Cartridge and unit
A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes a cartridge frame formed of a resin material; a plurality of resin members molded on the cartridge frame by injection molding of a resin material different from that of the cartridge frame; a plurality of contact surfaces, provided on the cartridge frame, to which metal molds corresponding to the resin members are to be contacted from the same side when the resin members are molded; and a plurality of resin material inlet ports, provided in an opposite side of said cartridge frame from a side where the contact surfaces are provided. The resin material has been flowed into the cartridge frame when the resin members are molded.
1. A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, the cartridge comprising:
a cartridge frame formed of a first resin material, and
a resin member formed of a second resin material that is different from the first resin material,
wherein the cartridge frame includes (i) a first surface with which a metal mold contacts so as to form a molding space between the first surface and the metal mold and on which an outlet port is provided in the molding space, (ii) a second surface that is opposite to the first surface and on which an inlet port is provided, and (iii) a straight passage straightly penetrating the cartridge frame from the inlet port to the outlet port, and
wherein the resin member is molded on the cartridge frame by the second resin material being injected from the inlet port into the molding space through the outlet port.
2. A cartridge according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of first surfaces,
wherein the first surfaces are provided in parallel.
3. A cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the resin member includes a plurality of members in which at least one of the plurality of members and another one of the plurality of members are molded with different materials.
4. A cartridge according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a process member acting on an electrophotographic photosensitive member; and
an accommodating portion for accommodating developer,
wherein the resin member includes a plurality of seal members for preventing the developer from leaking out of the cartridge.
5. A cartridge according to claim 4 , wherein the process member includes a cleaning member for removing developer from the electrophotographic photosensitive member and a sheet member for preventing developer from leaking out of the accommodating portion, with the sheet member contacting the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and
wherein the resin member includes at least two members selected from a first seal member for sealing a gap between the cleaning member and the cartridge frame along a longitudinal direction of the cleaning member, a second seal member for sealing a gap between the cleaning member and the cartridge frame along a widthwise direction of the cleaning member perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cleaning member, and a fixing member for fixing the sheet member on the cartridge frame.
6. A cartridge according to claim 4 , wherein the process member is a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member with developer.
7. A cartridge according to claim 4 , wherein the process member includes a cleaning member for removing developer from the electrophotographic photosensitive member and a sheet member for preventing developer from leaking out of the accommodating portion, the sheet member contacting with the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and
wherein at least one of the seal members includes at least one member selected from a first seal member for sealing a gap between the cleaning member and the cartridge frame along a longitudinal direction of the cleaning member, a second seal member for sealing a gap between the cleaning member and the cartridge frame along a widthwise direction of the cleaning member perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cleaning member, and a fixing member for fixing the sheet member on the cartridge frame.
8. A cartridge according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a process member acting on an electrophotographic photosensitive member; and
an accommodating portion for accommodating developer,
wherein the resin member is a seal member for preventing developer from leaking out of the cartridge and an electrode member for supplying electric energy from the image forming apparatus main assembly to the process member.
9. A cartridge according to claim 8 , wherein the electrode member is a member for supplying electrical energy to a charging member, which is the process member, for electrically charging the electrophotographic photosensitive member.
10. A cartridge according to claim 8 , wherein the process member is a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member with developer.
11. A unit for use with an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the unit comprising:
a cartridge frame formed of a first resin material;
a cleaning member, mounted on the cartridge frame, for removing developer from an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a sheet member contactable to the electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a resin member formed of a second resin material that is different from the first resin material; and
an accommodating portion for accommodating developer, wherein the accommodating portion is constituted by the cartridge frame, the cleaning member, the sheet member, and the resin member,
wherein the cartridge frame includes (i) a first surface with which a metal mold contacts so as to form a molding space between the first surface and the metal mold and on which an outlet port is provided in the molding space, (ii) a second surface opposite to the first surface and on which an inlet port is provided, and (iii) a straight passage straightly penetrating the cartridge frame from the inlet port to the outlet port, and
wherein the resin member is molded on the cartridge frame by the second resin material being injected from the inlet port into the molding space through the outlet port.
12. A unit according to claim 11 , wherein the resin member includes a plurality of members, and
wherein the first surface includes a plurality of first surfaces, provided in parallel, for forming the plurality of members.
13. A unit according to claim 11 , wherein the resin member includes a plurality of members in which at least one of the members and another one of the members are molded with different materials.
14. A unit according to claim 11 , wherein the resin member includes at least two members selected from a first seal member for sealing a gap between the cleaning member and the cartridge frame along a longitudinal direction of the cleaning member, a second seal member for sealing a gap between the cleaning member and the cartridge frame along a widthwise direction of the cleaning member perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cleaning member, and a fixing member for fixing the sheet member on the cartridge frame.