Developing agent supply container, process cartridge, and electrophotographic image forming apparatus

A process cartridge which is removably mounted to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a. an electrophotographic photosensitive body;
• b. process means for performing an operation on said electrophotographic photosensitive body;
• c. a developing agent storage container for storing a developing agent to be used for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive body, said developing agent storage container being provided in the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus wherein said process cartridge is mounted in the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus having an open/close member openable to mount a developing agent supply container onto said developing agent storage container;
• and
• d. a container mount portion to which the developing agent supply container is removably mounted, which developing agent supply container comprises:
• a developing agent storage portion, and
• inhibition means for inhibiting supply of the developing agent stored in the developing agent storage portion to the developing agent storage container when said developing agent supply container is removed from a predetermined position of said developing agent storage container, said inhibition means also permitting supply of the developing agent stored in the developing agent storage portion to the developing agent storage container when the developing agent supply container is mounted to the predetermined position of said developing agent storage container, and said open/close member is closed.

A process cartridge which is removably mounted to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a. an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• b. a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• c. a charging member for charging said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• d. a cleaning blade for removing a residual developing agent remaining on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• e. a developing agent storage container for storing a developing agent to be used for developing the latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum by said developing roller, the developing agent storage container being provided in the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus when the process cartridge is mounted in the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus having an open/close member openable to mount a developing agent supply container onto said developing agent storage container;
• and
• f. a container mount portion to which the developing agent supply container is removably mounted, which developing agent supply container comprises:
• a developing agent storage portion, and
• inhibition means for inhibiting supply of the developing agent stored in said developing agent storage portion to said developing agent storage container when said developing agent supply container is removed from a predetermined position of said developing agent storage container, said inhibition means also permitting supply of the developing agent stored in said developing agent storage portion to said developing agent storage container when said developing agent supply container is mounted at the predetermined position of said developing agent storage container, and said open/close member is closed.

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which a process cartridge is removably mounted, and which forms an image on a recording medium, comprising:

• a. a mount portion for mounting the process cartridge removably mounted, said mount portion comprising:
• an electrophotographic photosensitive body,
• process means for performing an operation on said electrophotographic photosensitive body,
• an open/close member openable to mount a developing agent supply container onto a developing agent storage container,
• a developing agent storage container for storing a developing agent to be used for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive body, said developing agent storage container being provided in a main body of said image forming apparatus, and
• a container mount portion to which the developing agent supply container is removably mounted, the developing agent supply container comprising a developing agent storage portion, and inhibition means for inhibiting supply of the developing agent stored in said developing agent storage portion to said developing agent storage container when said developing agent supply container is removed from a predetermined position of said developing agent storage container, said inhibition means also permitting supply of the developing agent stored in said developing agent storage portion to said developing agent storage container when said developing agent supply container is mounted at the predetermined position of said developing agent storage container, and said open/close member is closed;
• and
• b. feeding means for feeding the recording medium.

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which a process cartridge is removably mounted, and which forms an image on a recording medium, comprising:

• a. a mount portion to which the process cartridge is removably mounted, said mount portion comprising:
• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum,
• a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum,
• a charging member for charging said electrophotographic photosensitive drum,
• a cleaning blade for removing a residual developing agent remaining on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum,
• a developing agent storage container for storing a developing agent to be used for developing the latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum by said developing roller and being provided in a main body of said image forming apparatus,
• an open/close member openable to mount a developing agent supply container onto said developing agent storing container, and
• a container mount portion to which the developing agent supply container is removably mounted, said developing agent supply container comprising a developing agent storage portion, and inhibition means for inhibiting supply of the developing agent stored in said developing agent storage portion to said developing agent storage container when said developing agent supply container is removed from a predetermined position of said developing agent storage container, said inhibition means also permitting supply of the developing agent stored in said developing agent storage portion to said developing agent storage container when said developing agent supply container is mounted at the predetermined position of said developing agent storage container, and said open/close member is closed;
• and
• b. feeding means for feeding the recording medium.

A developing agent supply container for supplying a developing agent to a developing agent storage container for storing the developing agent to be used for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive body, said developing agent storage container being provided in a main body of an image forming apparatus having an open/close member openable to mount said developing agent supply container onto said developing agent storage container, said developing agent supply container comprising:

• a developing agent storage portion;
• a supply opening for supplying a developing agent stored in said developing agent storage portion to the developing agent storage container;
• a seal for openably sealing said supply opening;
• and
• an inhibition member for inhibiting supply of the developing agent stored in said developing agent storage portion to said developing agent storage container when said developing agent supply container is removed from a predetermined position of said developing agent storage container, said inhibition means also permitting supply of the developing agent stored in said developing agent storage portion to said developing agent storage container when said developing agent supply container is mounted at the predetermined position of said developing agent storage container, and said open/close member is closed, said inhibition member comprising a cover member covering a distal end of said seal to inhibit said seal from being pulled out for opening said supply opening, and said cover member being rendered removable upon unlocking of a locked portion thereof by closing an open/close cover provided in the main body of said image forming apparatus, when said developing agent supply container is mounted onto said developing agent storage container, said seal being rendered pullable by removal of said cover member.

A process cartridge which is removably mounted to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a. an electrophotographic photosensitive body;
• b. process means for performing an operation on said electrophotographic photosensitive body;
• c. a developing agent storage container for storing a developing agent to be used for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive body, said developing agent storage container being provided in a main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus when the process cartridge is mounted in the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus having an open/close member openable to mount a developing agent supply container onto said developing agent storage container;
• and
• d. a container mount portion to which a developing agent supply container is removably mounted, which developing agent supply container comprises:
• a developing agent storage portion,
• a supply opening for supplying a developing agent stored in said developing agent storage portion to the developing agent storage container,
• a seal for openably sealing said supply opening, and
• an inhibition member for inhibiting supply of the developing agent stored in said developing agent storage portion to said developing agent storage container when said developing agent supply container is removed from a predetermined position of said developing agent storage container, said inhibition means also permitting supply of the developing agent stored in said developing agent storage portion to said developing agent storage container when said developing agent supply container is mounted at the predetermined position of said developing agent storage container, and said open/close member is closed, said inhibition member comprising a cover member covering a distal end of said seal to inhibit said seal from being pulled out for opening said supply opening, and said cover member being rendered removable upon unlocking of a locked portion thereof by closing an open/close cover provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus, when said developing agent supply container is mounted onto said developing agent storage container, said seal being rendered pullable by removal of said cover member.

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which a process cartridge is removably mounted, and which forms an image on a recording medium, comprising:

• a. a mount portion to which the process cartridge is removably mounted, said mount portion comprising:
• an electrophotographic photosensitive body,
• process means for performing an operation on said electrophotographic photosensitive body,
• a developing agent storage container for storing a developing agent to be used for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive body, said developing agent storage container being provided in a main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus,
• an open/close member openable to mount a developing agent supply container onto said developing agent storage container, and
• a container mount portion to which the developing agent supply container is removably mounted, said developing agent supply container comprising a developing agent storage portion, a supply opening for supplying a developing agent stored in said developing agent storage portion to the developing agent storage container, a seal for openably sealing said supply opening, and an inhibition member for inhibiting supply of the developing agent stored in said developing agent storage portion to said developing agent storage container when said developing agent supply container is removed from a predetermined position of said developing agent storage container, said inhibition means also permitting supply of the developing agent stored in said developing agent storage portion to said developing agent storage container when said developing agent supply container is mounted at the predetermined position of said developing agent storage container, and said open/close member is closed, said inhibition member having a cover member covering a distal end of said seal to inhibit said seal from being pulled out for opening said supply opening, and said cover member being rendered removable upon unlocking of a locked portion thereof by closing an open/close cover provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus, when said developing agent supply container is mounted onto said developing agent storage container, said seal being rendered pullable by removal of said cover member;
• and
• b. feeding means for feeding the recording medium.

A developing agent supply container for supplying a developing agent to a developing agent storage container for storing the developing agent to be used for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive body, said developing agent storage container being provided in a main body of an image forming apparatus having an open/close member openable to mount said developing agent supply container onto said developing agent storage container, said developing agent supply container comprising:

• an inner cylinder for storing a developing agent, and having a supply opening,
• an outer cylinder which is arranged outside said inner cylinder and has a supply opening, the developing agent stored in said inner cylinder being able to be supplied to the developing agent storage container when the two supply openings oppose each other;
• and
• an inhibition member for inhibiting supply of the developing agent stored in said inner cylinder to said developing agent storage container when said developing agent supply container is removed from a predetermined position of said developing agent storage container, said inhibition member also permitting supply of the developing agent stored in said inner cylinder to said developing agent storage container when said developing agent supply container is mounted at the predetermined position of said developing agent storage container, and said open/close member is closed, said inhibition member comprising a rotation stopper provided to said inner cylinder, the rotation of the rotation stopper being inhibited by abutting against an abutting portion provided to a main body of the image forming apparatus when said developing agent supply container is mounted to a process cartridge and said inner cylinder is rotated, and by rotating said outer cylinder, the two supply openings opposing each other to supply the developing agent stored in said inner cylinder to the developing agent storage container.

A process cartridge which is removably mounted to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a. an electrophotographic photosensitive body;
• b. process means for performing an operation on said electrophotographic photosensitive body;
• c. a developing agent storage container for storing a developing agent to be used for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive body, said developing agent storage container being provided in a main body of the image forming apparatus having an open/close member openable to mount a developing agent supply container onto said developing agent storage container;
• and
• d. a container mount portion to which the developing agent supply container is removably mounted, which developing agent supply container comprises:
• an inner cylinder for storing a developing agent, and having a supply opening,
• an outer cylinder which is arranged outside said inner cylinder and has a supply opening, the developing agent stored in said inner cylinder being able to be supplied to the developing agent storage container when the two supply openings oppose each other, and
• an inhibition member for inhibiting supply of the developing agent stored in said inner cylinder to said developing agent storage container when said developing agent supply container is removed from a predetermined position of said developing agent storage container, said inhibition member also permitting supply of the developing agent stored in said inner cylinder to said developing agent storage container when said developing agent supply container is mounted at the predetermined position of said developing agent storage container, and said open/close member is closed, said inhibition member comprising a rotation stopper provided to said inner cylinder, the rotation of the rotation stopper being inhibited by abutting against an abutting portion provided to a main body of the image forming apparatus when said developing agent supply container is mounted onto said developing agent storage container, and said inner cylinder is rotated, and by rotating said outer cylinder, the two supply openings opposing each other to supply the developing agent stored in said inner cylinder to the developing agent storage container.

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which a process cartridge is removably mounted, and which forms an image on a recording medium, comprising:

• a. a mount for removably mounting the process cartridge, said mount portion comprising:
• an electrophotographic photosensitive body,
• process means for performing an operation on said electrophotographic photosensitive body,
• a developing agent storage container for storing a developing agent to be used for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive body, said developing agent storage container being provided in a main body of the image forming apparatus,
• an open/close member openable to mount a developing agent supply container onto said developing agent storage container, and
• a container mount portion to which the developing agent supply container is removably mounted, said container comprising:
• an inner cylinder for storing a developing agent, and having a supply opening,
• an outer cylinder which is arranged outside said inner cylinder and has a supply opening, the developing agent stored in said inner cylinder being able to be supplied to the developing agent storage container when the two supply openings oppose each other, and
• an inhibition member for inhibiting supply of the developing agent stored in said inner cylinder to said developing agent storage container when said developing agent supply container is removed from a predetermined position of said developing agent storage container, said inhibition member also permitting supply of the developing agent stored in said inner cylinder to said developing agent storage container when said developing agent supply container is mounted at the predetermined position of said developing agent storage container, and said open/close member is closed, said inhibition member comprising a rotation stopper provided to said inner cylinder, the rotation of the rotation stopper being inhibited by abutting against an abutting portion provided to a main body of the image forming apparatus when said developing agent supply container is mounted to a process cartridge and said inner cylinder is rotated, and by rotating said outer cylinder, the two supply openings opposing each other to supply the developing agent stored in said inner cylinder to the developing agent storage container;
• and
• b. feeding means for feeding the recording medium.

A process cartridge which is removably mounted to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive body;
• a device configured to perform an operation on said electrophotographic photosensitive body;
• a developing agent storage container for storing a developing agent to be used for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive body, said developing agent storage container being provided in a main body of an image forming apparatus having an openable cover permitting mounting of said developing agent supply container onto said developing agent storage container when opened, the openable cover having a projection extending from the bottom surface thereof, said developing agent storage container having an opening therein to receive the projection of the openable cover when the cover is closed;
• and
• a developing frame member to which a developing agent supply container is removably mounted,
• the developing agent supply container comprising:
• a developing agent storage portion having an opening portion;
• a seal member openably sealing the opening portion, said seal member comprising a grip portion;
• a cover member removably covering the grip portion, wherein the seal member can be removed from the opening portion in response to the grip portion being pulled by an operator, wherein, when the covering member covers the grip portion, the grip portion is inaccessible to the operator when said developing agent supply container is mounted on said developing agent storage container so that the operator cannot pull the grip portion to remove the seal member from the opening portion, said cover member comprising a pawl member;
• and
• a rotatable arm normally biased into a position to lock said pawl of said cover member so that said cover member is locked into engagement with said grip portion of said seal member,
• wherein the projection of the openable cover of said image forming apparatus is sufficiently long to contact and press said rotatable arm to rotate said rotatable arm against the bias on said rotatable arm so as to release the pawl of said cover member and permit the cover member to be removed by the operator, thereby exposing the grip portion of said seal member which can be pulled by the operator to remove the seal member from the opening portion and permit the developing agent stored in said developing agent storage portion to be supplied to said developing agent storage container, when said openable cover of said image forming apparatus is closed.