Toner container and image forming apparatus
A toner container includes a container body that contains toner therein, and a cap portion that is held by a toner-container holding unit and includes a toner discharge opening to discharge the toner contained in the container body. A gear portion is detachably attached to the container body so that a rotational force is transmitted to the container body.
1. A toner container, comprising:
a longitudinal container body for containing toner, the container body having a first end and a second end distal to the first end in a length direction of the container body;
an end at the first end of the container body, including a toner outlet for discharging the toner from the container body, and structured to be held by a toner-container holder of an image forming apparatus, the end having a generally flat face and a concave portion, different from the toner outlet, at the generally flat face;
a circuit protruding from the generally flat face; and
a cap, at the generally flat face, covering at least a portion of the circuit to protect the circuit from physical damage.
2. A toner container according to claim 1 , wherein:
the cap covers only a portion of the circuit.
3. A toner container according to claim 2 , wherein:
the cap includes a slit.
4. A toner container according to claim 3 , wherein:
the slit is oriented horizontally when the toner container is in an installed orientation.
5. A toner container according to claim 1 , wherein:
the cap covers the entire circuit.
6. A toner container according to claim 1 , wherein:
the cap is detachable from the end.
7. A toner container according to claim 1 , wherein:
the cap is a different element than the end.
8. A toner container according to claim 1 , wherein:
the end includes a protrusion which supports the circuit.
9. A toner container according to claim 8 , wherein:
the protrusion includes four walls.
10. A toner container according to claim 9 , wherein:
the four walls have a shape of a rectangle.
11. A toner container according to claim 1 , wherein:
the circuit is an integrated circuit (IC).
12. A toner container according to claim 11 , wherein:
integrated circuit is a chip.
13. A toner container according to claim 1 , wherein:
the circuit is an electronic component.
14. The toner container according to claim 1 , wherein the end further includes an open/close member for opening/closing the toner outlet.
15. The toner container according to claim 14 , wherein the circuit is provided in an upper side position higher than that of the open/close member when the toner container is installed.
16. The toner container according to claim 1 , further comprising:
toner within the longitudinal container body.
17. A toner container according to claim 1 , wherein:
the generally flat face faces outwardly from the toner container, and
the generally flat face is perpendicular to the length direction of the container body.