Patent ID: 6178302
Filing Date: 2001-01-23
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
A seal member for sealing an opening of a developer accommodating container for accommodating a developer, which developer accommodating container is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, said seal member comprising:a seal base for sealing the opening;a force receiving portion for receiving a force for unsealing said seal base; andan electroconductive portion comprising a seal-member contact portion and a disconnectable portion connected to said seal-member contact portion when said seal base seals the opening and disconnected from said seal-member contact portion during unsealing of said seal base from the opening,wherein said seal-member contact portion is electrically connected to a main-assembly contact portion for the main assembly of the image forming apparatus when said developer accommodating container is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus,wherein the electrical connection between said seal-member contact portion and the main-assembly contact portion permits the main assembly to detect whether or not said seal-member contact portion and said seal-member disconnectable portion are connected to each other.