Frame, developing apparatus, process cartridge and electro-photographic image forming apparatus having a toner frame and a developing frame coupled thereto

A frame for a developing device for a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, said frame comprising:

• a developing frame having a mounting portion for mounting a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, said developing frame having a projection on a side opposed from a side provided with said mounting portion;
• a toner frame having a toner container portion for containing toner usable for a developing operation of the developing roller, said toner frame having an opening for supplying toner to the developing roller and a recess adjacent a longitudinal end of said opening;
• wherein said projection and said recess are engageable with each other to couple said developing frame and said toner frame;
• wherein said toner frame is provided with a toner seal for sealing said opening;
• wherein said recess is provided downstream of said opening with respect to a pulling direction of said toner seal;
• wherein said toner seal is removed to open said opening before start of use of the process cartridge;
• wherein said toner seal is mounted to a limiting plate for limiting an open area of said opening;
• and wherein the limiting plate is mounted to said toner frame so that said toner seal is mounted to said toner frame.

A developing apparatus usable with a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, said developing apparatus comprising:

• a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a developing frame having a mounting portion mounting said developing roller to said developing frame and a projection on a side opposite from a side provided with said developing roller, said projection being disposed longitudinally outside an elastic seal provided adjacent one longitudinal end of said developing frame to prevent leakage of toner;
• a toner frame having a toner container portion for containing toner usable for a developing operation of said developing roller, said toner frame having a toner supply opening for supplying toner to said developing roller and a recess adjacent a longitudinal end of said toner supply opening;
• and
• a toner seal provided with said toner frame for openably sealing said toner supply opening, said toner seal being removed prior to start of use of the process cartridge to open said toner supply opening,
• wherein said projection and said recess are engageable with each other to couple said developing frame and said toner frame, and wherein said toner seal is removed with a removal direction thereof being limited by said projection engaged with said recess.

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• and
• a developing device including a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a developing frame having a mounting portion mounting said developing roller to said developing frame and a projection on a side opposite from a side provided with said developing roller, said projection being disposed longitudinally outside an elastic seal provided adjacent one longitudinal end of said developing frame to prevent leakage of toner;
• a toner frame having a toner container portion for containing toner usable for a developing operation of said developing roller, said toner frame having a toner supply opening for supplying toner to said developing roller and a recess adjacent a longitudinal end of said toner supply opening;
• and a toner seal provided with said toner frame for openably sealing said toner supply opening, said toner seal being removed prior to start of use of said process cartridge to open said toner supply opening, wherein said projection and said recess are engageable with each other to couple said developing frame and said toner frame, and wherein said toner seal is removed with a removal direction thereof being limited by said projection engaged with said recess.

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a developing device including a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a developing frame having a mounting portion mounting said developing roller to said developing frame and a projection on a side opposite from a side provided with said developing roller;
• a toner frame having a toner container portion for containing toner usable for a developing operation of said developing roller, said toner frame having an opening for supplying toner to said developing roller and a recess adjacent a longitudinal end of said opening;
• and a toner seal provided with said toner frame for openably sealing said opening, said toner seal being removed prior to start of use of said process cartridge to open said opening;
• and
• an outer wall member in said toner frame adjacent a corner from which said toner seal is pulled, said outer wall member limiting a pulling direction of said toner seal,
• wherein said projection and said recess are engageable with each other to couple said developing frame and said toner frame.

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• and
• a developing device including a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a developing frame having a mounting portion mounting said developing roller to said developing frame and a projection on a side opposite from a side provided with said developing roller;
• a toner frame having a toner container portion for containing toner usable for a developing operation of said developing roller, said toner frame having an opening for supplying toner to said developing roller and a recess adjacent a longitudinal end of said opening;
• and a toner seal provided with said toner frame for openably sealing said opening, said toner seal being removed prior to start of use of said process cartridge to open said opening,
• wherein said developing frame has a second projection in a pulling region of said toner seal, wherein said second projection narrows a clearance between said developing frame and said toner frame to prevent leakage of the toner through the clearance, and wherein said projection and said recess are engageable with each other to couple said developing frame and said toner frame.

An image forming apparatus, for forming an image on a recording material, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, said image forming apparatus comprising:

• mounting means for detachably mounting a process cartridge including an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a developing device including a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a developing frame having a mounting portion mounting the developing roller to the developing frame and a projection on a side opposite from a side provided with the mounting portion, the projection being disposed longitudinally outside an elastic seal provided adjacent one longitudinal end of the developing frame to prevent leakage of toner;
• a toner frame having a toner container portion for containing toner usable for a developing operation of the developing device, the toner frame having a toner supply opening for supplying toner to the developing device and a recess adjacent a longitudinal end of the toner supply opening;
• and a toner seal provided with the toner frame for openably sealing the toner supply opening, the toner seal being removed prior to start of use of the process cartridge to open the toner supply opening;
• wherein the projection and the recess are engageable with each other to couple the developing frame and the toner frame, and wherein the toner seal is removed with a removal direction thereof being limited by the projection engaged with the recess;
• and
• feeding means for feeding the recording material.

A frame for a developing device for a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, said frame comprising:

• a developing frame having a mounting portion for mounting a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, said developing frame having a projection on a side opposed from a side provided with said mounting portion, wherein said projection is disposed longitudinally outside an elastic seal provided adjacent a longitudinal end of said developing frame;
• a toner frame having a toner container portion for containing toner usable for a developing operation of said developing roller, said toner frame having an opening for supplying toner to said developing roller and a recess adjacent a longitudinal end of said opening;
• and
• a toner seal for sealing said opening, said recess being provided downstream of said opening with respect to a pulling direction of said toner seal, wherein said toner seal is removed to open said opening before start of use of the process cartridge, and said toner seal is mounted to a limiting plate for limiting an open area of said opening, and the limiting plate is mounted to said toner frame so that said toner seal is mounted to said toner frame,
• wherein said projection and said recess are engageable with each other to couple said developing frame and said toner frame with the elastic seal therebetween.

A developing apparatus usable with a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

• a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a developing frame having a mounting portion mounting said developing roller, to said developing frame, for developing a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, said developing frame having a projection on a side opposed from a side provided with said mounting portion, wherein said projection is disposed longitudinally outside an elastic seal provided adjacent a longitudinal end of said developing frame;
• a toner frame having a toner container portion for containing toner usable for a developing operation of said developing roller, said toner frame having an opening for supplying toner to said developing roller and a recess adjacent a longitudinal end of said opening;
• and
• a toner seal for sealing said opening, said recess being provided downstream of said opening with respect to a pulling direction of said toner seal, wherein said toner seal is removed to open said opening before start of use of the process cartridge, and said toner seal is mounted to a limiting plate for limiting an open area of said opening, and the limiting plate is mounted to said toner frame so that said toner seal is mounted to said toner frame,
• wherein said projection and said recess are engageable with each other to couple said developing frame and said toner frame with the elastic seal therebetween.

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a developing device including a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive member and a developing frame having a mounting portion mounting said developing roller to said developing frame, said developing frame having a projection on a side opposed from a side provided with said mounting portion, wherein said projection is disposed longitudinally outside an elastic seal provided adjacent a longitudinal end of said developing frame;
• a toner frame having a toner container portion for containing toner usable for a developing operation of said developing device, said toner frame having an opening for supplying toner to said developing device and a recess adjacent a longitudinal end of said opening;
• and
• a toner seal for sealing said opening, said recess being provided downstream of said opening with respect to a pulling direction of said toner seal, wherein said toner seal is removed to open said opening before start of use of said process cartridge, and said toner seal is mounted to a limiting plate for limiting an open area of said opening, and the limiting plate is mounted to said toner frame so that said toner seal is mounted to said toner frame,
• wherein said projection and said recess are engageable with each other to couple said developing frame and said toner frame with the elastic seal therebetween.

An image forming apparatus, for forming an image on a recording material, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, said image forming apparatus comprising:

• mounting means for detachably mounting a process cartridge including an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a developing device including a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a developing frame having a mounting portion mounting the developing roller to the developing frame, the developing frame having a projection on a side opposed from a side provided with the mounting portion, wherein the projection is disposed longitudinally outside an elastic seal provided adjacent a longitudinal end of the developing frame;
• a toner frame having a toner container portion for containing toner usable for a developing operation of the developing roller, the toner frame having an opening for supplying toner to the developing roller and a recess adjacent a longitudinal end of the opening;
• and a toner seal for sealing the opening, the recess being provided downstream of the opening with respect to a pulling direction of the toner seal, wherein the toner seal is removed to open the opening before start of use of the process cartridge, and the toner seal is mounted to a limiting plate for limiting an open area of the opening, and the limiting plate is mounted to the toner frame so that the toner seal is mounted to the toner frame, wherein the projection and the recess are engageable with each other to couple the developing frame and the toner frame with the elastic seal therebetween;
• and
• feeding means for feeding the recording material.

A developing apparatus usable with a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, said developing apparatus comprising:

• a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a developing frame having a mounting portion mounting said developing roller to said developing frame, and a projection on a side opposite from a side provided with said developing roller;
• a toner frame having a toner container portion for containing toner usable for a developing operation of said developing roller, said toner frame having an opening for supplying toner to said developing roller and a recess adjacent a longitudinal end of said opening;
• and
• a toner seal provided with said toner frame for openably sealing said opening, said toner seal being removed prior to start of use of the process cartridge to open said opening,
• wherein said projection and said recess are engageable with each other to couple said developing frame and said toner frame;
• wherein, when said developing frame and said toner frame are coupled with each other, said toner seal is removed with a removal direction thereof being limited by said projection engaged with said recess;
• and wherein a part of said projection contactable with said toner seal is arcuated.

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• and
• a developing device including a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a developing frame having a mounting portion mounting said developing roller to said developing frame, and a projection on a side opposite from a side provided with said developing roller;
• a toner frame having a toner container portion for containing toner usable for a developing operation of said developing roller, said toner frame having an opening for supplying toner to said developing roller and a recess adjacent a longitudinal end of said opening;
• and a toner seal provided with said toner frame for openably sealing said opening, said toner seal being removed prior to start of use of said process cartridge to open said opening;
• wherein said projection and said recess are engageable with each other to couple said developing frame and said toner frame;
• wherein, when said developing frame and said toner frame are coupled with each other, said toner seal is removed with a removal direction thereof being limited by said projection engaged with said recess;
• and wherein a part of said projection contactable with said toner seal is arcuated.