Toner carrying device and image forming apparatus

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising:

• a developing device;
• a toner cartridge;
• and
• a toner carrying device comprising:
• a toner carrying pipe which includes a first opening section and a second opening section via which toner passes;
• a flexible sheet which includes a toner passage hole in part of its area and which moves back and forth in a certain pathway;
• and
• a sheet moving mechanism for switching, by pulling the flexible sheet so that the flexible sheet is moved back and forth, between (i) a first state in which an area of the flexible sheet where the toner passage hole is not provided and the first opening section overlap each other so that the first opening section is closed and (ii) a second state in which the toner passage hole and the first opening section overlap each other so that the first opening section is opened;
• and
• a guide pathway, via which the flexible sheet is guided, wherein a flexible cushioning material is provided on a wall surface of the guide pathway, via which wall surface the flexible sheet is guided,
• the toner cartridge, the toner carrying device, and the developing device being provided in this order from top to bottom;
• the first opening section being provided in a lower end part of the toner carrying pipe, and the second opening section being provided in an upper end part of the toner carrying pipe;
• and
• an inner part of the toner cartridge and an inner part of the toner carrying pipe communicating with each other via the second opening section, and an inner part of the developing device and the inner part of the toner carrying pipe communicating with each other via the first opening section.

A toner carrying device comprising:

• a toner carrying member which includes a first opening section via which toner passes;
• a flexible sheet which includes a toner passage hole and which moves back and forth in a certain pathway;
• and
• a sheet moving mechanism for switching, by pulling the flexible sheet so that the flexible sheet is moved back and forth in first and second moving directions, between (i) a first state in which an area of the flexible sheet where the toner passage hole is not provided and the first opening section overlap each other so that the first opening section is closed and (ii) a second state in which the toner passage hole and the first opening section overlap each other so that the first opening section is opened;
• a first guide surface on which the flexible sheet is guided and moved;
• the first guide surface including a projection on its surface,
• the toner passage hole being a hole obtained by cutting out part of the flexible sheet from the flexible sheet, and
• an edge part of the flexible sheet which is around the toner passage hole being recessed in the first and second moving directions.