Toner cartridge with a toner-discharging mechanism and printer to which the toner cartridge is removably attachable

A developing unit, comprising:

• a toner chamber that holds toner therein;
• and
• a toner-discharging mechanism mounted to said toner chamber and having a recess formed therein, said toner-discharging mechanism being movable between a first position and a second position;
• wherein when said toner-discharging mechanism moves to the first position to substantially close said toner chamber so that the toner does not leak from said toner chamber into the toner-receiving section, the recess faces an inner space of said toner chamber so that the recess holds a fraction of the toner;
• wherein when said toner-discharging mechanism moves to the second position to substantially close said toner chamber so that the toner does not leak from said toner chamber into the toner-receiving section, the recess faces an inner space of the toner-receiving section so that the recess discharges the fraction of the toner into the toner-receiving section.

The printer apparatus comprising:

• a toner chamber that holds toner therein;
• a toner-receiving section into which the toner is supplied from said toner chamber;
• and
• a toner-discharging mechanism that directs the toner from said toner chamber into said toner-receiving section, said toner-discharging mechanism having a toner-discharging opening and a shutter that opens and closes the toner-discharging opening,
• wherein the shutter opens at least a part of the toner-discharging opening when the shutter is at a first position and closes the toner-discharging opening completely when the shutter is at a second position;
• wherein when the remaining amount of toner in said toner-receiving section is below a threshold, the shutter moves to the first position to supply the toner into said toner-receiving section.

A toner cartridge removably attachable to a printer having a toner-receiving section, the toner cartridge comprising:

• a toner chamber holding toner therein, said toner chamber being positioned directly over the toner-receiving section when the toner cartridge is attached to the printer;
• and
• a toner-discharging mechanism having a recess formed therein, said toner-discharging mechanism being rotatable between a first position and a second position;
• wherein when said toner-discharging mechanism rotates to the first position, the recess rotates together with said toner-discharging mechanism to face an inner space of said toner chamber so that the recess holds a fraction of the toner;
• wherein when said toner-discharging mechanism rotates to the second position, the recess rotates together with said toner-discharging mechanism to face an inner space of the toner-receiving section so that the recess discharges the fraction of the toner into the toner-receiving section.

A developing unit, comprising:

• a toner chamber holding toner therein;
• and
• a toner-discharging mechanism having a recess formed therein, said toner-discharging mechanism being rotatable between a first position and a second position;
• wherein when said toner-discharging mechanism rotates to the first position, the recess rotates together with said toner-discharging mechanism to face an inner space of said toner chamber so that the recess holds a fraction of the toner;
• wherein when said toner-discharging mechanism rotates to the second position, the recess rotates together with said toner-discharging mechanism to face an inner space of the toner-receiving section so that the recess discharges the fraction of the toner into the toner-receiving section.