Developer feeding member, developing apparatus, process cartridge and developer feeding member mounting method
A developer feeding member for use with an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to feed a developer accommodated in a developer accommodating portion, includes a shaft for receiving a driving force to rotate when the shaft is mounted in the developer accommodating portion; a flexible sheet for feeding the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating portion when the flexible sheet is mounted in the developer accommodating portion; a mounting member for mounting the flexible sheet on the shaft such that the flexible sheet is movable relative to the shaft in a longitudinal direction, in a widthwise direction and in a thickness direction.
1. A developer feeding member mounting method for mounting, in a developer accommodating portion, a shaft rotatable relative to a developer accommodating portion, and a flexible sheet for engagement with the shaft to feed a developer in the developer accommodating portion by rotation, said method comprising:
a shaft mounting step of mounting the shaft in the developer accommodating portion;
a sheet inserting step of inserting a flexible sheet in a slit provided in the shaft which has been mounted in the developer accommodating portion; and
an engaging step of engaging an engaging claw provided in the slit with an engaging hole provided in the flexible sheet to prevent disengagement of the flexible sheet from the shaft.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein a retaining portion for preventing disengagement of the flexible sheet from the shaft is provided in the slit, and said sheet inserting step includes the step of inserting the flexible sheet into the slit along a first inclined surface of the engaging claw and a second inclined surface of the retaining portion.