Developer container having a grip member, process cartridge mountable to an image forming apparatus having such a developer container, an image forming apparatus detachably mounting a process cartridge having such a developer container, a bearing structure having a grip member, and a side cover having a grip member

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a process-cartridge mounting region of an image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• and
• a developing device comprising:
• a developer container comprising:
• a developer container main body having a developer supply opening and comprising a developer containing portion configured to contain a developer;
• a sealing member configured and positioned to seal the developer supply opening of said developer container main body;
• and
• a grip member configured and positioned to pull out said sealing member in a longitudinal direction of said developer container main body,
• wherein said developer container main body and said grip member are integrally molded from resin materials having low compatibility to be separable from each other, and
• wherein said grip member has a longitudinal dimension extending outside of the process-cartridge mounting region of the image forming apparatus in order to prevent said process-cartridge from mounting to the image forming apparatus by abutting said grip member against the process-cartridge mounting region when said process cartridge is to be mounted to the image forming apparatus without pulling out said sealing member;
• and
• means for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive member with the developer stored in said developer container.

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

• (i) a process-cartridge mounting region detachably mounting the process cartridge, the process cartridge comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a developing device, the developing device comprising a developer container and means for developing a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member with a developer stored in the developer container, the developer container comprising a developer container main body having a developer supply opening and comprising a developer containing portion configured to contain the developer, a sealing member configured and positioned to seal the developer supply opening of the developer container main body, and a grip member configured and positioned to pull out the sealing member in a longitudinal direction of the developer container main body, wherein the developer container main body and the grip member are integrally molded from resin materials having low compatibility to be separable from each other, and
• wherein said process-cartridge mounting region is configured and sized so that the longitudinal dimension of the grip member extends outside of said process-cartridge mounting region in order to prevent the process cartridge from mounting to said image forming apparatus by abutting the grip member against said process-cartridge mounting region when the process cartridge is to be mounted to said image forming apparatus without pulling out the sealing member;
• and
• (ii) conveying means for conveying the transfer material.

A bearing structure of a developing device mountable to a developing-device mounting region of an image forming apparatus and that includes a developer container having a developer containing portion that contains a developer, a developer supply opening, and a sealing member that seals the developer supply opening, and a developer bearing member configured and positioned to act on an electrophotographic photosensitive member of the image forming apparatus, said bearing structure comprising:

• a bearing member configured and positioned to rotatably support the developer bearing member;
• and
• a grip member configured and positioned to pull out the sealing member in a longitudinal direction of the developer container,
• wherein said bearing member and said grip member are integrally molded from resin materials having low compatibility to be separable from each other, and
• wherein said grip member has a longitudinal dimension extending outside of the developing device-mounting region of the image forming apparatus in order to prevent the developing device from mounting to the image forming apparatus by abutting said grip member against the developing-device mounting region when the developing device is to be mounted to the image forming apparatus without pulling out the sealing member.

A side cover of a developing device mountable to a developing-device mounting region of an image forming apparatus and having a developer container that includes a developer containing portion configured to contain a developer, a developer supply opening, and a sealing member positioned and configured to seal the developer supply opening, said side cover comprising:

• a side cover main body connected to a side surface of the developer container;
• and
• a grip member configured and positioned to pull out said sealing member in a longitudinal direction of the developer container,
• wherein said side cover main body and said grip member are integrally molded from resin materials having low compatibility to be separable from each other, and
• wherein said grip member has a longitudinal dimension extending outside of the developing-device mounting region of the image forming apparatus in order to prevent the developing device from mounting to the image forming apparatus by abutting said grip member against the developing-device mounting region when the developing device is to be mounted to the image forming apparatus without pulling out the sealing member.