The toner container according to claim 4 , wherein
the discharge member includes
a nozzle having the receiving port, the passage, the discharge port, and an engaged surface, and
a coupling member having the fixing portion and an engagement surface that engages with the engaged surface of the nozzle, the coupling member coupling the bag to the nozzle.
12 . The toner container according to claim 1 , wherein
the shutting member is a shutter capable of rotating about a rotational axis between a shut position to shut the discharge port of the discharge member and an open position to open the discharge port, and
the shutter is configured such that the rotational axis extends in the first direction.
13 . The toner container according to claim 1 , wherein a cohesion degree of the toner is less than or equal to 63%.