US 6,603,939 B1Granted

Developing apparatus, process cartridge, connecting method between developing frame and developer frame, and flexible seal

AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsShinjiro Toba, Tadayuki Tsuda, Shigeo Miyabe, Hiroaki Sakai

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Abstract

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a drum, a developing member developing an latent image formed on the drum, a developing frame having a developer accommodating portion accommodating developer used to develop the latent image and a developer supply opening supplying developer from the accommodating portion to the developing member, a connecting member mounted to the developer frame and having a connecting member opening opposed to the developer supply opening, a drum frame supporting the drum, a developer frame supporting the developing member and having a developer receiving opening receiving developer having passed through the developer supply opening, and a flexible seal having a first opening opposed to the developer supply opening and the connecting member opening, and a second opening opposed to the developer receiving opening. The flexible seal is stuck on the periphery of the first opening.

Claims31

Dependent claims

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

an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
a developing member for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
a developer frame having a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer to be used for developing the electrostatic latent image by said developing member, wherein said developer frame is provided with a developer supply opening for supplying the developer accommodated in said developer accommodating portion toward said developing member;
a connecting member mounted to said developer frame, said connecting member being provided with a connecting member opening opposed to said developer supply opening;
a drum frame supporting said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
and
a developing frame supporting said developing member, said developing frame being movably connected with said developer frame by a flexible seal, wherein said developing frame is provided with a developer receiving opening for receiving the developer having passed through said developer supply opening, wherein said flexible seal is provided with a first opening and a second opening, wherein said first opening is opposed to said developer supply opening and said connecting member opening, and said second opening is opposed to said developer receiving opening, wherein said flexible seal is stuck on said connecting member at a periphery of said first opening, and is stuck on said developing frame at a periphery of said second opening, and wherein said flexible seal is made of a sheet which is folded back such that said first opening and said second opening are opposed to each other, and ends of surfaces of the sheet which are opposed to each other as a result of folding are stuck to each other.

4 more elements

A method of movably connecting a developing frame and a developer frame, wherein said developing frame supports a developing member and is provided with a developer receiving opening for receiving a developer, and said developer frame is provided with a developer accommodating portion for accommodating of the developer and a developer supply opening for supplying the developer in said developer accommodating portion toward said developing member, comprising:

(a) a step of holding a flexible seal having a bonding layer and a peelable member covering the bonding layer on a holding device, the flexible seal having a first opening and a second opening;
(b) a step of peeling the peelable member from the flexible seal held on the holding device;
(c) a step of positioning the flexible seal relative to a connecting member and the developer frame while the flexible seal from which the peelable member has been removed is held on the holding device, such that the first opening and an opening of the connecting member are opposed to each other and such that the second opening and the developer receiving opening are opposed to each other;
(d) a first bonding step of bonding a peripheral portion of the first opening of the flexible seal on the connecting member and bonding a peripheral portion of the second opening on the developing frame;
(e) a step of releasing the flexible seal from the holding device;
(f) a step of opposing the developer frame and the connecting member to each other with the flexible seal inside;
(g) a second bonding step of bonding end portions of opposing surfaces of the flexible seal to each other;
and
(h) a third bonding step of bonding the connecting member to the developer frame.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.