Cartridge and unit, for use with an image bearing member, having a seal member that seals a gap between a blade member and a frame

A unit for use with an image forming apparatus, the unit comprising:

• a blade member, including a rubber portion, contacted to a rotatable member, and with a metal plate portion supported to said blade member;
• a frame, formed of a resin material, for supporting said blade member;
• and
• a seal member, extending in a direction crossing an axial direction of said rotatable member, provided on said frame to be contacted to a portion of said rubber portion and said metal plate portion, wherein said seal member is formed on said frame by injection molding for sealing a gap between said blade member and said frame,
• wherein said rotatable member is an image bearing member for forming an electrostatic latent image on its surface,
• wherein said rubber portion has a corner portion formed as a stepped portion at a boundary between itself and said metal plate portion and removes developer in contact with said surface of said image bearing member, and
• wherein said seal member further includes a third contact portion contacted to said corner portion, constituting an inclined surface for connecting a first contact portion and a second contact portion, which are different in height.

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

• a rotatable member;
• a blade member, including a blade contacted to said rotatable member and a supporting portion supported to said blade, wherein said supporting portion has an exposed surface that is not covered with said blade, and said blade has a stepped portion that is stepped relative to said exposed surface with respect to a thickness direction thereof;
• a frame, formed of a resin material, for supporting said blade member;
• and
• a seal member, extending in a direction crossing in an axial direction of said rotatable member, provided over the stepped portion on said frame to be contacted to a portion of said blade and said supporting portion, wherein said seal member is formed on said frame by injection molding for sealing a gap between said blade member and said frame,
• wherein said rotatable member is an image bearing member for forming an electrostatic latent image on it surface,
• wherein said blade has a corner portion formed as a stepped portion at a boundary between itself and said supporting portion and removes developer in contact with said surface of said image bearing member, and
• wherein said seal member further includes a third contact portion contacted to said corner portion, constituting an inclined surface for connecting a first contact portion and a second contact portion, which are different in height.

A unit for use with an image forming apparatus, the unit comprising:

• a rotatable member;
• a blade member, including a blade contacted to said rotatable member and a supporting portion supported to said blade, wherein said supporting portion has an exposed surface that is not covered with said blade, and wherein said blade has a stepped portion stepped relative to said exposed surface with respect to a thickness direction thereof;
• a frame, formed of a resin material, for supporting said blade member;
• and
• a seal member, extending in a direction crossing an axial direction of said rotatable member so as to contact said rotatable member, provided over a stepped portion on said frame to be contacted to a portion of said blade and said supporting portion, wherein said seal member is formed on said frame by injection molding for sealing a gap between said blade member and said frame,
• wherein said rotatable member is an image bearing member for forming an electrostatic latent image on its surface,
• wherein said blade member has a corner portion formed as a stepped portion at a boundary between itself and said supporting portion and removes developer in contact with said surface of said image bearing member, and
• wherein said seal member further includes a third contact portion contacted to said corner portion, constituting an inclined surface for connecting a first contact portion and a second contact portion, which are different in height.