The present invention relates to a developer container for use with a developer replenishing device in a copier, facsimile apparatus, printer or similar electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and more particularly to such a developer container which has a rotary sealing cap rotated to close/open its developer output port.
A developer container for use with a developer replenishing device in a copier, facsimile apparatus, printer or similar electrophotographic image forming apparatus, generally comprises a container portion having an opening through which developer is supplied in or out, a shutter member for opening and closing the opening. After installation of the developer container in the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the shutter member is pulled away from the container body to open the opening for enabling contained developer to be driven out of the opening. This design is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,270. However, this design requires much installation space. After installation of the developer container, sufficient space must be provided within the electrophotographic image forming apparatus around the opening of the developer container for the movement of the shutter member of the developer container, so that the shutter member can be detached from the developer container. Further, the shutter member tends to be broken when it is pulled away from the container portion.