Patent ID: 9507292
Filing Date: 2016-11-29
CPC Classification: G03G

Claim Text:
1. A developing apparatus detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, comprising: a developer container for accommodating a developer; a sealing member configured to unsealably seal said developer container to retain an initial developer therein; a driven member configured to receive a drive to unseal said developer container; a feeding member configured to feed the developer in said developer container; a developer carrying member configured to develop a latent image with a developer carried on a surface thereof; and a disconnecting mechanism configured to disconnect the drive to said driven member, said disconnecting mechanism being movable between a drive transmission position in which the drive is capable of being transmitted from a motor, which is provided on the image forming apparatus to drive said feeding member or said developer carrying member, to said driven member and a non-driving position in which the drive is not transmitted from the motor, said disconnecting mechanism including, an urging member configured to urge said disconnecting mechanism toward the non-driving position; and a holding mechanism capable of holding said disconnecting mechanism in the drive transmission position, wherein said holding mechanism is movable from a position for holding said disconnecting mechanism in the drive transmission position to a position for releasing said disconnecting mechanism from the drive transmission position, by a drive from said disconnecting mechanism placed in the drive transmission position, and wherein said disconnecting mechanism includes a driving train having a first gear engaged with a driving gear configured to drive said feeding member, a worm gear engaged with said first gear, and a second gear configured to drive said driven member, and a holder configured to support said driving train so as to be integrally swingable about a rotational axis of said driving gear while keeping relative positions between said first gear, said worm gear and said second gear, wherein said disconnecting mechanism disengages between said first gear and said driving gear.