	US 7,580,658 B2
	Developer container, developer supply device, and image forming apparatus
Koichi Mihara, Fujidera (Japan); Toshihide Ohgoshi, Nara (Japan); Hiroshi Kubota, Kadoma (Japan); Hideaki Kurimoto, Yamatokoriyama (Japan); and Masatoshi Kaneshige, Ikoma (Japan)
Assigned to Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka (Japan)
Filed on Feb. 12, 2008, as Appl. No. 12/29,537.
Claims priority of application No. 2007-037172 (JP), filed on Feb. 16, 2007.
Prior Publication US 2008/0199226 A1, Aug. 21, 2008
Int. Cl. G03G 15/08 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 399—262 [399/258]

12 Claims

1. A developer container, comprising a cylindrical section containing developer therein, the cylindrical section having an inner circumferential surface provided with a plurality of protruding portions raised inward along the cylindrical section, which is arranged such that when the cylindrical section is driven to rotate on a central axis of the cylindrical section, the developer stored in the cylindrical section is conveyed along the central axis by the plurality of protruding portions so as to be discharged from an outlet of the cylindrical section, wherein the plurality of protruding portions are tilted at an angle of not less than 10° nor more than 40° from the direction perpendicular to the central axis toward the developer conveying direction, wherein a height of the protruding portions ranges between approximately 5.9% and 9.4% of an inner diameter of the cylindrical section, and

wherein when cross-sections perpendicular to the central axis of the cylindrical section are projected from a longitudinal direction of the cylindrical section, the cylindrical section has an inner circumference provided with one or more regions where the protruding portions are not projected, and wherein those regions of the inner circumference of the cross-section of the cylindrical section where the plurality of protruding portions are not projected occupy not less than 4% nor more than 13% of an entire length of the inner circumference of the cylindrical section.