Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes, an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on a sheet using printing toner and apply powder adhesive on the sheet, a fixing portion configured to heat the toner image formed on the sheet and the powder adhesive applied on the sheet by the image forming portion and fix the toner image and the powder adhesive to the sheet, and a bonding portion configured to bond the sheet with the powder adhesive by reheating the sheet having been heated by the fixing portion. The bonding portion is arranged above the image forming portion.

Abstract: A pump portion 21 which is variable in volume, a feeding path portion 24 including a connection opening connected to the pump portion 21 at one end and including a discharge opening 23 at the other end, and a toner accommodating portion 22 connected to an intermediate portion between the one end and the other end of the feeding path portion 24 and for accommodating the toner are provided, and a volume change amount of the pump portion 21 is larger than a total volume from the connection opening to the discharge opening 23 of the feeding path portion 24.

Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a pump portion that is variable in volume, a feeding path portion including a connection opening connected to the pump portion at a first end and including a discharge opening at a second end, and a toner accommodating portion connected to an intermediate portion between the first end of the feeding path portion and the second end of the feeding path portion. A volume change amount of the pump portion is greater than a total volume from the connection opening to the discharge opening.

Abstract: A developer cartridge includes accommodating container, a pump that is variable in volume, a feeding path member of which one end is connected to the pump and the other end is provided with a discharge outlet, the feeding path member being configured to form a path for feeding developer between the pump and the discharge outlet, and a transporting member configured to communicate the developer and the accommodating container and to transport the developer from the accommodating container to the feeding path member. The transporting member includes a moving mechanism configured to move a holding member between a first position where the holding member is capable of being filled with the developer from the accommodating container by accommodating the container and the holding member and a second position where the holding member and the feeding path member communicate with each other.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes, an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on a sheet using printing toner and apply powder adhesive on the sheet, a fixing portion configured to heat the toner image formed on the sheet and the powder adhesive applied on the sheet by the image forming portion and fix the toner image and the powder adhesive to the sheet, and a bonding portion configured to bond the sheet with the powder adhesive by reheating the sheet having been heated by the fixing portion. The bonding portion is arranged above the image forming portion.

Abstract: A pump portion 21 which is variable in volume, a feeding path portion 24 including a connection opening connected to the pump portion 21 at one end and including a discharge opening 23 at the other end, and a toner accommodating portion 22 connected to an intermediate portion between the one end and the other end of the feeding path portion 24 and for accommodating the toner are provided, and a volume change amount of the pump portion 21 is larger than a total volume from the connection opening to the discharge opening 23 of the feeding path portion 24.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes, an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on a sheet using printing toner and apply powder adhesive on the sheet, a fixing portion configured to heat the toner image formed on the sheet and the powder adhesive applied on the sheet by the image forming portion and fix the toner image and the powder adhesive to the sheet, and a bonding portion configured to bond the sheet with the powder adhesive by reheating the sheet having been heated by the fixing portion. The bonding portion is arranged above the image forming portion.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus, having: a power source; a first coupling member configured to be rotated by a driving force transferred from the power source; and a cartridge including a second coupling member configured to rotate in a state of being adsorbed to the first coupling member, and a rotating member connected with the second coupling member, wherein the first coupling member has a first driving force transfer surface which is perpendicular to a rotation axis of the first coupling member, the second coupling member has a second driving force transfer surface which is perpendicular to a rotation axis of the second coupling member, and the driving force is transferred from the first coupling member to the second coupling member in a state where an adsorption force is generated mutually between the first driving force transfer surface and the second driving force transfer surface.

Abstract: Provided are a cleaning member that removes a developer from the surface of an image bearing member that is attached to an opening of a frame; a transport member that transports developer removed from the surface of the photosensitive member drum by the cleaning member, from an opening side of the frame towards an opposing deep side; and a driving unit for driving the transport member such that the transport member moves relatively to the cleaning member. The transport member is driven by the driving unit such that an absolute value of maximum acceleration at the time of movement of the transport member in a direction from the opening side of the frame towards the deep side is smaller than an absolute value of maximum acceleration at the time of movement in a direction from the deep side towards the opening side.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes, an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on a sheet using printing toner and apply powder adhesive on the sheet, a fixing portion configured to heat the toner image formed on the sheet and the powder adhesive applied on the sheet by the image forming portion and fix the toner image and the powder adhesive to the sheet, and a bonding portion configured to bond the sheet with the powder adhesive by reheating the sheet having been heated by the fixing portion. The bonding portion is arranged above the image forming portion.

Abstract: A cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a rotatable member capable of carrying developer, the rotatable member being rotatable about a rotational axis thereof. The cartridge also includes a coupling member provided at one end portion of the cartridge with respect to a rotational axis direction of the rotatable member, the coupling member including at least one projection and being configured to transmit a rotational force to the rotatable member. A holding member holds the coupling member, and two pins support the holding member, with each of the two pins including a shaft portion elongated in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis of the rotatable member and the two pins being disposed substantially parallel to each other.

Abstract: Provided are a cleaning member that scrapes developer from a photosensitive drum attached to an opening of a cleaning frame, and a transport member that transports scraped developer from an opening side of the frame towards an opposing deep side. The transport member is driven such that an absolute value of maximum acceleration at the time of movement of the transport sheet in a direction from the opening side towards the deep side is smaller than an absolute value of maximum acceleration at the time of movement in a reverse direction of the former direction. In the longitudinal direction of the photosensitive drum, the width of the transport member is smaller than an abutting width of an abutting portion of the cleaning member with the photosensitive drum, and ends of the transport member in the longitudinal direction are positioned inward of ends of the abutting portion.

Abstract: A cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a rotatable member capable of carrying developer, the rotatable member being rotatable about a rotational axis thereof. The cartridge also includes a coupling member provided at one end portion of the cartridge with respect to a rotational axis direction of the rotatable member, the coupling member including at least one projection and being configured to transmit a rotational force to the rotatable member. A holding member holds the coupling member, and two pins support the holding member, with each of the two pins including a shaft portion elongated in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis of the rotatable member and the two pins being disposed substantially parallel to each other.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cartridge which is dismountable from the main assembly without deteriorating usability performance in a predetermined direction substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis of an image bearing member, the main assembly being not provided with the mechanism for moving the main assembly side engaging portion in the rotational axis direction in response to the opening and closing operation of the main assembly cover of the main assembly. With the movement of the cartridge in such a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis of the image bearing member in the dismounting of the cartridge from the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the coupling member movable in a direction parallel with the rotational axis of the image bearing member enters a inside of a recess of the main assembly side engaging portion provided in the main assembly of the apparatus to receive a rotational force from the main assembly side engaging portion.

Abstract: Provided are a cleaning member that scrapes developer from a photosensitive drum attached to an opening of a cleaning frame, and a transport member that transports scraped developer from an opening side of the frame towards an opposing deep side. The transport member is driven such that an absolute value of maximum acceleration at the time of movement of the transport sheet in a direction from the opening side towards the deep side is smaller than an absolute value of maximum acceleration at the time of movement in a reverse direction of the former direction. In the longitudinal direction of the photosensitive drum, the width of the transport member is smaller than an abutting width of an abutting portion of the cleaning member with the photosensitive drum, and ends of the transport member in the longitudinal direction are positioned inward of ends of the abutting portion.

Abstract: Provided are a cleaning member that removes a developer from the surface of an image bearing member that is attached to an opening of a frame; a transport member that transports developer removed from the surface of the photosensitive member drum by the cleaning member, from an opening side of the frame towards an opposing deep side; and a driving unit for driving the transport member such that the transport member moves relatively to the cleaning member. The transport member is driven by the driving unit such that an absolute value of maximum acceleration at the time of movement of the transport member in a direction from the opening side of the frame towards the deep side is smaller than an absolute value of maximum acceleration at the time of movement in a direction from the deep side towards the opening side.

Abstract: A developing device includes a rotatable developer carrying member, a frame, a partition wall partitioning an inside of the frame into a developing chamber and a developer accommodating portion and provided with an opening, and a feeding member. The feeding member includes a flexible sheet member and a driving member. Maximum acceleration of the sheet member driven by the driving member in a first direction in which the developer in the developer accommodating chamber is moved toward the opening is smaller than maximum acceleration in a second direction opposite to the first direction. When the sheet member is reciprocated in a surface direction by the driving member, the sheet member is deformable so as to follow a shape of an inner wall surface of the developer accommodating chamber.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a housing that has an opening and a conveyance member disposed near a bottom surface of the housing. The conveyance member is configured to convey developer along a first direction from a deep side to an opening side of the housing, or a second direction from the opening side to the deep side. The cartridge also includes a driving member connected to one end of the conveyance member, with the driving member being configured to reciprocate the conveyance member along a surface direction of the conveyance member in a manner such that a maximum acceleration of the conveyance member in the first direction and a maximum acceleration in the second direction are different from each other. The housing includes a regulation member that regulates movement of the conveyance member in a direction in which the conveyance member moves away from the bottom surface of the housing.

Abstract: A developer accommodating unit includes a developer container provided with an opening at a lower portion thereof with respect to a direction of gravitation in an attitude during use and configured to accommodate a developer; a developer carrying member mounted at the opening and configured to carry the developer; and a feeding member provided in the developer container and configured to feed the developer in the developer container toward the developer carrying member. The feeding member is swingable about a predetermined supporting point as a swing center and is configured so that maximum acceleration when the feeding member moves toward the developer carrying member is smaller than maximum acceleration when the feeding member moves away from the developer carrying member.

Abstract: A developer container unit to be mounted in an image forming apparatus that performs an image forming operation comprises a frame and a sealing unit. The frame is provided with a developer containing chamber containing developer and an opening for discharging the developer from the developer containing chamber. The sealing unit includes a shaft member rotatable about a rotational axis and a sealing portion attached to the shaft member and compressed by the shaft member and the frame to seal the opening. The sealing unit is rotatable to a close position at which the sealing portion seals the opening, a first open position at which the opening is open, and a second open position at which the opening is open. The sealing unit agitates the developer by executing a reciprocating motion between the first and second open positions during the image forming operation.