Abstract: A cleaning device to be used in an electrophtographic image forming apparatus, the cleaning device including a frame, an elastic blade elastically contacting an electrophotographic photosensitive drum to remove a developer remaining thereon, a supporting member for supporting the blade, and a removed developer containing portion for containing therein the developer removed from the drum by the blade.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electric contact member applying a voltage from a voltage applying device to a charger reciprocally moving in a longitudinal direction of an image carrier. The member includes a securing portion electrically connected to a side of the voltage applying device, a moving portion reciprocally movable and connected electrically to a side of the charger, and a buffer portion formed between the securing portion and the moving portion.

Abstract: A timing, at which fitting of a first support begins, a timing, at which fitting of a second support begins, and a timing, at which coupling of a high voltage contact and a contact pin provided on a side of a main body begins, respectively are staggered when a cartridge is mounted in the main body, whereby reduction of a burden on a user is achieved when the cartridge is mounted in the main body.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive drum usable with an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes a non-circular twisted projection having a cross-section with a plurality of corner portions, non-circular twisted projection being provided at one longitudinal end of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and being engageable with a non-circular twisted hole having a section with a plurality of corner portions, the non-circular twisted hole being disposed at a central portion of a driving rotatable member of a main assembly of the image forming apparatus; and a second electroconductive member contactable with a first electroconductive member electrically connected with a main assembly of the image forming apparatus, the first electroconductive member being disposed in the hole to provide a grounding of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, the second electroconductive member being provided on the projection and being electrically connected with the electrophotographic photosensitive d

Abstract: A developer supply container supplies a developer to a process cartridge detachably mounted to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The process cartridge contains an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a charging member for charging the drum. The developer supply container includes a developer accommodating portion, a developer supply opening for supplying the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating portion to the cartridge, a container closing member for opening and closing the developer supply opening, a first container guide guidable by an apparatus main assembly guide, a second container guide guidable by the main assembly guide, a container force receiving portion for receiving a force for opening the supply opening by movement of the closing member by engagement with a cartridge engaging portion provided in the cartridge, and a first container positioning portion engageable with a first main assembly positioning portion.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus has a developer container containing a developer therein, a developer toner density detecting portion for detecting the permeability of the developer in the developer container to thereby detect toner density, and an engine controller for detecting whether the image forming apparatus has gone wrong, on the basis of the toner density detected by the developer toner density detecting portion. Thereby, it becomes possible to detect the failure of a developing apparatus reliably and early by an inexpensive construction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a developing apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive drum using a developing agent, including a developing agent carrier for supplying the developing agent to the photosensitive drum to develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum, a layer thickness limiting member for limiting the layer thickness of the developing agent carried on a surface of the developing agent carrier, the layer thickness limiting member being disposed with a gap to the developing agent carrier, a sealing member for restricting the developing agent from leaking out of an end in a longitudinal direction of the developing agent carriers and an elastic member arranged in contact with the developing agent carrier to prevent the gap between the developing agent carrier and the layer thickness limiting member from changing upon bending of the developing agent carrier.

Abstract: An electrical contact member is usable with a process cartridge, and is for establishing an electrical connection between the process cartridge and a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus. The process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a process device actable on the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A drive transmission apparatus includes a first coupling portion having a polygonal shape; a second coupling portion having a hole portion which has a cross-sectional configuration larger than the first coupling portion, the hole portion being engageable with the first coupling portion; and a center shaft provided on the first coupling or the second coupling, the center shaft penetrating the other one of the first and second coupling.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electric contact member applying a voltage from a voltage applying means to a charger reciprocally moving in a longitudinal direction of an image carrier, comprising a securing portion electrically connected to a side of the voltage applying means, a moving portion reciprocally movable connected electrically to a side of the charger and a buffer portion formed between the securing portion and the moving portion.

Abstract: A method of reproducing a process cartridge, which is detachably attachable to the main body of an electrophotographic photosensitive image forming apparatus, includes a side plate removing step of removing first and second side plates disposed to a process cartridge at both the ends thereof in a lengthwise direction, a charging unit removing step, an electrophotographic photosensitive drum removing step, an electrophotographic photosensitive drum attaching step, a charging unit attaching step, and a positioning step of attaching the first and second side plates to the development unit, to which the electrophotographic photosensitive drum and the charging unit are attached, positioning the development unit and the charging unit by the first side plate as well as movably supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive drum in a direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction, and positioning the development unit, the charging unit and the electrophotographic photosensitive drum by the second side plate.

Abstract: The developer agitating member has a shaft portion, a spiral rib and an inclined rib protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion and provided in the spiral rib in the axial direction of the shaft portion. As a result, in a developing apparatus, a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus, the developer agitating member can efficiently agitate and convey a developer.

Abstract: A drive transmission apparatus includes a first coupling portion having a polygonal shape; a second coupling portion having a hole portion which has a cross-sectional configuration larger than the first coupling portion, the hole portion being engageable with the first coupling portion; and a center shaft provided on the first coupling or the second coupling, the center shaft penetrating the other one of the first and second coupling.

Abstract: A timing, at which fitting of a first support begins, a timing, at which fitting of a second support begins, and a timing, at which coupling of a high voltage contact and a contact pin provided on a side of a main body begins, respectively are staggered when a cartridge is mounted in the main body, whereby reduction of a burden on a user is achieved when the cartridge is mounted in the main body.

Abstract: A remanufacturing method for a developer supply container detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, the developer supply container including a frame, a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer to be used by a developing device of the image forming apparatus, a developer filling opening for filling the developer into the developer accommodating portion, a capping member for closing the developer filling opening, and a cap covering member covering the capping member, the cap covering member being fixed by welding to the frame, the remanufacturing method including a cap covering member dismounting step of dismounting the cap covering member from the frame by separating cap covering member from the frame at a welded portion; a capping member dismounting step of dismounting the capping member to open the developer filling opening; a developer filling step of filling the developer with the developer filling opening; a capping member mounting step of closing the deve

Abstract: A recycling method for a developer supply unit for supplying a developer to developing means for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, wherein the developer supply unit is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and includes a developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer, a developer supply port for supplying the developer to the developing means and a feeding member for feeding the developer to the developer supply port from the developer accommodating portion, the method includes an injection step of injecting the developer through the developer supply port; and driving step of driving the feeding member in a direction for feeding the developer from the developer supply port to the developer accommodating portion, by which the developer is fed from the developer supply port to fill the developer accommodating portion with the developer.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a process device actable on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; and a load producing member for imparting a load on a peripheral surface of a cylindrical member rotatable with the photosensitive drum to increase a rotational torque required for rotation of the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a developing apparatus capable of reducing unevenness of density of an image in a longitudinal direction of a photosensitive member. For this purpose, in the present invention, a developing apparatus includes a developer bearing member, and a developer carrying screw placed adjacently to the developer bearing member in parallel with the developer bearing member, and an inclination angle of “a carrying surface facing in a developer carrying direction of a spiral blade of the developer carrying screw” to a shaft of the developer carrying screw is equal to or less than 60 degrees.

Abstract: The developer agitating member has a shaft portion, a spiral rib and an inclined rib protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion and provided in the spiral rib in the axial direction of the shaft portion. Thereby, in a developing apparatus, a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus, the developer agitating member can efficiently agitate and convey a developer.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus has a developer container containing a developer therein, a developer toner density detecting portion for detecting the permeability of the developer in the developer container to thereby detect toner density, and an engine controller for detecting whether the image forming apparatus has gone wrong, on the basis of the toner density detected by the developer toner density detecting portion. Thereby, it becomes possible to detect the failure of a developing apparatus reliably and early by an inexpensive construction.