Abstract: A cartridge includes a drum unit and a development unit. The drum unit includes a photosensitive drum, a frame, a transfer roller, and a cleaning member. The development unit includes a development roller, and a memory. The cleaning member is configured to come into contact with the photosensitive drum at a region between a development nip portion and a transfer nip portion in a circumferential direction of the photosensitive drum and at an end portion of the photosensitive drum in a direction of the rotational axis. The frame has an exposing hole through which the memory is exposed from the frame, and a recessed portion that is adjacent to the exposing hole in the direction of the rotational axis, and stores foreign matters removed from the photosensitive drum by the cleaning member.

Abstract: A drum unit detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum and a coupling member provided on the photosensitive drum. The coupling member includes a driving force receiving portion and a supporting portion movably supporting the driving force receiving portion. The supporting portion includes a first extended portion and a second extended portion which extend at least in an axial direction of the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A process cartridge mountable in and dismountable from an image forming apparatus includes a frame, a storing portion provided on a mounting surface of the frame and configured to store information on the process cartridge, a projection projecting outwardly of the mounting surface in a direction normal to the mounting surface, and an electrical contact portion mounted on the projection and electrically connected to the storing portion.

Abstract: A drum unit detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum and a coupling member provided on the photosensitive drum. The coupling member includes a driving force receiving portion and a supporting portion movably supporting the driving force receiving portion. The supporting portion includes a first extended portion and a second extended portion which extend at least in an axial direction of the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A drum unit detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum and a coupling member provided on the photosensitive drum. The coupling member includes a driving force receiving portion and a supporting portion movably supporting the driving force receiving portion. The supporting portion includes a first extended portion and a second extended portion which extend at least in an axial direction of the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes a developer discharging member; a cartridge positioning portion for engagement with a main assembly positioning portion provided in the main assembly when the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly; a photosensitive member driving force receiving portion for receiving a driving force for rotating the photosensitive member from the main assembly when the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly; and a discharging member driving force receiving portion for receiving a driving force for rotating the developer discharging member from the main assembly when the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearing member, and a developer container for containing a developer. The developer container includes a developer containing portion, a partition member dividing an interior of the developer containing portion into a plurality of rooms, and a cover for covering the developer containing portion, wherein the partition member is molded integrally with the cover. The partition member is disposed in parallel with a longitudinal direction of the developer bearing member and extended to form a gap between the partition member and a bottom surface of the developer containing portion throughout an entire length of the developer containing portion in a longitudinal direction of the developer bearing member. The developer containing portion includes a rib disposed in a direction intersecting the partition member and wherein the partition member includes a groove disposed in a direction so as to avoid intersecting the rib.

Abstract: A synthetic resin part connecting member connects at least two injection molded pieces that can be used as frames for a process cartridge detachably mountable on an image forming apparatus. The molded pieces are set in dies different from the dies used for forming the molded pieces, and a molten resin is injected into a gap formed between opposed surfaces of the molded pieces. An injection channel for the molten resin up to the gap is formed in one of the molded pieces. A rib for stopping resin is provided in the injection channel to stop the flow of the molten resin injected into the injection channel.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a drum, a developing member developing an latent image formed on the drum, a developing frame having a developer accommodating portion accommodating developer used to develop the latent image and a developer supply opening supplying developer from the accommodating portion to the developing member, a connecting member mounted to the developer frame and having a connecting member opening opposed to the developer supply opening, a drum frame supporting the drum, a developer frame supporting the developing member and having a developer receiving opening receiving developer having passed through the developer supply opening, and a flexible seal having a first opening opposed to the developer supply opening and the connecting member opening, and a second opening opposed to the developer receiving opening. The flexible seal is stuck on the periphery of the first opening.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes a drum frame for supporting an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a developing member for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member; and a developing frame supporting the developing member. The developing frame is provided at a longitudinal end thereof with a projected portion which is projected in a longitudinal direction of the developing member and which is engaged with a guide member. The projected portion is movable along the guide member toward the drum frame, and wherein the developing frame is swingably connected with the drum frame at the other longitudinal end. The developing member is supported on the developing frame for movement in a direction crossing with the longitudinal direction. The cartridge also includes an elastic member for urging the projected portion along the guide portion toward the drum frame.

Abstract: A developer container for containing a developer includes: (a) a first detecting member which is an electrode member having a pair of input-side and output-side electrodes formed in parallel and in one plane at a predetermined interval for detecting capacitance between the electrodes and which has a measurement-side electrode that is in contact with the developer and a reference electrode that is out of contact with the developer; (b) a developer removing member for removing any developer adhering to a detection region of the first detecting member; and (c) a second detecting member formed of a conductive material for detecting capacitance between the second detecting member and a developer bearing member, wherein a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus first detects the developer amount partway from the start of use of the developer container on the basis of detection information from the first detecting member, and then detects the developer amount on the basis of detection information

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes a developing member for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a toner accommodation frame having a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer to be used by a developing member to develop the electrostatic latent image, a drum frame for supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a developing frame for supporting the developing member, the developing frame being swingably coupled with the toner accommodation frame, a first end cover connected with the drum frame and the developing frame at one longitudinal end of each of the drum frame and the developing frame, and a second end cover connected with the drum frame and the developing frame at the other longitudinal end of the drum frame and the developing frame.

Abstract: A developing device includes a rotatable developer carrying member for carring a developer; a magnet roller provided in the developer carrying member; a first electrode portion connected electrically with the developer carrying member, the first electrode portion being rotatable with the developer carrying member; a second electrode portion provided with a contact portion in sliding contact with the first electrode portion, the contact portion being disposed outside a longitudinal end portion of the magnet roller substantially at a center of rotation of the developer carrying member.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a developing device that has a developer bearing member, and a developer container for containing a developer, the developer container including a developer containing portion, a partition member dividing an interior of the developer containing portion into a plurality of rooms, and a cover for covering the developer containing portion, wherein the partition member is molded integrally with the cover.

Abstract: A process cartridge which is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a developing member for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer to be used by the developing member to develop the electrostatic latent image; a developer feeding member for feeding the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating portion toward the developing member; a first driving force transmitter for transmitting to the electrophotographic photosensitive drum a driving force which is received from the main assembly of the apparatus to rotate the electrophotographic photosensitive drum when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus; a second driving force transmitter for transmitting to the developer feeding member a driving force received from t

Abstract: A bonding method for bonding molded resin products, includes the step of bonding a first one of the molded resin products and a second one of the molded resin products by injecting resin material through a resin material injection path to a bonding portion therebetween, wherein the resin material injection path is formed in one of or both of the first resin material molded product and the second resin material molded product.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes a developer discharging member for discharging a developer accommodated in a developer accommodating portion toward a developing member; a cartridge positioning portion for engagement with a main assembly positioning portion provided in the main assembly when the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly, the cartridge positioning portion being disposed at a developer accommodating portion side in a direction crossing with a direction of an axis of an electrophotographic photosensitive member; a photosensitive member driving force receiving portion for receiving a driving force for rotating the photosensitive member from the main assembly when the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly, the photosensitive member driving force receiving portion being disposed at a leading side with respect to a direction of mounting the cartridge to the main assembly, wherein the cartridge is mounted to th

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes a drum frame for supporting a electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a developing member for developing an electrostatic latent image formation d on said electrophotographic photosensitive member; a developing frame supporting said developing member, wherein said developing frame is provided at a longitudinal end thereof with a projected portion which is projected in a longitudinal direction of said developing member and which is engaged with a guide member, wherein said projected portion is movable along the guide member toward said drum frame, and wherein said developing frame is swingablely connected with said drum frame at the other longitudinal end, wherein said developing member is supported on said developing frame for movement in a direction crossing with the longitudinal direction; an elastic member for urging said projected portion along said guide portion toward said drum fra

Abstract: In a part connecting member made from synthetic resin, at least two molded pieces obtained by the injection molding of plastic are provisionally connected by being adjacently arranged or abut against each other. The provisionally connected body is set in a die different from the dies used for the formation of each molded piece. Then, in a state such that each molded piece and the die are positioned, the molded pieces are joined by the injection of a molten resin material for joining into a gap formed between the opposed surfaces of the molded pieces that are adjacently arranged or abut against each other. An injection channel of the molten resin up to the gap is formed by using one of the molded pieces forming the gap of the opposed surfaces that are adjacently arranged or abut against each other.

Abstract: A developer container which has a container main body includes an opening through which a developer is supplied, a seal member for unsealably sealing the opening, and a drive source for applying a force for unsealing the seal member. The drive source has an elastic member and the drive source applies the unsealing force using a restoring force of the elastic member.