Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to an electrophotographic image forming includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a developing roller; a first cartridge positioning portion abuttable to a first main assembly positioning portion provided in a main assembly of the apparatus to position the cartridge with respect to a direction crossing the longitudinal direction, when the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly; a second cartridge positioning portion abuttable to a second main assembly positioning portion provided in the main assembly to limit rotation of the cartridge about the first cartridge positioning portion, when the cartridge receives a rotational driving force for rotating the roller from the main assembly; and a first drive input gear, for engagement with a main assembly driving gear to transmit a rotational driving force to the roller.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive drum is for a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The main assembly includes a motor, and a gear having a non-circular twisted hole. The drum includes a cylinder having a non-circular twisted projection engageable with the hole to receive a driving force from the main assembly when the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly. A recess is formed in the projection and has a bottom portion and a side surface portion. When the projection receives a pulling force toward the hole by rotation of the gear with the projection and the hole being engaged with each other, the bottom portion contacts a spherical surface portion provided at a central portion of the hole, and the side surface portion contacts the spherical surface portion.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive drum supporting apparatus for rotatably supporting a photosensitive drum includes a first supporting member having a first hole for supporting one end of the drum, and first and second surfaces on one side and the other side of the first supporting member relative to an imaginary plane passing through the axis of the drum, respectively. The first and second surfaces are inclined with respect to the plane so as to contact with the drum and are provided on the inner surface of the first hole. The apparatus also includes a second supporting member having a second hole for supporting the other end of the drum, and a third and a fourth surfaces on one side and the other side of the second supporting member relative to the plane, respectively. The third and fourth surfaces are inclined with respect to the plane so as to contact with the drum and are provided on the inner surface of the second hole.

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: A cleaning device used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a frame, an elastic blade contacting an electrophotographic photosensitive drum to remove a developer remaining thereon, a blade supporting member, and a removed developer containing portion containing the developer removed from the drum by the blade. The supporting member includes: a supporting portion attached to the frame for supporting the blade; a first bent portion bent from the supporting portion to an opposite side to an attachment surface where the supporting portion is attached to the frame; a connecting portion extending from the first bent portion to the opposite side in the orthogonal direction; a second bent portion bent from the connecting portion in the orthogonal direction and in a lateral direction of the supporting portion; and an extension portion extending from the second bent portion, in the orthogonal direction and in the lateral direction.

Abstract: A cartridge detachably mountable to an apparatus includes a drum, a developing roller, first and second frames supporting the drum and roller, a coupling member rotatably connecting the frames, a first cartridge positioning portion abuttable to a first main assembly positioning portion positioning the cartridge with respect to a direction crossing the drum axis when the cartridge is mounted to the apparatus, a drive input gear engaging a main assembly driving gear, and a second cartridge positioning portion abuttable to a second main assembly positioning portion limiting cartridge rotation about the first cartridge positioning portion. When the cartridge is in the apparatus, the coupling member crosses a phantom line perpendicular to the second main assembly positioning portion and which passes through the second positioning portion, as seen from one end with respect to the axis.

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 developing device includes a developer carrying member for carrying a developer to develop an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member with a developer, wherein an oscillating electric field is formed between the developer carrying member and the image bearing member; a jumping developer blocking member, provided between the image bearing member and the developer carrying member, for blocking a part of a region in which the developer jumps from the developer carrying member to the image bearing member, the jumping developer blocking member including an insulative portion and an electrically floating electroconductive portion opposed to the developer carrying member.

Abstract: A process cartridge having an insertion construction for a connecting pin swingably supporting a developing unit where there are achieved an improvement in assembly property, a minimization of container deformation, and prevention of coming-off of the connecting pin due to a small press-fitting region. The connecting pin swingably supporting the developing unit is formed of a styrene-based resin composite, and, by injecting a terpene solvent from a cutout of a photosensitive drum unit frame to the outer periphery of the connecting pin, integral connection is effected between the photosensitive drum unit frame and the connecting pin, and further, between the photosensitive drum unit frame and a drum bearing member. Due to a press-fit portion between the connecting pin and the photosensitive drum unit frame, no terpene solvent flows to the developing unit side.

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: A cartridge detachably mountable to an apparatus includes a drum, a developing roller, first and second frames supporting the drum and roller, a coupling member rotatably connecting the frames, a first cartridge positioning portion abuttable to a first main assembly positioning portion positioning the cartridge with respect to a direction crossing the drum axis when the cartridge is mounted to the apparatus, a drive input gear engaging a main assembly driving gear, and a second cartridge positioning portion abuttable to a second main assembly positioning portion limiting cartridge rotation about the first cartridge positioning portion. When the cartridge is in the apparatus, the coupling member crosses a phantom line perpendicular to the second main assembly positioning portion and which passes through the second positioning portion, as seen from one end with respect to the axis.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to an electrophotographic image forming includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a developing roller; a first cartridge positioning portion abuttable to a first main assembly positioning portion provided in a main assembly of the apparatus to position the cartridge with respect to a direction crossing the longitudinal direction, when the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly; a second cartridge positioning portion abuttable to a second main assembly positioning portion provided in the main assembly to limit rotation of the cartridge about the first cartridge positioning portion, when the cartridge receives a rotational driving force for rotating the roller from the main assembly; and a first drive input gear, for engagement with a main assembly driving gear to transmit a rotational driving force to the roller.

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, a non-circular twisted projection being provided at one longitudinal end of the 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 is disposed in the hole to ground the drum. The second electroconductive member is provided on the projection and is electrically connected with the drum.

Abstract: A process cartridge having an insertion construction for a connecting pin swingably supporting a developing unit where there are achieved an improvement in assembly property, a minimization of container deformation, and prevention of coming-off of the connecting pin due to a small press-fitting region. The connecting pin swingably supporting the developing unit is formed of a styrene-based resin composite, and, by injecting a terpene solvent from a cutout of a photosensitive drum unit frame to the outer periphery of the connecting pin, integral connection is effected between the photosensitive drum unit frame and the connecting pin, and further, between the photosensitive drum unit frame and a drum bearing member. Due to a press-fit portion between the connecting pin and the photosensitive drum unit frame, no terpene solvent flows to the developing unit side.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive drum includes a non-circular twisted projection, provided at one longitudinal end of the drum, having a cross-section with a plurality of corner portions, and being engageable with a non-circular twisted hole located at a central portion of a driving rotatable member of a main assembly of an image forming apparatus and has a cross-section with a plurality of corner portions; and a second electroconductive member contactable with a first electroconductive member electrically connected with the main assembly of the image forming apparatus. The first electroconductive member is disposed in the hole to ground the drum. The second electroconductive member is provided on the projection and electrically connected with the drum. The contact position between the first and second electroconductive members moves in interrelation with the projection being retracted toward the hole by rotation of the driving rotatable member when the projection is engaged with the hole.

Abstract: A recycling method is for a developer supply unit for supplying a developer to developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member. 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: 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 carrier, 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: A method of refurbishing a process cartridge includes removing first and second side plates, a charging unit removing step, a drum removing step, a 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 drum and the charging unit are attached, positioning the development and charging units by the first side plate as well as movably supporting the drum in a direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction, and positioning the development and charging units and the drum by the second side plate. Another reproducing method includes opening an open/close shutter of a developing agent replenishing port, evacuating the developing agent in the development unit from the development agent replenishing port, filling a new developing agent from the developing agent replenishing port, and closing the open/close shutter.

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 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.