Patent Publication Number: US-9405224-B2

Title: Developer accommodating container with flexible members forming injection opening

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART 
     The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and a developer accommodating container to be used in the image forming apparatus, and a process cartridge. 
     The image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording material (medium) by using, e.g., an electrophotographic image forming process and may include, e.g., an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (such as an LED printer or a laser beam printer), an electrophotographic facsimile machine and the like. The cartridge is prepared by integrally constituting at least a developing means and a developing device accommodating a developer and is made detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus main assembly, or the cartridge is prepared by integrally constituting the developing device and a photosensitive member unit including at least a photosensitive member and is made detachably mountable to the image forming apparatus main assembly. 
     Further, a developer accommodating container and the developer accommodating unit are accommodated in the image forming apparatus or the cartridge, and include a flexible container for accommodating the developer. 
     In a conventional electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a process cartridge type in which an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a process means actable on the photosensitive member are integrally assembled into a cartridge and the cartridge is made detachably mountable to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main assembly has been employed. 
     In such a process cartridge, as shown in  FIG. 15 , a developer is filled from an opening (portion) provided to a developer accommodating frame  31  for accommodating the developer and then is sealed with a toner seal  32  as a sealing member. Further, during use, a bonding portion  33  of the toner seal  32  is peeled off to unseal the opening to permit supply of the developer. Such a type has been widely employed (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application (JP-A) Hei 4-66980). 
     Further, a process cartridge using a deformable inside container as a countermeasure against such a problem that the developer is scattered in the process cartridge in a filling step of the developer during manufacturing of the process cartridge has been devised (JP-A Hei 4-66980). 
     As in JP-A Hei 4-66980, in a constitution in which the deformable inside container and an elastic member are used, filling of the developer from the opening for permitting discharge of the developer involves many problems in manufacturing, and further it takes much cost in some cases. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A principal object of the present invention is to provide a developer accommodating container and the like capable of easily filling a developer from an opening and having a high reliability of a filling step during filling of the developer. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a developer accommodating container for accommodating a developer for image formation, comprising: a first flexible member having a three-dimensional shape; a second flexible member for forming a space for accommodating the developer by covering a part of the first flexible member; wherein the developer accommodating container is constituted by bonding the first flexible container and the second flexible container to each other, and an injection opening, provided between the first flexible container and the second flexible container, for permitting injection of the developer into the developer accommodating container, wherein an adjacent portion adjacent to the injection opening in the three-dimensional shape has a folded shape, and wherein when the injection opening is opened, the adjacent portion expands in a direction including a directional component perpendicular to an injection direction of the developer at the injection opening. 
     These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a sectional view showing a structure of an image forming apparatus in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view showing a structure of a process cartridge to be mounted in the image forming apparatus as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view of a developing unit before unsealing in Embodiment 1. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a developer accommodating container in Embodiment 1. 
       Parts (a), (b) and (c) of  FIG. 5  are perspective views for illustrating states of the developer accommodating container before and after injection (filling) of a developer into the developer accommodating container, wherein (a) shows a state before an injection opening is opened, (b) shows a state in which the injection opening is opened, and (c) shows a state after the developer is injected (filled). 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a developer accommodating member for illustrating unsealing of the injection opening. 
       Parts (a) and (b) of  FIG. 7  are perspective views showing the developer accommodating member in the case where an adjacent portion does not have a folded shape, wherein (a) shows the developer accommodating member before the unsealing, and (b) shows the developer accommodating member in a state in which a filling nozzle is inserted into the injection opening during the filling. 
       Parts (a) and (b) of  FIG. 8  are sectional views each showing a cross section of the developer accommodating member shown in  FIG. 7 , wherein (a) and (b) are the sectional slews of the developer accommodating member  34  along a line passing through the center of the developer accommodating member  34  shown in (a) and (b) of  FIG. 7 , respectively. 
       Parts (a) and (b) of  FIG. 9  are perspective views showing the developer accommodating member in the case where an adjacent portion has a folded shape in Embodiment 1, wherein (a) shows the developer accommodating member before the unsealing, and (b) shows the developer accommodating member in a state in which a filling nozzle is inserted into the injection opening during the filling. 
       Parts (a) and (b) of  FIG. 10  are sectional views each showing a cross section of the developer accommodating member shown in  FIG. 7 , wherein (a) and (b) are the sectional views of the developer accommodating member  34  along a line passing through the center of the developer accommodating member  34  shown in (a) and (b) of  FIG. 9 , respectively. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing the developer accommodating member after the developer is filled in the case where the adjacent portion has the folded shape. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the developer accommodating member showing the case where the folded shape is provided also on a side adjacent to the adjacent portion adjacent to the injection opening. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a developer accommodating container in the case where a folded shape of an adjacent portion adjacent to the injection opening includes a curved side. 
       Parts (a) to (d) of  FIG. 14  are perspective views showing variations of other folded shapes in other embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view showing a state of a developer accommodating portion of a process cartridge for use with a conventional image forming apparatus. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to the drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described specifically below. 
     In the following description, a developer accommodating container at least includes a flexible container and a sealing member, provided to the flexible container, for sealing an opening for permitting discharge of a developer. 
     &lt;Embodiment 1&gt; 
     (Structure of Image Forming Apparatus) 
       FIG. 1  is a principal sectional view showing a structure of an image forming apparatus main assembly B in this embodiment. 
     In image formation, a sheet S (image forming material or medium) is fed by a feeding roller  7  from a sheet cassette  6  mounted at a lower portion of the image forming apparatus main assembly B, and in synchronism with the sheet feeding, a latent image is formed on a photosensitive drum  11  by effecting selective light exposure from an exposure device  8 . A developer is supplied to a developing roller  13  (developer carrying member) by a sponge-like developer supplying roller  23 , and is carried in a thin layer at a surface of the developing roller  13  by a developing blade  15 . 
     By applying a developing bias to the developing roller  13 , the developer is supplied depending on the latent image to develop the latent image into a desired developer image. This developer image is transferred onto the sheet S by bias voltage application to a transfer roller  9  (image transfer means). The sheet S is conveyed to a fixing device  10  and is then subjected to image fixing, and thereafter is discharged onto a discharge portion  3  at an upper portion of the image forming apparatus main assembly by a discharging roller  1 . 
     Incidentally, a photosensitive drum  11  is provided in a cleaning unit  24 , and a developing roller  13 , a developer supplying roller  23  and a developing blade  15  are provided in a developing (device) unit  38 . Further, the cleaning unit  24  and the developing unit  38  constitute a process cartridge A. 
     (Structure of Process Cartridge) 
     The process cartridge includes an image bearing member and process means actable on the image bearing member. Here, as the process means, there are, e.g., a charging means for electrically charging a surface of the image bearing member, a developing device for forming an image on the image bearing member, and a cleaning means for removing a developer (containing a toner, a carrier and the like) remaining on a surface of the image bearing member. 
       FIG. 2  is a sectional view showing a structure of the process cartridge A to be mounted in the image forming apparatus main assembly B as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     The process cartridge A in this embodiment includes, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the photosensitive drum  11  as the image bearing member and includes, at a periphery of the photosensitive drum  11 , a charging roller  12  as the charging means and the cleaning unit  24  including an elastic cleaning blade  14 . Further, the process cartridge A includes the developing unit  38  including the developing roller  13  and the developing blade  15  which constitute a developing means, the developer supplying roller  23 , a developer accommodating container  30 , a frame  17  and a frame  18 . The process cartridge A is prepared by integrally assembling the cleaning unit  24  and the developing unit  38 , and is constituted so as to be detachably mountable to the image forming apparatus main assembly B as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     (Structure of Developing Unit) 
     Next, a structure of the developing unit  38  will be described. 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the developing unit  38  before unsealing. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the developing unit  38  is constituted by the developer accommodating container  30 , the developing roller  13 , the developing blade  15 , the developer supplying roller  23 , and the frames  17  and  18  for supporting these members. The frames  17  and  18  constitute in combination a frame for accommodating the developer accommodating container  30 . 
     Incidentally, in this embodiment, the developer accommodating container  30 , the developing roller  13  and the developing blade  15  are provided in the frames  17  and  18 , but the developer accommodating container  30  may also be provided in a frame which is a separate member from the frames  17  and  18 . In this case, the developing unit  38  is constituted by a developer accommodating unit (not shown) in which the developer accommodating container  30  is provided, the developing roller  13 , the developing blade  15  and the developer supplying roller  23 . The developer accommodating unit includes at least the developer accommodating container  30  and a frame for accommodating the developer accommodating container  30 . 
     (Structure of Developer Accommodating Container) 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the developer accommodating container  30  to be incorporated into the developing unit  38 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the developer accommodating container  30  is constituted by a developer accommodating member  34  and a sealing member  19  for sealing a plurality of openings  35   a  for permitting discharge of the developer and for exposing the openings  35   a  by being moved. 
     (Structure of Developer Accommodating Member) 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the developer accommodating member  34  is constituted by an accommodating portion  34   a  (first flexible member) as the flexible container having flexibility and a planar sheet member  34   b  (second flexible member) having flexibility. The accommodating portion  34   a  has a three-dimensional shape formed three-dimensionally with respect to a direction in which the accommodating portion  34   a  is departed from the sheet member  34   b.    
     The accommodating portion  34   a  is formed by subjecting a sheet-like material to thermal molding, such as a vacuum molding, air-pressure molding, vacuum air-pressure molding, blow molding, injection molding, compression molding or transfer molding. 
     In the molding of the accommodating portion  34   a , by using these molding methods, it is possible to subject the flexible material to high-speed processing, and in addition, it becomes possible to provide an in-line molding step in an assembling step (process). 
     As the material for the accommodating portion  34   a , it is preferable that a single-layer material of ABS, PMMA, PC, PP, PE, HIPS, PET, NY, EVA, PVC or the like and a composite multi-layer material of these resins are used. Further, a thickness of the accommodating portion  34   a  may preferably be about 0.1-1 mm as a sheet-like thickness before the molding, but may only be appropriately selected depending on a cost, product specifications, a manufacturing condition and the like. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the accommodating portion  34   a  is bonded to the sheet portion  34   b  at an outer peripheral member  34   c  of the accommodating portion  34   a , and a space for accommodating the developer is formed between the accommodating portion  34   a  and the sheet member  34   b . As a bonding method between the accommodating portion  34   a  and the sheet member  34   b , there are thermal welding, laser welding, ultrasonic welding, solvent welding, an adhesive, an adhesive tape, and the like. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the developer accommodating member  34  accommodates a developer  99  therein. Further, as shown in  FIG. 4 , at a part of the outer peripheral portion  34   c , a fixing portion  16  for fixing the developer accommodating member  34  is provided. As a means for fixing the fixing portion  16   d , it is possible to cite the thermal welding, the ultrasonic welding, adhesive bonding, clamping between the frames, thermal caulking, ultrasonic caulking, hooking using a hole and a projection, and the like, but in this embodiment, the hooking using the hole and the projection is employed. 
     A shape of the accommodating portion  34   a  is a shape along the inside wall of the frames  17  and  18 . 
     By shaping the accommodating portion  34   a  by the molding method, the following effects are obtained. 
     That is, a gap is not formed between the developer accommodating member  34  and the frame  17 , so that a developer accommodating space can be created effectively. Further, the developer accommodating member  34  can be formed in a shape which does not interfere with the frame  17  and therefore the developer accommodating member  34  can be easily incorporated into the frames. This is because there is no need to push the developer accommodating member  34  into the frames to adjust the shape during assembling. 
     Incidentally, the injection opening for permitting injection of the developer  99  will be specifically described later. 
     (Structure of Sealing Member) 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the sealing member  19  covers the opening  35  of the developer accommodating member  34  before use of the cartridge A to confine the developer  99  in the developer accommodating member  34 . The sealing member  19  is moved, so that the openings  35   a  (discharge openings) are exposed. The sealing member  19  is constituted by a sheet-like member including a sealing portion  19   a  for covering (sealing) the discharge portion  35  of the developer accommodating member  34 , a portion-to-be-engaged  19   b  to be fixed (engaged) with the unsealing member  20 , and a connecting portion  19   c  which connects the sealing portion  19   a  and the portion-to-be-engaged  19   b . The sheet member is formed of a laminate material, described later, having a sealant layer which exhibits an easy-unsealing property, and a base material therefor is polyethylene telephthalate (PET), polyethylene, polypropylene or the like. A thickness of the sheet member may appropriately be set in a range of 0.03-0.15 mm. 
     The sealing portion  19   a  is a region where the sealing member  19  seals the plurality of openings  35   a  and connecting portions  35   b  of the developer accommodating member  34 . By the sealing portion  19   a , the developer  99  is prevented from being leaked from the inside of the developer accommodating member  34  until before use of the process cartridge A. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , on the unsealing member  20 , the portion-to-be-engaged  19   b  of the sealing member  19  is fixed by a fixing portion  20   b , and the sealing member  19  is wound up by rotation of the unsealing member  20 , so that the sealing portion  19   a  is peeled off from the openings  35   a.    
     Incidentally, on the unsealing member  20 , an urging member  21  is fixed, and when the unsealing member  20  is rotated, the urging member  21  urges the developer accommodating member  34 , so that the developer can be discharged efficiently. 
     (Injection of Developer) 
     Parts (a), (b) and (c) of  FIG. 5  are perspective views showing states before and after the developer  99  is injected into the developer accommodating container  30 . Part (a) of  FIG. 5  is the perspective view showing the state before the injection opening  39  is opened, (b) of  FIG. 5  is the perspective view showing the state in which the injection opening  39  is opened, and (c) of  FIG. 5  is the perspective view showing the state after the developer is injected. 
     As shown in (a) of  FIG. 5 , the developer accommodating container  30  is not filled with the developer  99  and is provided with the injection opening  39  for permitting injection (filling) of the developer  99 . 
     That is, the developer accommodating member  34  of the developer accommodating container  30  includes the injection opening  39  and the openings  35   a  for permitting discharge of the developer. 
     At first, the developer accommodating container  30  has not been yet filled with the developer. 
     Next, as shown in (b) of  FIG. 5 , the developer accommodating container  30  is filled with the developer from the injection opening  39 . Further, by the flexibility of the developer accommodating member  34 , the injection opening  39  is deformable correspondingly to a filling device to facilitate filling of the developer with no scattering of the developer. During the filling, a known auger type filling device is used, but another method having a similar function may also be used. 
     Next, as shown in (c) of  FIG. 5 , the injection opening  33  is bonded to form a bonding portion  39   a , thus effecting the sealing. The bonding of the bonding portion  39   a  of the injection opening  39  is performed by the ultrasonic welding in this embodiment, but as other methods, there are the thermal welding, the laser welding, the solvent welding, the adhesive, the adhesive tape and the like. 
     Then, when the bonding of the bonding portion  39   a  of the injection opening  39  is completed, the filling of the developer  99  is completed. 
     Incidentally, a position and a size of the injection opening  39  for permitting the filling of the developer  99  are determined correspondingly to the filling device of the developer  99 , the shape of the process cartridge A, and the like. 
     In this way, each of the openings  35   a  and the injection opening  39  of the developer accommodating container  30  is sealed and therefore the accommodated developer  99  is not leaked out to the outside, so that the developer  99  can be treated as a single unit. Further, the sealing member  19  is provided with holes as the portion-to-be-engaged  19   b  to be engaged with the unsealing member  20 , thus being engageable with the unsealing member  20 . 
     (Sealing of Injection Opening) 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the developer accommodating member  34  for illustrating the sealing of the injection opening  39 . 
     In the state of (a) of  FIG. 5 , the outer peripheral portion  34   c  of the accommodating portion  34   a  and the sheet member  34   b  are bonded by a bonding portion  34   k . Then, the bonding portion  39   a  of the injection opening  39  is bonding-processed to the bonding portion  34   k  between the outer peripheral portion  34   c  of the accommodating portion  34   a  and the sheet member  34   b  after the developer accommodating member  34  is filled with the developer  99  and is placed in the state of (c) of  FIG. 5 . At this time, an overlapping portion  40  where the bonding portion  34   k  and the bonding portion  39   a  overlap with each other is formed, so that the leakage of the developer can be prevented with reliability. 
     (Insertion of Filling Nozzle) 
     The insertion of the filling nozzle for filling the developer will be described with reference to  FIGS. 7 and 8 . Part (a) of  FIG. 7  shows the developer accommodating member  34  before the filling, and (b) of  FIG. 7  shows the developer accommodating member  34  in a state in which a filling nozzle  80  is inserted through the injection opening  39  during the filling. 
     The developer accommodating member  34  is constituted by the sheet member  34   b  and the accommodating portion  34   a  formed three-dimensionally with respect to a direction in which the accommodating portion  34   a  departs from the sheet member  34   b . Of sides constituting the accommodating portion  34   a , an adjacent portion  34   h  adjacent to the injection opening  39  is a flat plane ((a) of  FIG. 7 ), so that the adjacent portion  34   h  adjacent to the injection opening  39  is largely displaced by the insertion of the filling nozzle  80 , and sides  34   e ,  34   f  and  34   g  connected with the adjacent portion  34   h  are displaced ((b) of  FIG. 7 ). 
     Parts (a) and (b) of  FIG. 8  are sectional views of the developer accommodating member  34  along a cross section passing through the center of the injection opening of the developer accommodating member  34  shown in (a) and (b) of  FIG. 7 , respectively. In order to prevent the scattering (diffusion) of the developer  99  by eliminating the gap between the developer accommodating member  34  and the filling nozzle  80  during the developer filling, an injection opening holding jig  70  consisting of injection opening holding portions  70   a  and  70   b  is needed. At this time, as shown in (b) of  FIG. 8 , by the insertion of the filling nozzle  80 , the adjacent portion  34   h  is displaced upward in the figure so as to be largely waved and at the same time, the side  34   g  connected with the adjacent portion  34   h  causes displacement in width so as to be depressed inward, so that there is the case where a volume for permitting the injection of the developer cannot be ensured. 
     Further, there is also the case where it is difficult to ensure reliability of a developer filling step since a flowing path is narrowed during the injection of the developer. Further, also in a filling step in which the injection opening holding jig  70  is not used, a magnitude and instability of the displacement of the adjacent portion  34   h  becomes problematic in manufacturing in some cases such that a volume fluctuation is generated every time since predictability of a behavior of the developer accommodating member  34  is impaired. 
     (Folded Shape or Adjacent Side) 
     Next, the developer accommodating member  34  having a folded shape (creased shape) in the adjacent side  34   h  will be described with reference to  FIGS. 9 and 10 . Part (a) of  FIG. 9  shows the developer accommodating member  34  before filling, and (b) of  FIG. 9  shows the developer accommodating member  34  in a state in which the filling nozzle  80  is inserted through the injection opening  39  during the filling. 
     The developer accommodating member  34  is constituted by the sheet member  34   b  and the accommodating portion  34   a  formed three-dimensionally with respect to the direction in which the accommodating portion  34   a  departs from the sheet member  34   b . Of the sides constituting the accommodating portion  34   a , the adjacent portion  34   h  adjacent to the injection opening  39  has the folded shape configured to expand is a direction including a directional component perpendicular to the developer injection direction. Further, in this embodiment, the folded shape is capable of expanding in a direction parallel to the sheet member  34   b  ((b) of  FIG. 9 ). 
     The adjacent portion  34   h  is constituted by rectilinear edges  101 ,  102  and  103  and flat planes  111 ,  112  and  113  contacted to one another at the rectilinear edges  101 ,  102  and  103 . Incidentally, the ends of each of the edges  101 ,  102  and  103  are located at a same point  120 . The edge  103  expands in a direction perpendicular to the sheet member  34   b , and another end of the edge  103  is located at a boundary with the side  34   g . Further, another end of the edge  101  is located at a boundary between the adjacent portion  34   h  and the side  34   e  and located at a point contacting the sheet member  34   b . Further, another end of the edge  102  is located at a boundary between the adjacent portion  34   h  and the side  34   f  and located at a point contacting the sheet member  34   b.    
     Further, by such a constitution of the adjacent portion  34   h , in the case where the injection opening  39  is opened in order to insert the filling nozzle  80 , forces of arrows C 1 , C 2  and C 3  of (b) of  FIG. 9  are applied to portions of the injection opening  39 . At this time, forces exerted on the respective flat planes  111 ,  112  and  1313  of the adjacent portion  34   h  by the above-described forces are changed, with respect to x, y and z directions shown in (a) and (b) of  FIG. 9 , from a state of (a) of  FIG. 9  to a state indicated by arrows in (b) of  FIG. 9 . That is, an upward force is applied to each of the flat planes  111 ,  112  and  113  as a whole, with the result that the adjacent portion  34   h  is displaced so as to expand in directions of arrows D 1  and D 2  which are perpendicular to the injection direction of the developer  99  and which are parallel to the sheet member  34   b.    
     That is, correspondingly to the displacement of the injection opening  39  by the insertion of the filling nozzle  80 , the folded shape of the adjacent portion  34   h  constituted by the flat planes or the curved sides is expanded in the direction which is perpendicular to the developer injection direction and which is parallel to the sheet member  34   b . For this reason, the forces exerted on the adjacent portion  34   h  can be distributed, so that the adjacent portion  34   h  is not locally displaced largely and thus it is possible to suppress the influence of the displacement of the adjacent portion  34   h  on the sides  34   e ,  34   f  and  34   g  connected with the adjacent portion  34   h  ((b) of  FIG. 9 ). 
     Parts (a) and (b) of  FIG. 10  are sectional views of the developer accommodating member  34  along a cross section passing through the center of the injection opening  39  shown in (a) and (b) of  FIG. 9 , respectively. 
     The developer accommodating member  34  is held by the injection opening holding jig  70 , consisting of the injection opening holding portions  70   a  and  70   b , for preventing the scattering (diffusion) of the developer by eliminating the gap between the developer accommodating member  34  and the filling nozzle  80 . In this case, as shown in (b) of  FIG. 10 , the displacement of the adjacent portion  34   h , such that the adjacent portion  34   h  is largely waved, generated by the displacement of the injection opening  39  caused by the insertion of the filling nozzle  80  is controlled so as to be distributed to the entire region of the adjacent portion  34   h  , whereby it is possible to ensure a volume for permitting the injection of the developer  99  and it is also possible to ensure reliability of the developer filling step. 
     A principal reason therefor is as follows. 
     When the injection opening  39  is changed from the flat plane shown in  FIG. 7  to the three-dimensional shape, which is a substantially semi-cylindrical shape, by the insertion of the filling nozzle  80  as shown in  FIG. 7 , the adjacent portion  34   h  causes the displacement such that the adjacent portion  34   h  is largely waved. 
     As shown in (a) of  FIG. 9 , the adjacent portion  34   h  adjacent to the injection opening  39  has the folded shape, and the folded shape expands in a direction which is perpendicular to the developer injection direction and which is parallel to the sheet member  34   b . For this reason, as shown in (b) of  FIG. 9 , when the injection opening  39  is three-dimensionally changed into the substantially semi-cylindrical shape by the insertion of the filling nozzle  80 , the adjacent portion  34   h  is capable of opening the folded shape by the smallest displacing force in such a manner that a folded sector-shaped portion is opened, and also a direction of the displacement can be controlled in a direction in which the folded shape expands. 
     The accommodating portion  34   a  which is the flexible container is formed by subjecting the sheet-like material to the vacuum molding, the air-pressure molding, the vacuum air-pressure molding, the press molding, or the blow molding, but in some cases, the adjacent portion  34   h  of the accommodating portion  34   a  is set to have a reversed tapered portion within a range in which a forced removal of the sheet-like material from a mold in a removal step from the molding in the molding method. 
     Even when the folded shape is capable of expanding in the direction which is perpendicular to the developer injection direction and which is parallel to the sheet member  34   b , the extension direction of the folded shape itself is not limited to the direction perpendicular to the developer injection direction, but the folded shape also includes the case where folded shape portions are parallel to each other and the case where a part of the adjacent portion  34   h  is constituted by the folded shape. 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing the developer accommodating member  34  after the developer is filled in the case where the adjacent portion  34   h  has the folded shape. Similarly as in the case shown in  FIG. 6 , after the developer  99  is filled from the injection opening  39  by the filling nozzle  80 , the developer accommodating member  34  is bonding-processed at the bonding portion  39   a  of the injection opening  39 . At this time, an overlapping portion  40  where the bonding portion  34   k  and the bonding portion  39   a  overlap with each other is formed, so that the leakage of the developer can be prevented with reliability. 
     &lt;Other Embodiments&gt; 
     Other embodiments of the present invention will be described. Incidentally, portions identical or similar to those described in Embodiment 1 are represented by the same reference numerals or symbols and will be omitted from redundant description. 
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a developer accommodating container  30  showing the case where also an outside portion side  34   g  adjacent to an adjacent portion  34   h  adjacent to an injection opening  39  has a folded shape. 
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , in addition to the constitution in Embodiment 1 shown in  FIG. 11 , also the side  34   g  adjacent to the adjacent portion  34   h  has the folded shape. That is, the folded shape is provided by rectilinear edges  131 ,  132 ,  133 ,  134  and  135  and flat planes  141 ,  142 ,  143  and  144  contacted to one another at these edges. By this folded shape, compared with the case of Embodiment 1 shown in  FIG. 11 , it is possible to displace the developer accommodating container  30  so as to largely open with respect to a direction which is perpendicular to the injection direction of the developer  99  and which is parallel to the sheet member  34   b.    
       FIG. 13  is a perspective view showing a structure of a developer accommodating container  30  in the case where an adjacent portion  34   h  adjacent to the injection opening  39  includes a curved side. 
     As shown in  FIG. 13 , the adjacent portion  34   h  has a folded shape provided by a curved edge  150  and flat planes  161  and  162  contacted to each other at the edge  150 . Incidentally, one end of the edge  150  is located at a boundary between the adjacent portion  34   h  and a side  34   e  and at a point contacting the sheet member  34   b . Another end of the edge  150  is located at a boundary between the adjacent portion  34   h  and a side  34   f  and at a point contacting the sheet portion  34   b.    
     By thus constituting the folded shape, similarly as in Embodiment 1 shown in  FIG. 11 , in the case where the injection opening  39  is opened, it is possible to displace the adjacent portion  34   h  so that the developer accommodating container  30  opens with respect to a direction which is perpendicular to the injection direction of the developer  99  and which is parallel to the sheet member  34   b.    
     Parts (a) to (d) of  FIG. 14  are perspective views of developer accommodating containers showing variations of other folded shapes. Incidentally, in each of (c) and (d) of  FIG. 14 , a perspective view showing a state in which a filling nozzle  80  is inserted from an injection opening  39  into the developer accommodating container  30  having the folded shape is also shown. 
     The folded shape, as one of the variations, shown in (a) of  FIG. 14  includes edges  171 ,  172 ,  173  and  174  and is provided with flat planes so as to connect these sides. Further, the edges  171  and  174  are perpendicular to the injection direction of the developer  99  and are substantially perpendicular to also the flat plane of the sheet member  34   b.    
     The folded shape, as one of the variations, shown in (b) of  FIG. 14  includes edges  181 ,  182 ,  183  and  184  and is provided with flat planes so as to connect these sides. Further, these edges  181 ,  182 ,  183  and  184  are perpendicular to the injection direction of the developer  99  and are substantially perpendicular to also the flat plane of the sheet member  34   b.    
     The folded shape, as one of the variations, shown in (c) of  FIG. 14  includes edges  191 ,  192 ,  193 ,  194  and  195  and is provided with flat planes so as to connect these sides. Further, these edges  191 ,  192 ,  193 ,  194  and  195  are perpendicular to the injection direction of the developer  99  and are substantially perpendicular to also the flat plane of the sheet member  34   b . Further, as a variation of (c) of  FIG. 14 , it is also possible to employ a constitution in which portions of the folded shape are not parallel to each other but constitute a sector shape or the like having a certain angle. 
     The folded shape, as one of the variations, shown in (d) of  FIG. 14  includes edges  201 ,  202 ,  203 ,  204 ,  205 ,  206  and  207  and is provided with flat planes so as to connect these sides. Further, these edges  201  to  207  are perpendicular to the injection direction of the developer  99  and are substantially parallel to the flat plane of the sheet member  34   b.    
     In either case of (a) to (d) of  FIG. 14 , similarly as in Embodiment 1, the displacement of the adjacent portion  34   h , such that the adjacent portion  34   h  is largely waved, generated by the insertion of the filling nozzle  80  is controlled so as to be distributed to the entire region of the adjacent portion  34   h , whereby it is possible to ensure a volume for permitting the injection of the developer  99  and it is also possible to ensure reliability of the developer filling step. 
     According to the present invention, the three-dimensional-shaped adjacent portion, of the first flexible member, adjacent to the injection opening has the folded shape (creased shape), and when the injection opening is opened, by the folded shape, the adjacent portion expands in the direction including a directional component perpendicular to the developer injection direction. For this reason, in the case where the filling nozzle is inserted through the injection opening in order to inject the developer, the deformation of the developer accommodating container can be controlled, so that a volume for permitting the injection of the developer is ensured and thus it is possible to prevent a lowering in reliability of the filling step caused by a narrowed injection path. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to the structures disclosed herein, it is not confined to the details set forth and this application is intended to cover such modifications or changes as may come within the purpose of the improvements or the scope of the following claims. 
     This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 199455/2012 filed Sep. 11, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference.