Developer accommodating device, developing device, cartridge and image forming apparatus
A process cartridge includes a photosensitive member unit with a photosensitive drum, a developing unit detachably mounted on the photosensitive member, and a toner cartridge detachably mounted on the developing unit. The toner cartridge has a holder including a protruding portion on an end side thereof, and the developing unit is provided with a rotatable lift member on an end side thereof. In a mounted state in which the toner cartridge is mounted on the developing unit, the toner cartridge is maintained in the mounted state by engaging of a first portion of the lift member with the protruding portion, and the toner cartridge is transited from the mounted state to a lifted state in which the toner cartridge is rotated upward by contacting of a second portion of the lift member to the protruding portion with rotation of the lift member.
1 . A developer accommodating device detachably mounted on a developing unit, the developer accommodating device comprising:
a frame extending in a longitudinal direction, and configured to accommodate toner and discharge the toner through an opening portion;
a guide portion configured to be guided by the developing unit while the developer accommodating device is being mounted on the developing unit in a mounting direction crossing the longitudinal direction;
a first portion including
a first chamber, in which the opening portion is provided, and
a second chamber which is aligned in a first direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction,
wherein the first chamber is spaced apart from the second chamber in the first direction, and
the first chamber of the first portion communicates with the second chamber of the first portion only through a second portion.
2 . A developer accommodating device according to claim 1 , wherein at a position where the first chamber and the second chamber overlap in the longitudinal direction, a cross sectional area of the second chamber is equal to or larger than that of the first chamber as seen in the longitudinal direction.
3 . A developer accommodating device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an agitating member rotatably supported by the frame and configured to agitate the developer accommodated in the frame, and
a conveying portion rotatably supported by the frame and configured to convey the developer in the frame toward the opening portion.
4 . A developer accommodating device according to claim 3 , wherein the agitating member includes a rotational shaft and a sheet member fixed to the rotational shaft, the rotational shaft extending across both the second chamber of the first portion and the second portion in a shaft direction of the rotational shaft.
5 . A developer accommodating device according to claim 4 , wherein the sheet member includes a first sheet portion disposed in the second chamber of the first portion and a second sheet portion disposed in the second portion, a length of the first sheet portion being shorter than a length of the second sheet portion with respect to a radial direction perpendicular to the shaft direction.
6 . A developer accommodating device according to claim 4 , wherein the rotational shaft includes a screw disposed in the second chamber of the first portion and configured to convey the developer of the second chamber toward the second portion by a rotation of the rotational shaft.
7 . A developer accommodating device according to claim 3 , wherein the opening portion is a first opening portion, and
the developer accommodating device further comprises:
a shutter including a shielding portion and a second opening portion, the shutter being movable between a closing position where the shielding portion shields the first opening portion and an opening position where the second opening portion opposes the first opening portion to open the first opening portion,
wherein, in a posture where the longitudinal direction is a horizontal direction and the first opening portion is positioned downward in a gravity direction, the shutter moves from the closing position to the opening position by successively performing a first operation in which the developer accommodating device is mounted on the developing unit in the mounting direction and a second operation in which the developing unit rotates about a rotational center of the conveying portion.
8 . A developer accommodating device according to claim 7 , wherein in a state in which the second operation is completed, a straight line connecting the rotational center of the conveying portion and a rotational center of the agitating member extends along the horizontal direction as seen in a longitudinal direction.
9 . A developer accommodating device according to claim 7 , wherein in a state in which the developing unit is mounted on a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, the developer accommodating device is mountable to and dismountable from the developing unit.
10 . A developer accommodating device according to claim 3 , wherein the developing unit includes:
a housing extending in the longitudinal direction and configured to accommodate the developer and including a receiving opening configured to receive the developer from the developer accommodating device,
a developer shutter movable between an opening position where the developer shutter opens the receiving opening and a closing position where the developer shutter closes the receiving opening, and
a mounting portion on which the developer accommodating device is mounted.
11 . A developer accommodating device detachably mounted on a developing unit, the developer accommodating device comprising:
a frame extending in a longitudinal direction, and configured to accommodate toner and discharge the toner through an opening portion;
a guide portion configured to be guided by the developing unit while the developer accommodating device is being mounted on the developing unit in a mounting direction crossing the longitudinal direction;
a first portion including
a first chamber in which the opening portion is provided,
a second chamber aligned with the first chamber in a first direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and
a partition wall partitioning the first chamber and the second chamber, the first chamber communicating with the second chamber only through a second portion.
12 . A developer accommodating device according to claim 11 , wherein at a position where the first chamber and the second chamber overlap in the longitudinal direction, a cross sectional area of the second chamber is equal to or larger than that of the first chamber as seen in the longitudinal direction.
13 . A developer accommodating device according to claim 11 , further comprising:
an agitating member rotatably supported by the frame and configured to agitate the developer accommodated in the frame; and
a conveying portion rotatably supported by the frame and configured to convey the developer in the frame toward the opening portion.
14 . A developer accommodating device according to claim 13 , wherein the agitating member includes a rotational shaft and a sheet member fixed to the rotational shaft, the rotational shaft extending across both the second chamber of the first portion and the second portion in a shaft direction of the rotational shaft.
15 . A developer accommodating device according to claim 14 , wherein the sheet member includes a first sheet portion disposed in the second chamber of the first portion and a second sheet portion disposed in the second portion, a length of the first sheet portion being shorter than a length of the second sheet portion with respect to a radial direction perpendicular to the shaft direction.
16 . A developer accommodating device according to claim 14 , wherein the rotational shaft includes a screw disposed in the second chamber of the first portion and configured to convey the developer of the second chamber toward the second portion by a rotation of the rotational shaft.
17 . A developer accommodating device according to claim 13 , wherein the opening portion is a first opening portion, and the developer accommodating device further comprises:
a shutter including a shielding portion and a second opening portion, the shutter being movable between a closing position where the shielding portion shields the first opening portion and an opening position where the second opening portion opposes the first opening portion to open the first opening portion,
wherein, in a posture where the longitudinal direction is a horizontal direction and the first opening portion is positioned downward in a gravity direction, the shutter moves from the closing position to the opening position by successively performing a first operation in which the developer accommodating device is mounted on the developing unit in the mounting direction and a second operation in which the developing unit rotates about a rotational center of the conveying portion.
18 . A developer accommodating device according to claim 17 , wherein in a state in which the second operation is completed, a straight line connecting the rotational center of the conveying portion and a rotational center of the agitating member extends along the horizontal direction as seen in a longitudinal direction.
19 . A developer accommodating device according to claim 17 , wherein in a state in which the developing unit is mounted on a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, the developer accommodating device is mountable to and dismountable from the developing unit.
20 . A developer accommodating device according to claim 13 , wherein the developing unit includes:
a housing extending in the longitudinal direction and configured to accommodate the developer and including a receiving opening configured to receive the developer from the developer accommodating device;
a developer shutter movable between an opening position where the developer shutter opens the receiving opening and a closing position where the developer shutter closes the receiving opening; and
a mounting portion on which the developer accommodating device is mounted.