Toner cartridge and image forming apparatus

A toner cartridge comprising:

• a toner accommodating chamber configured to accommodate toner;
• a filter configured to restrict passage of the toner and permit passage of air;
• a first air chamber provided with a receiving opening for receiving the air and adjacent to the toner accommodating chamber via the filter;
• a second air chamber through which the air fed toward the receiving opening passes;
• and
• a communication valve switchable to a communicating state for communicating the first air chamber and the second air chamber and to a non-communicating state for not communicating the first air chamber and the second air chamber,
• wherein the communication valve switches to the communicating state in a case in which the first air chamber is a negative pressure and the second air chamber is a positive pressure, and to the non-communicating state in a case in which the first air chamber is the positive pressure and the second air chamber is the negative pressure.

A toner cartridge comprising:

• a toner accommodating chamber configured to accommodate toner;
• a filter configured to restrict passage of the toner and permit passage of air;
• a first air chamber provided with a receiving opening for receiving the air and adjacent to the toner accommodating chamber via the filter;
• a second air chamber through which the air fed toward the receiving opening passes;
• a communication valve switchable to a communicating state for communicating the first air chamber and the second air chamber and to a non-communicating state for not communicating the first air chamber and the second air chamber;
• and
• a pump configured to feed the air toward the second air chamber,
• wherein the communication valve switches to the communicating state in a case in which the first air chamber is a negative pressure and the second air chamber is a positive pressure, and to the non-communicating state in a case in which the first air chamber is the positive pressure and the second air chamber is the negative pressure.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main assembly of the image forming apparatus;
• a toner cartridge detachably supported by the main assembly;
• and
• a process cartridge to which toner is supplied from the toner cartridge,
• wherein the toner cartridge includes
• a toner accommodating chamber configured to accommodate toner,
• a filter configured to restrict passage of the toner and permit passage of air, and
• a first air chamber provided with a receiving opening for receiving the air and adjacent to the toner accommodating chamber via the filter, and
• wherein the main assembly includes
• a second air chamber through which the air fed toward the receiving opening passes;
• and
• a communication valve switchable to a communicating state for communicating the first air chamber and the second air chamber and to a non-communicating state for not communicating the first air chamber and the second air chamber,
• wherein the communication valve switches to the communicating state in a case in which the first air chamber is a negative pressure and the second air chamber is a positive pressure, and to the non-communicating state in a case in which the first air chamber is the positive pressure and the second air chamber is the negative pressure.