Developer container, developer unit and process cartridge having the developer unit
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsMitsuru Honda, Eiji Funabashi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An opening of a developer container is sealed by a sealing member which is easy to tear in a predetermined direction. The sealing member is composed of a main portion having a tear strip portion, and a leader portion protruding from the main portion as an extension from the tear strip portion. The main portion seals the opening. The tear strip portion is torn off from the main portion by pulling the leader portion in the predetermined direction. The main portion is adhered to an adhesion area surrounding the opening. The adhesion area has a box-like area recessed in the predetermined direction, at a location facing a part of the main portion adjacent to the base portion of the tear strip portion.
Claims24
A developer container comprising:
- a container body for storing a developer with which an electrostatic latent image is developed, said container body comprising an opening through which the developer is let out and an adhesion area surrounding said opening;
- and
- a sheet-like sealing member being easy to tear in a direction substantially parallel to one straight line, said sheet-like sealing member comprising a main portion, which is adhered to said adhesion area of said container body so as to seal said opening, a tear strip portion, which is a part of said main portion and is torn off in a predetermined direction that is substantially parallel to the straight line, and a leader portion which extends from said tear strip portion of the main portion and which is folded back and laid in the predetermined direction, wherein said adhesion area comprises a box-like area recessed in the predetermined direction, at a location facing a portion of said main portion that is adjacent to a base portion of said leader portion.
A developer unit for developing an electrostatic latent image, comprising:
- a developer conveying member for carrying developer to a development area;
- a container comprising a first chamber where said developer conveying member is placed and which stores the developer to be applied to the developer conveying member, a second chamber which stores the developer to be supplied into said first chamber, an opening through which the developer is conveyed from said second chamber to said first chamber, and an adhesion area surrounding the opening;
- a sheet-like sealing member being easy to tear in a direction substantially parallel to one straight line, said sheet-like sealing member comprising a main portion, which is adhered to said adhesion area of said container so as to seal said opening, a tear strip portion, which is a part of said main portion and is torn off in a predetermined direction that is substantially parallel to said straight line, and a leader portion which extends from said tear strip portion of the main portion and which is folded back and laid in said predetermined direction, wherein said adhesion area has a box-like area recessed in said predetermined direction, at a location facing a portion of said main portion adjacent to a base portion of said leader portion.
A process cartridge removably attachable to an image forming apparatus, comprising:
- an image carrier for carrying an electrostatic latent image;
- and
- a developer unit for applying developer to said image carrier in a development area so as to develop the electrostatic latent image, said developer unit comprising:
- a developer conveying member for carrying developer to a development area;
- a container comprising a first chamber where said developer conveying member is placed and which stores the developer to be applied to the developer conveying member, a second chamber which stores the developer to be supplied into said first chamber, an opening through which the developer is conveyed from said second chamber to said first chamber, and an adhesion area surrounding the opening;
- a sheet-like sealing member being easy to tear in a direction substantially parallel to one straight line, said sheet-like sealing member comprising a main portion, which is adhered to said adhesion area of said container so as to seal said opening, a tear strip portion, which is a part of said main portion and is torn off in a predetermined direction that is substantially parallel to said straight line, and a leader portion which extends from said tear strip portion of the main portion and which is folded back and laid in the predetermined direction, wherein said adhesion area comprises a box-like area recessed in the predetermined direction, at a location facing a portion of said main portion that is adjacent to a base portion of said leader portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.