Abstract: A developer accommodating unit for accommodating a developer for image formation includes a developer accommodating container including a flexible container provided with openings for permitting discharge of the accommodated developer and sealing member for sealing the openings by a bonding portion and for exposing the openings by being moved, an unsealing member, mounted on the sealing member, for moving the sealing member, and a frame which accommodates the developer accommodating container and the unsealing member and which includes a fixing portion for fixing the flexible container. In addition, connecting potion is disposed between the openings in the flexible container. With respect to an unsealing direction of the sealing member, the fixing portion and the connecting portion are provided so as to overlap with each other.

Abstract: A developer accommodating unit for accommodating a developer includes: a flexible container provided with a plurality of openings for permitting discharge of developer. The openings are formed and arranged in a longitudinal direction of the developer accommodating unit. The openings have opening areas such that with respect to the longitudinal direction, the opening area of the opening provided at an end portion is larger than the opening area of the opening provided at a central portion.

Abstract: A developer accommodating container includes: a flexible container provided with an opening for permitting discharge of a developer; a sealing member, mounted to the flexible container in a state in which the sealing member seals the opening, capable of exposing the opening by being wound up; an unsealing member for winding up the sealing member by being rotated to expose the opening; a frame for accommodating the unsealing member; and a limiting portion for limiting deformation of the unsealing member with respect to a direction of a force applied from the sealing member to the unsealing member when the unsealing member winds up the sealing member.

Abstract: A fixing portion 18c for suppressing movement of a developer bag 16 when the developer bag 16 is unsealed by moving a sealing member 19 is provided. By this, unsealing becomes easy.

Abstract: A developer accommodating unit for accommodating a developer includes: a flexible container, provided with an opening for permitting discharge of the developer, for accommodating the developer; and a frame. The flexible container is provided with a fastening hole for fastening said flexible container in said frame. The frame includes a fixing shaft portion fixed in the fastening hole by being inserted into the fastening hole and includes a retaining portion for preventing the fixing shaft portion from being disengaged from the fastening hole. The fastening hole is locked by fitting the fastening hole around the fixing shaft portion while an edge of the fastening hole rides over the retaining portion by elastic deformation thereof.

Abstract: A developer accommodating container for accommodating a developer for image formation, includes a first flexible member having a three-dimensional shape; a second flexible member for forming a space for accommodating the developer by covering a part of the first flexible member; wherein the developer accommodating container is constituted by bonding the first flexible member and the second flexible member to each other, and an injection opening, provided between the first flexible member and the second flexible member, for permitting injection of the developer into the developer accommodating container. An adjacent side, which is one of sides constituting an outer configuration of the three-dimensional shape and which is adjacent to the injection opening, has an angle of less than 90 degrees with respect to an injection direction of the developer at the injection opening.

Abstract: A developer accommodating unit includes: a flexible container including an opening for permitting discharge of a developer; a sealing member for forming a bonding portion between itself and the flexible container; an unsealing member; and an accommodating container. The bonding portion includes a first bonding portion extending in a longitudinal direction of the sealing member at a periphery of the opening in an upstream side of a peeling direction of the sealing member, a second bonding portion extending in the longitudinal direction at the periphery of the opening in a downstream side of the peeling direction, and a third bonding portion bonded upstream of the first bonding portion with respect to the peeling direction. When the sealing member exposes the opening, the bonding portion is peeled in the order of the third bonding portion, the first bonding portion and the second bonding portion.

Abstract: A developing unit includes: a frame; a flexible container, provided inside the frame, for accommodating a developer, wherein the flexible container includes an opening for permitting discharge of the developer; an urging member, provided inside the frame, for urging the flexible container to deform the flexible container; and a developer carrying member for carrying the developer discharged from the opening of the flexible container. The flexible container includes a projected portion projecting toward an outside of the flexible container. The projected portion is moved depending on deformation of the flexible container, by urging of the flexible container, to stir the developer discharged from the opening.

Abstract: A developer accommodating unit for accommodating a developer for image formation. A flexible container includes a developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer and an opening for permitting discharge of the developer. The flexible container also includes a superposed multi layer sheet structure portion for forming the developer accommodating portion. A sealing member seals the opening and an unsealing member moves the sealing member to unseal the opening. A frame that accommodates the flexible container, the sealing member, and the unsealing member includes a fixing portion for fixing the flexible container. A fixed portion fixed to the fixing portion is provided at the superposed multi layer sheet structure portion of the flexible container, and an interlayer bonding portion between the superposed layers is provided between the fixed portion of the multi layer sheet structure portion and the developer accommodating portion.

Abstract: A developer accommodating container for accommodating a developer includes a developer bag 16 provided with an injection port for permitting entrance of the developer and an opening 35a for permitting discharge of the developer and includes a sealing member 19 which includes a bonded portion bonded to the developer bag 16 so as to seal the opening and which is capable of exposing the opening by peeling the bonded portion from the developer bag 16 by being moved, and the sealing member includes a first bonded portion 22a in an upstream side of the opening and a second bonded portion 22b in a downstream side of the opening with respect to a sealing member unsealing direction, the first bonded portion and the second bonded portion interposing the opening, and the second bonded portion is provided in a non-contact position with the opening.

Abstract: A developer accommodating unit for accommodating a developer for image formation includes a flexible container provided with an opening 35a for permitting discharge of the developer, a frame for accommodating the flexible container and for accommodating the developer to be discharged from the flexible container, and an urging member 21 for urging a developer accommodating bag toward the frame for accommodating the developer accommodating bag 16. By this, it is possible to satisfactorily effect discharge of the developer from the flexible developer accommodating bag 16.

Abstract: With respect to an unsealing direction in which exposure of a discharging portion 35 advances, a fixing portion 34g of a developer accommodating member 34 is provided in a range of a region of a connecting portion 35b of the discharging portion 35.

Abstract: A developing cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a developing roller, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, having an elastic roller portion and a shaft portion supporting the elastic roller portion, a developer regulating member; a protecting member including a contact portion provided for contact with the elastic roller portion when the protecting member is demountably mounted between the developing roller and the developer regulating member; and a supporting portion for supporting the contact portion and provided for contact with the elastic roller portion when the protecting member is demountably mounted between the developing roller and the developer regulating member. The contact portion has a hardness which is not less than a predetermined value and not more than a hardness of the elastic roller portion.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes a first frame; a second frame coupled with the first frame for rotation about a shaft relative to each other; a first electrical contact, provided in the first frame, for receiving, from the main assembly, a bias voltage to be supplied to the charging member; a second electrical contact, provided in the second frame, for receiving, from the main assembly, a bias voltage to be supplied to a developing member, a developer feeding member and a regulating member; and a third electrical contact, provided in the first frame coaxially with the drum, for electrically grounding the drum to the main assembly. The first and second contents are disposed at one end of the first frame and the second frame, respectively, and the third contact is disposed at the other end of the first frame, and wherein the contacts are disposed such that, the first contact takes a higher position than the second.

Abstract: A developing cartridge detachably mountable to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a frame, a developing roller, a frame groove, a frame projection, a bearing configured and positioned to rotatably support a developing roller shaft, a bearing cylinder, an elongated bearing opening receiving the frame projection, first and second bearing projections, first, second and third screws, a side cover covering the bearing and including a first opening engageable with the first bearing projection and a second opening engageable with the second bearing projection, and a side cover projection engageable with the bearing cylinder. The first screw secures the bearing to the frame, the second screw secures the side cover to the frame and the third screw secures the side cover to the first bearing projection.

Abstract: A developing cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the developing cartridge includes a developing roller, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, having an elastic roller portion and a shaft portion supporting the elastic roller portion, a developer regulating member contactable to the elastic roller portion to regulate an amount of the developer deposited on the elastic roller portion; a protecting member including a contact portion provided at a side for contact with the elastic roller portion when the protecting member is demountably mounted between the developing roller and the developer regulating member; and a supporting portion for supporting the contact portion, the supporting portion being provided at a side for contact with the elastic roller portion when the protecting member is demountably mounted between the developing roller and the developer regulating member, wherein the

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive drum for use in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a cylinder and flanges provided on end portions in the axial direction of the cylinder. One flange has an outer peripheral portion, a hole portion and ribs, and the flange is caulked by bending part of the cylinder inwardly in the radial direction at two positions opposing each other across the hole portion, those two positions being other than positions at which the ribs intersect the outer peripheral portion in the extending direction of the ribs.

Abstract: A developing cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a developing roller, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, having an elastic roller portion and a shaft portion supporting the elastic roller portion, a developer regulating member; a protecting member including a contact portion provided for contact with the elastic roller portion when the protecting member is demountably mounted between the developing roller and the developer regulating member; and a supporting portion for supporting the contact portion and provided for contact with the elastic roller portion when the protecting member is demountably mounted between the developing roller and the developer regulating member. The contact portion has a hardness which is not less than a predetermined value and not more than a hardness of the elastic roller portion.