Toner container, toner container assembling method, process cartridge, and electrophotographic image forming apparatus

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

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• developing means for developing a latent image formed on said photosensitive member;
• and
• a toner container for containing toner to be used for developing the latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive member by said developing means, said toner container including a rotatable stirring member for stirring the toner contained in said toner container, a first frame having a toner supply opening for supplying the toner to said developing means, a mounting portion mounting said stirring member, and a second frame coupled with said first frame and having an outward portion provided without interfering with a rotational region of said stirring member,
• wherein said toner container is formed by coupling said first frame and second frame.

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

• (a) mounting means for detachably mounting thereon a process cartridge including an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• developing means for developing a latent image formed on said photosensitive member;
• a toner container for containing toner to be used for developing the latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive member by said developing means, said toner container including a rotatable stirring member for stirring the toner contained in said toner container, a first frame having a toner supply opening for supplying the toner to said developing means, a mounting portion for mounting said stirring member, and a second frame coupled with said first frame and having an outward portion provided without interfering with a rotational region of said stirring member, wherein said toner container is formed by coupling said first frame and second frame;
• and
• (b) feeding means for feeding the recording material.

A method of assembling a toner container, for containing toner to be used for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member by developing means, usable with a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge containing said photosensitive member and said developing means, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a first frame having a toner supply opening for supplying the toner to said developing means and a mounting portion for mounting a rotatable stirring member for stirring the toner contained in said toner container;
• preparing a second frame having an outward portion provided without interfering with a rotational region of said stirring member;
• and
• coupling said first frame and second frame to form said toner container.

A toner container, for containing toner to be used for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member by developing means, usable with a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge containing said photosensitive member and said developing means, said container comprising:

• a toner supply opening for supplying the toner to said developing means;
• a first inclined surface inclined downwardly at approximately 20-40 degrees relative to a horizontal plane when said toner container is placed with a short side of said toner supply opening extending vertically, wherein said first inclined surface is downwardly inclined toward said toner supply opening in a direction crossing with said toner supply opening;
• and
• a second inclined surface inclined downwardly at approximately 10-40 degrees relative to a vertical direction when said toner container is placed with the short side of said toner supply opening extending vertically, wherein said second inclined surface is disposed above said toner supply opening and is downwardly inclined toward said toner supply opening.

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

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a developing member for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a toner container for containing toner to be used for developing the latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive member by said developing member, wherein said toner container includes a toner supply opening for supplying the toner to said developing member;
• a first inclined surface inclined downwardly at approximately 20-40 degrees relative to a horizontal plane when said toner container is placed with a short side of said toner supply opening extending vertically, wherein said first inclined surface is downwardly inclined toward said toner supply opening in a direction crossing with said toner supply opening;
• a second inclined surface inclined downwardly at approximately 10-40 degrees relative to a vertical direction when said toner container is placed with the short side of said toner supply opening extending vertically, wherein said second inclined surface is disposed above said toner supply opening and is downwardly inclined toward said toner supply opening.

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

• a mounting member for detachably mounting thereon a process cartridge including an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• developing means for developing a latent image formed on said photosensitive member;
• a toner container for containing toner to be used for developing the latent image formed on said photosensitive member by said developing means, wherein said toner container includes a toner supply opening for supplying the toner to said developing means;
• a first inclined surface inclined downwardly at approximately 20-40 degrees relative to a horizontal plane when said toner container is placed with a short side of said toner supply opening extending vertically, wherein said first inclined surface is downwardly inclined toward said toner supply opening in a direction crossing with said toner supply opening;
• a second inclined surface inclined downwardly at approximately 10-40 degrees relative to a vertical direction when said toner container is placed with the short side of said toner supply opening extending vertically, wherein said second inclined surface is disposed above said toner supply opening and is downwardly inclined toward said toner supply opening;
• and
• feeding means for feeding the recording material.

A method of assembling a toner container, having a first frame having first and second inclined surfaces, for containing toner to be used for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member by developing means, usable with a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge containing said photosensitive member and said developing means, comprising the steps of:

• preparing the first frame having a toner supply opening for supplying the toner to said developing means, and the second inclined surface inclined downwardly at approximately 10-40 degrees relative to a vertical direction when said toner container is placed with a short side of said toner supply opening extending vertically, wherein said second inclined surface is disposed above said toner supply opening and is downwardly inclined toward said toner supply opening;
• preparing a second frame;
• and
• mounting a second frame to said first inclined surface wherein said first inclined surface is inclined downwardly at approximately 20-40 degrees relative to a horizontal plane when said toner container is placed with a short side of said toner supply opening extending vertically, wherein said first inclined surface is downwardly inclined toward said toner supply opening in a direction crossing with said toner supply opening.

A toner container, for containing toner to be used for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive drum by a developing roller for feeding the toner to said photosensitive drum, usable with a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge containing said photosensitive drum and said developing roller, said toner container comprising:

• a first frame having an elongated toner supply opening for supplying the toner to said developing roller and a mounting portion for rotatably mounting a rotatable stirring member for stirring the toner contained in said toner container, wherein said first frame has, at a longitudinal end, a transmission opening, through which a transmission member, for transmitting a driving force from said main assembly to said stirring member when said process cartridge is mounted to said main assembly, is penetrated, and a toner filling opening for filling the toner into said container at the same longitudinal end as said transmission opening;
• and
• a second frame coupled with said first frame and having an elongated outward portion provided without interfering with a rotational region of said stirring member mounted to said mounting portion, wherein said outward portion is extended in a longitudinal direction of said second frame adjacent said toner supply opening in a short side direction of said second frame,
• wherein said toner container is formed by coupling said first frame and second frame.

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

• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a charging member, contacted to said photosensitive drum, for charging said photosensitive drum;
• a cleaning blade, contacted to said photosensitive drum, for removing residual toner from said photosensitive drum;
• a developing roller for feeding toner to said photosensitive drum to develop a latent image formed on said photosensitive drum;
• a toner container for containing the toner to be used by said developing roller to develop the latent image, wherein said toner container includes a rotatable stirring member for stirring the toner contained in said toner container;
• a first frame having an elongated toner supply opening for supplying toner to said developing roller and a mounting portion for rotatably mounting said stirring member, wherein said first frame has, at a longitudinal end, a transmission opening, through which a transmission member, for transmitting a driving force from said main assembly to said stirring member when said process cartridge is mounted to said main assembly, is penetrated, and a toner filling opening for filling the toner into said container at the same longitudinal end as said transmission opening;
• and a second frame coupled with said first frame and having an elongated outward portion provided without interfering with a rotational region of said stirring member, wherein said outward portion extends in a longitudinal direction of said second frame adjacent said toner supply opening in a short side direction of said second frame;
• wherein said toner container is formed by coupling said first frame and second frame;
• and
• a gear train for transmitting a driving force to said transmission member from said main assembly when said process cartridge is mounted to said image forming apparatus.

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

• a mounting member for mounting thereon a process cartridge including an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a charging member, contacted to said photosensitive drum, for charging said photosensitive drum;
• a cleaning blade, contacting said photosensitive drum, for removing residual toner from said photosensitive drum;
• a developing roller for feeding toner to said photosensitive drum to develop a latent image formed on said photosensitive drum;
• a toner container for containing the toner to be used by said developing roller to develop the latent image, wherein said toner container includes a rotatable stirring member for stirring the toner contained in said toner container, a first frame having an elongated toner supply opening for supplying the toner to said developing roller and a mounting portion rotatably mounting said stirring member, wherein said first frame has, at a longitudinal end, a transmission opening, through which a transmission member, for transmitting a driving force from said main assembly to said stirring member when said process cartridge is mounted to said main assembly, is penetrated, and a toner filling opening for filling the toner into said container at the same longitudinal end as said transmission opening;
• and a second frame coupled with said first frame and having an elongated outward portion provided without interfering with a rotational region of said stirring member, wherein said outward portion extends in a longitudinal direction of said second frame adjacent said toner supply opening in a short side direction of said second frame;
• wherein said toner container is formed by coupling said first frame and second frame;
• and a gear train for transmitting a driving force to said transmission member from said main assembly when said process cartridge is mounted to said image forming apparatus;
• a gear engageable with a gear of said gear train of said process cartridge mounted to said mounting member to transmit the driving force;
• and
• a feeding member rotatable to feed a recording material.

A method of assembling a toner container for containing toner to be used for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive drum by a developing roller for feeding the toner to said photosensitive drum, usable with a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge containing said photosensitive member and said developing roller, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a first frame having an elongated toner supply opening, for supplying the toner to said developing roller, and a mounting portion for rotatably mounting a rotatable stirring member for stirring the toner contained in said toner container, wherein said first frame has, at a longitudinal end, a transmission opening, through which a transmission member for transmitting a driving force from said main assembly to said stirring member when said process cartridge is mounted to said main assembly, is penetrated, and a toner filling opening for filling the toner into said container at the same longitudinal end as said transmission opening;
• preparing a second frame having an elongated outward portion provided without interfering with a rotational region of said stirring member, wherein said outward portion extends in a longitudinal direction of said second frame adjacent said toner supply opening in a short side direction of said second frame;
• coupling said first frame with said second frame to assemble said toner container;
• and
• filling the toner through said toner filling opening.

A toner container for containing toner to be used for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive drum by a developing roller for feeding the toner to said photosensitive drum, usable with a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge containing said photosensitive drum and said developing roller, said container comprising:

• a first frame having an elongated toner supply opening for supplying the toner to said developing roller and a mounting portion for rotatably mounting a rotatable stirring member for stirring the toner contained in said toner container, wherein said first frame has, at a longitudinal end, a transmission opening, through which a transmission member for transmitting a driving force from said main assembly to said stirring member when said process cartridge is mounted to said main assembly, is penetrated, and a toner filling opening for filling the toner into said container at the same longitudinal end as said transmission opening, and said first frame having an inclined surface inclined at approximately 10-40 degrees relative to a vertical line when said toner container is placed with a short side of said toner supply opening extending vertically;
• and
• a second frame coupled with said first frame and having an elongated outward portion provided without interfering with a rotational region of said stirring member mounted to said mounting portion, wherein said outward portion extends in a longitudinal direction of said second frame adjacent said toner supply opening in a short side direction of said second frame,
• wherein said toner container is formed by coupling said first frame and second frame so that said second frame is inclined downwardly at approximately 20-40 degrees relative to a horizontal plane when said toner container is placed with a short side of said toner supply opening extending vertically.

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

• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a charging member, contacted to said photosensitive drum, for charging said photosensitive drum;
• a cleaning blade, contacted to said photosensitive drum, for removing residual toner from said photosensitive drum;
• a developing roller for feeding toner to said photosensitive drum to develop a latent image formed on said photosensitive drum;
• a toner container for containing the toner to be used by said developing roller to develop the latent image, wherein said toner container includes a rotatable stirring member for stirring the toner contained in said toner container, a first frame having an elongated toner supply opening for supplying toner to said developing roller and a mounting portion rotatably mounting said rotatable stirring member, wherein said first frame has, at a longitudinal end, a transmission opening, through which a transmission member for transmitting a driving force from said main assembly to said stirring member when said process cartridge is mounted to said main assembly, is penetrated, and a toner filling opening for filling the toner into said container at the same longitudinal end as said transmission opening, said first frame having an inclined surface inclined at approximately 10-40 degrees relative to a vertical line when said toner container is placed with a short side of said toner supply opening extending vertically;
• said toner container further including a second frame coupled with said first frame and having an elongated outward portion provided without interfering with a rotational region of said stirring member, wherein said outward portion extends in a longitudinal direction of said second frame adjacent said toner supply opening in a short side direction of said second frame;
• wherein said toner container is formed by coupling said first frame and second frame so that said second frame is inclined downwardly at approximately 20-40 degrees relative to a horizontal plane when said toner container is placed with the short side of said toner supply opening extending vertically;
• and
• a gear train for transmitting a driving force to said transmission member from said main assembly when said process cartridge is mounted to said image forming apparatus.

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

• a mounting member for detachably mounting thereon a process cartridge including an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a charging member, contacting said photosensitive drum, for charging said photosensitive drum;
• a cleaning blade, contacting said photosensitive drum, for removing residual toner from said photosensitive drum;
• a developing roller for feeding toner to said photosensitive drum to develop a latent image formed on said photosensitive drum;
• a toner container for containing the toner to be used by said developing roller to develop the latent image, wherein said toner container includes a rotatable stirring member for stirring the toner contained in said toner container, a first frame having an elongated toner supply opening for supplying the toner to said developing roller and a mounting portion rotatably mounting said rotatable stirring member, wherein said first frame has, at a longitudinal end, a transmission opening, through which a transmission member for transmitting a driving force from said main assembly to said stirring member when said process cartridge is mounted to said main assembly, is penetrated, and a toner filling opening for filling the toner into said container at the same longitudinal end as said transmission opening, said first frame having an inclined surface inclined at approximately 10-40 degrees relative to a vertical line when said toner container is placed with a short side of said toner supply opening extending vertically;
• and a second frame coupled with said first frame and having an elongated outward portion provided without interfering with a rotational region of said stirring member, wherein said outward portion extends in a longitudinal direction of said second frame adjacent said toner supply opening in a short side direction of said second frame;
• wherein said toner container is formed by coupling said first frame and second frame so that said second frame is inclined downwardly at approximately 20-40 degrees relative to a horizontal plane when said toner container is placed with the short side of said toner supply opening extending vertically;
• and a gear train for transmitting a driving force to said transmission member from said main assembly when said process cartridge is mounted to said image forming apparatus;
• a gear engageable with a gear of said gear train of said process cartridge mounted to said mounting member to transmit the driving force;
• and
• a feeding member rotatable to feed a recording material.

A method of assembling a toner container for containing toner to be used for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive drum by a developing roller for feeding the toner to said photosensitive drum, usable with a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge containing said photosensitive drum and said developing roller, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a first frame having an elongated toner supply opening for supplying the toner to said developing roller and a mounting portion for rotatably mounting a rotatable stirring member for stirring the toner contained in said toner container, wherein said first frame has, at a longitudinal end, a transmission opening, through which a transmission member for transmitting a driving force from said main assembly to said stirring member when said process cartridge is mounted to said main assembly, is penetrated, and a toner filling opening for filling the toner into said container at the same longitudinal end as said transmission opening, said first frame having an inclined surface inclined at approximately 10-40 degrees relative to a vertical line when said toner container is placed with a short side of said toner supply opening extending vertically;
• preparing a second frame having an elongated outward portion provided without interfering with a rotational region of said stirring member, wherein said projection extends in a longitudinal direction of said second frame adjacent said toner supply opening in a short side direction of said second frame;
• coupling said first frame and second frame so that said second frame is inclined downwardly at approximately 20-40 degrees relative to a horizontal plane when said toner container is placed with the short side of said toner supply opening extending vertically;
• and
• filling the toner through said toner filling opening.