Abstract: A feeding device for feeding developer includes a first feeding member for feeding the developer in a feeding direction and including a drive transmitting portion, and a second feeding member including a drive receiving portion and a helical blade as a feeding portion. In addition, a bearing portion rotatably supports the second feeding member in a portion between the drive receiving portion and the helical blade, wherein the drive transmitting portion and the drive receiving portion engage with each other so as to enable delivery of the developer from the first feeding member to the second feeding member while transmitting a driving force of the first feeding member to the second feeding member. The bearing portion is provided on one side of a second rotational axis of the second feeding member with respect to the feeding direction.

Abstract: An accommodating device for collecting developer from an image bearing member includes an accommodating container for accommodating the developer from the image bearing member, a feeding member for feeding the developer in a developer feeding direction and provided in the accommodating container, and a wall member for partitioning inside of the accommodating container. The wall member is provided in the accommodating container and extends along a direction crossing the developer feeding direction and inclined toward a downstream side of the feeding member with respect to the developer feeding direction. The wall member is contactable to the developer being fed in the developer feeding direction.

Abstract: With a structure in which a coupling member includes a sphere providing a center of inclination (pivoting), a rotational force transmitted member has an opening have a diameter smaller than that of the sphere, and the coupling member is prevented from disengaging from rotational force transmitted member by contact of inner edge of the opening to the sphere, the inner edge of the opening may limit an inclinable (pivotable) angle range of the coupling member. In a state that a pin 88 which is a shaft portion is inserted in a hole 86b which is a through-hole provided in a coupling member 86, opposite end portions of the pin 88 are supported by a driving side flange 87 which is a rotational force transmitted member.

Abstract: A cartridge for a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein the main assembly includes a rotatable driving coupling member including a driving force transmitting portion for transmitting a driving force and a driving side abutment, wherein the cartridge is demountable in a direction substantially perpendicular to a rotational axis of the driving coupling member, includes a rotatable driven coupling member including a driving force receiving portion for receiving the driving force, and a driven side abutment to be abutted by the driving side abutment, the driven coupling member being slidable in a predetermined direction which is substantially parallel with a rotational axis of the receiving coupling member; wherein at least one of the driving side abutment and the driven side abutment is inclined so that the driven coupling member is retractable away from the driving coupling member in the predetermined direction by a force received by driven side abutment from the driving side

Abstract: A feeding device for feeding a developer includes an accommodating member, a first helical feeding member including a first region having a first diameter and a second region having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter in a named order with respect to a first feeding direction, a second helical feeding member for feeding the developer in a second feeding direction crossing the first feeding direction, and a wall extending toward the second helical feeding member so that the wall is spaced from the first helical feeding member toward a downstream side of the first helical feeding member with respect to the first feeding direction to branch a flow path of the developer. With respect to the first feeding direction, the second region is provided between the first region and a position where the first and second helical feeding members cross each other.

Abstract: With a structure in which a coupling member includes a sphere providing a center of inclination (pivoting), a rotational force transmitted member has an opening have a diameter smaller than that of the sphere, and the coupling member is prevented from disengaging from rotational force transmitted member by contact of inner edge of the opening to the sphere, the inner edge of the opening may limit an inclinable (pivotable) angle range of the coupling member. In a state that a pin that is a shaft portion is inserted in a hole that is a through-hole provided in a coupling member, opposite end portions of the pin are supported by a driving side flange, which is a rotational force transmitted member. The coupling member, the driving side flange, and the pin are connected in this manner, and the pin contacts the inside of the hole without limiting the inclinable angle range.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a casing and a photosensitive drum rotatably supported in the casing. A rotatable driven coupling member is provided on an axial end of the photosensitive drum, with the driven coupling member including a driving force receiving portion for receiving a driving force to rotate the photosensitive drum. The driven coupling member is translatable with respect to the casing in a predetermined direction, which is substantially parallel to a rotational axis of the photosensitive drum, by a force received by a driven side abutment portion of the driven coupling member. A distance between the rotational axis of the driven coupling member and the driven side abutment portion is not more than a distance between the rotational axis of the driven coupling member and the driving force receiving portion.

Abstract: A cartridge for a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a rotatable driven coupling member including a driving force receiving portion for receiving a driving force and a driven side abutment to be abutted by a driving side abutment. The coupling member is slidable in a predetermined direction that is substantially parallel to a rotational axis of the coupling member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge including a rotatable photosensitive drum or a rotatable developing sleeve; and a supporting member for detachably supporting the cartridge, the supporting member and being movable between an inside position for permitting mounting of the cartridge to the apparatus and an outside position in direction along an axial direction of the drum or the sleeve. The cartridge is mountable to the supporting member from above. When the supporting member is in the outside position with the cartridge mounted thereon, an upstream end of the supporting member with respect to a moving direction from the inside position toward the outside position is inside the forming apparatus. When the supporting member is in the outside position, a downstream portion thereof is lower than that when the supporting member is in the inside position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body, and a moving member movable with respect to the main body in a state of supporting an image forming portion. The moving member includes an image bearing member and an opening, and is movable between an inside position located inside of the main body and an outside position located outside of the main body, and in which at least a part of the image forming portion is removably mountable on the moving member as a cartridge. A shielding member is provided on the moving member and shields the opening. In addition, holding mechanism holds the shielding member in a shielding position corresponding to the opening while the moving member is moved between the inside position and the outside position, and holds the shielding member in a non-shielding position in which the opening is opened when the moving member is located in the inside position.

Abstract: A feeding device for feeding a developer includes an accommodating member, a first helical feeding member including a first region having a first diameter and a second region having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter in a named order with respect to a first feeding direction, a second helical feeding member for feeding the developer in a second feeding direction crossing the first feeding direction, and a wall extending toward the second helical feeding member so that the wall is spaced from the first helical feeding member toward a downstream side of the first helical feeding member with respect to the first feeding direction to branch a flow path of the developer. With respect to the first feeding direction, the second region is provided between the first region and a position where the first and second helical feeding members cross each other.

Abstract: A feeding device includes a first feeding member for feeding the developer in a feeding direction along a first rotational axis direction, the first feeding member being provided in a first feeding path and including a driving shaft and a drive transmitting portion, and a second feeding member for feeding the developer along a second rotational axis direction crossing the first rotational axis direction, and second feeding member being provided in a second feeding path and including a driven shaft and a drive receiving portion. The drive transmitting portion and the drive receiving portion engage with each other to deliver the developer from the first feeding member to the second feeding member. A bearing portion for rotatably supporting the second feeding member is provided in an upstream side with respect to the feeding direction.

Abstract: An accommodating container for accommodating a developer includes a feeding member for feeding the developer in the accommodating container; and a wall member provided in the accommodating container and extending along a direction crossing a developer feeding direction of the feeding member and inclined so that a distance from the feeding member increases toward a downstream side of the feeding member with respect to the developer feeding direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body, a moving member movable while supporting an image forming portion having an image bearing member, between a position inside the main body and a position outside the main body so that at least a part of the image forming portion is removably mountable on the moving member as a cartridge, and an exposure device configured to expose the image bearing member with light through an exposure opening provided in the moving member. In addition, a shielding member is provided in the moving member to shield the exposure opening, and a holding mechanism holds the shielding member in a shielding position for shielding the exposure opening while the moving member is moved and holds the shielding member in a non-shielding position for opening the exposure opening when the moving member is in the inside position.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a casing and a photosensitive drum rotatably supported in the casing. A rotatable driven coupling member is provided on an axial end of the photosensitive drum, with the driven coupling member including a driving force receiving portion for receiving a driving force to rotate the photosensitive drum. The driven coupling member is translatable with respect to the casing in a predetermined direction, which is substantially parallel to a rotational axis of the photosensitive drum, by a force received by a driven side abutment portion of the driven coupling member. A distance between the rotational axis of the driven coupling member and the driven side abutment portion is not more than a distance between the rotational axis of the driven coupling member and the driving force receiving portion.

Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a flexible developer bag, provided with an opening and provided in a frame, for accommodating a developer; and an acting member contactable to the developer bag. The developer bag is fixed to the frame at its upper portion. The developer bag is swingable by contact with the acting member.

Abstract: With a structure in which a coupling member includes a sphere providing a center of inclination (pivoting), a rotational force transmitted member has an opening have a diameter smaller than that of the sphere, and the coupling member is prevented from disengaging from rotational force transmitted member by contact of inner edge of the opening to the sphere, the inner edge of the opening may limit an inclinable (pivotable) angle range of the coupling member. In a state that a pin that is a shaft portion is inserted in a hole that is a through-hole provided in a coupling member, opposite end portions of the pin are supported by a driving side flange, which is a rotational force transmitted member. The coupling member, the driving side flange, and the pin are connected in this manner, and the pin contacts the inside of the hole without limiting the inclinable angle range.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a plurality of image forming portions configured to form different color images; a first support member movable with respect to a main body of the image forming apparatus while supporting cartridges; and a second support member movable with respect to the main body independently of the first support member while supporting a cartridge other than the cartridges supported by the first support member, wherein the cartridges supported by the first and second support members are used in the different image forming portions, each of the first and second support members is movable between an inside position inside the main body and an outside position outside the main body, and each of the cartridges supported by the first and second support members is removably mountable in a state in which the corresponding support member is located in the outside position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body and a movable member configured to move with respect to the main body while supporting an image bearing member and a developer bearing member. The movable member is movable to a position located inside the main body, where the two bearing members is in an image formable state, and a position located outside the main body, where a cartridge including the developer bearing member is detachable from the movable member. The apparatus further includes an exposure device configured to expose the image bearing member via a light transmission member, and a cleaning member configured to clean a surface of the light transmission member opposed to the movable member. The cleaning member is provided on the movable member and is movable to a contact position for contacting the light transmission member and a noncontact position when the movable member moves.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a moving member configured to be moved with respect to a main body of the image forming apparatus while supporting an image bearing member and a developer bearing member and configured to move between an inner position in which the moving member is located inside the main body and an outer position in which the moving member is located outside the main body so that the developer bearing member is removable from the moving member; a transfer device provided in the main body opposite to the image bearing member when the moving member is located in the inner position, and configured to transfer a developer image formed on the image bearing member; and a biasing member provided on the moving member and configured to bias the image bearing member toward the transfer device when the moving member is located in the inner position.