Image forming apparatus and cartridge for the use therewith

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main body;
• a plurality of cartridges that can be attached to and detached from the main body and that store a developer, respectively;
• a supporting member that receives the cartridges, an end of the supporting member being rotatably supported by the main body, the supporting member pivots between a reception position at which the cartridges are received into the main body and an exposure position at which the cartridges are exposed from the main body;
• a plurality of developer carrying members that carries the developer supplied from the cartridges;
• and
• a plurality of image carrying members on which an electrostatic latent image is formed thereon;
• wherein the plurality of the developer carrying members are disposed to correspond to the image carrying members so as to develop the latent image by supplying the developer,
• wherein the plurality of the cartridges are provided to correspond to the developer carrying members, respectively, and
• wherein each cartridge has a chassis for accommodating the developer, and the chassis has two openings through which the developer can pass.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main body;
• a plurality of cartridges that can be attached to and detached from the main body and that store a developer, respectively;
• a supporting member that receives the cartridges, an end of the supporting member being rotatably supported by the main body, the supporting member pivots between a reception position at which the cartridges are received into the main body and an exposure position at which the cartridges are exposed from the main body;
• a plurality of developer carrying members that carries the developer supplied from the cartridges;
• and
• a plurality of image carrying members on which an electrostatic latent image is formed thereon;
• wherein the plurality of the developer carrying members are disposed to correspond to the image carrying members so as to develop the latent image by supplying the developer,
• wherein the plurality of the cartridges are provided to correspond to the developer carrying members, respectively, and
• wherein when the cartridges are disposed in the reception position, a rotation axis of the supporting member is disposed in an end portion of each cartridge in a longitudinal direction of the cartridge and a motive energy transfer member, which transfers motive energy to an agitation member of the cartridge, is disposed close to the end portion of the cartridge.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main body;
• a plurality of cartridges that can be attached to and detached from the main body and that store a developer, respectively;
• a supporting member that receives the cartridges, an end of the supporting member being rotatably supported by the main body, the supporting member pivots between a reception position at which the cartridges are received into the main body and an exposure position at which the cartridges are exposed from the main body;
• a plurality of developer carrying members that carries the developer supplied from the cartridges;
• and
• a plurality of image carrying members on which an electrostatic latent image is formed thereon;
• wherein the plurality of the developer carrying members are disposed to correspond to the image carrying members so as to develop the latent image by supplying the developer,
• wherein the plurality of the cartridges are provided to correspond to the developer carrying members, respectively,
• wherein each cartridge comprises a chassis that stores the developer and that has an opening allowing the developer to pass through, and the cartridge comprises a shutter member that opens and closes the opening, and
• wherein the main body comprises an interlocking member that allows the supporting member and the shutter member to interlock with each other.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main body;
• a cartridge that can be attached to and detached from the main body and that stores a developer;
• and
• a supporting member that receives the cartridge, an end of the supporting member being rotatably supported by the main body,
• wherein the supporting member pivots between a reception position at which the cartridge is received into the main body and an attached and detached position at which the cartridge is supported in the main body in a state in which the cartridge can be attached and detached, and
• wherein the cartridge has a chassis for accommodating the developer, and the chassis has two openings through which the developer can pass.

A cartridge for use with an image forming apparatus, the cartridge comprising:

• an inner chassis that stores a developer and that has an opening allowing the developer to pass through;
• an outer chassis comprising a shutter member that opens and closes the opening, the outer chassis receiving the inner chassis wherein the shutter member can move relative to the inner chassis;
• a first protrusion provided at one of the inner chassis and the outer chassis;
• and
• a second protrusion provided at the other of the inner chassis and the outer chassis,
• wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion of the cartridge engage with the image forming apparatus, such that one of the first and second protrusions is moved and the other of the first and second protrusions is regulated, based on a position of the cartridge with respect to the image forming apparatus.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main body;
• a plurality of cartridges that can be attached to and detached from the main body and that store a developer, respectively;
• a supporting member that receives the cartridges, an end of the supporting member being rotatably supported by the main body, the supporting member pivots between a reception position at which the cartridges are received into the main body and an exposure position at which the cartridges are exposed from the main body;
• a plurality of developer carrying members that carries the developer supplied from the cartridges;
• and
• a plurality of image carrying members on which an electrostatic latent image is formed thereon;
• wherein the plurality of the developer carrying members are disposed to correspond to the image carrying members so as to develop the latent image by supplying the developer,
• wherein the plurality of the cartridges are provided to correspond to the developer carrying members, respectively, and
• wherein the main body comprises a chassis, and wherein the supporting member comprises a cover member that functions as a part for the chassis.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main body;
• a cartridge that can be attached to and detached from the main body and that stores a developer;
• and
• a supporting member that receives the cartridge, an end of the supporting member being rotatably supported by the main body,
• wherein the supporting member pivots between a reception position at which the cartridge is received into the main body and an exposure position at which the cartridge is exposed from the main body,
• wherein the cartridge comprises a chassis that stores the developer and that has an opening allowing the developer to pass through, and the cartridge comprises a shutter member that opens and closes the opening, and
• wherein the main body comprises an interlocking member that allows the supporting member and the shutter member to interlock with each other.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main body;
• a cartridge that can be attached to and detached from the main body and that stores a developer;
• and
• a supporting member that receives the cartridge, an end of the supporting member being rotatably supported by the main body,
• wherein the supporting member pivots between a reception position at which the cartridge is received into the main body and an exposure position at which the cartridge is exposed from the main body, and
• wherein the main body comprises a chassis, and wherein the supporting member comprises a cover member that functions as a part for the chassis.