Developing unit, process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus

A developing unit for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, comprising:

• (a) a developing member for developing the latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive member with a developer;
• (b) a developer containing member for containing the developer;
• (c) a supply opening provided in said developer containing member for supplying the developer contained within said developer containing member to said developing member;
• (d) a seal member for sealably sealing said supply opening;
• (e) a grip member connected to said seal member and to be gripped when said supply opening is unsealed;
• and
• (f) a support portion for supporting said grip member, a crack being generated between said grip member and said support portion by bending said grip member toward a predetermined direction with respect to said support portion;
• wherein, when said grip member is bent with respect to said support portion toward a direction opposite to said predetermined direction, a surface of said grip member and an opposed surface of said support portion abut against each other to locally generate great stress in a separation portion in which said grip member is separated from said support portion in a longitudinal direction thereof.

A developing unit for developing an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member with a developer, comprising:

• (a) a developer bearing member provided on a developing frame body for bearing and conveying the developer to a developing position on the image bearing member;
• (b) a developer container for containing the developer;
• (c) a seal member provided sealably on a supply opening which supplies the developer from said developer container to the developing frame body;
• (d) a grip portion connected to said seal member to be gripped when said seal member is opened;
• (e) a support portion for supporting said grip portion, said grip portion being separable from said support portion at a separation portion;
• and
• (f) a first abutment portion and a second abutment portion abutting against each other, and a first non-abutment portion and a second non-abutment portion not abutting against each other, which are provided at a position different from the position of said first and second abutment portions in a longitudinal direction of the separation portion, when said grip portion is bent with respect to said support portion at the separation portion to be separated from said support portion at the separation portion.

A process cartridge detachably attachable to an image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image bearing member;
• and
• a developing unit for developing an electrostatic image formed on said image bearing member with a developer, including:
• (a) a developer bearing member provided on a developing frame body for bearing and conveying the developer to a developing position on the image bearing member;
• (b) a developer container for containing the developer;
• (c) a seal member provided sealably on a supply opening which supplies the developer from said developer container to the developing frame body;
• (d) a grip portion connected to said seal member to be gripped when said seal member is opened;
• (e) a support portion for supporting said grip portion, said grip portion being separable from said support portion at a separation portion;
• and
• (f) a first abutment portion and a second abutment portion abutting against each other, and a first non-abutment portion and a second non-abutment portion not abutting against each other, which are provided at a position different from a position of said first and second abutment portions in a longitudinal direction of the separation portion, when said grip portion is bent with respect to said support portion at the separation portion to be separated from said support portion at the separation portion.