Abstract:
An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of the developing devices for developing the latent image formed on an image bearing member. The plural developing devices are each movable between its developing position for developing the latent image on the image bearing member and its retracted position away from the image bearing member. The image forming apparatus includes a shutter for selectively opening and closing the developing aperture of the developing device of one of the developing devices. The shutter opens and closes the developing aperture of said one of the developing devices in association with movement of the other developing device between the developing position and the retracted position.
Abstract:
A developing apparatus loadable with a developer container. The container having a developer of the desired color is selectively inserted into a developing apparatus and then rotated therein in a predetermined direction so that the developer container will be set in place within the developing apparatus. The developer container is detachable relative to the developing apparatus and includes a protrusion for positioning the developer container within the developing apparatus and another protrusion for discriminating the color of the developer in the selected container. The positioning protrusion is located upstream of the color discriminating protrusion in the above predetermined direction of rotation. The developing apparatus includes a developer receptacle including guide grooves for respectively guiding the positioning and discriminating protrusions of the developer container into the developer receptacle and a stopper surface which is engaged by the positioning protrusion of the developer container to limit the rotation thereof when the container is rotated within the developing apparatus in the predetermined direction.
Abstract:
A developing apparatus loadable with a selected one kind of various kinds of developer container which contain different colors of the developers, respectively. Each of the developer container has a color-discriminating projection representative of the color of the developer contained therein. The developing apparatus includes a developer container receptacle which receives the developer container and a developer container preventing portion for preventing the insertion of the developer container if the color-discriminating projection of the developer container is in abutment therewith. The projection is divided into plural portions which correspond to the respective colors of the developer and which are selectively releasable.