Patent Publication Number: US-6665506-B1

Title: Developing member for an image forming apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and, more specifically, to a developing member for an image forming apparatus. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A developing unit for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,348) includes a developing member for developing the latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member with developer, a developer containing member for containing the developer, a supply opening provided in the developer containing member and adapted to supply the developer contained within the developer containing member to the developing member, a seal member for sealably sealing the supply opening, a grip member connected to the seal member and to be gripped when the supply opening is unsealed, a support portion for supporting the grip member. According to this design, the grip portion is capable of being separated from the support portion by bending the grip member with respect to the support portion. This design has drawbacks. During transportation of the developing unit, the grip member tends to be separated from the support portion accidentally by an external force. When the seal member unsealed accidentally, the developer will flow out of the developer containing member to contaminate the surroundings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished to eliminate the aforesaid problem. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a developing member, which keeps the sealing member positively secured in the sealing status during transportation of the developing unit, preventing leakage of the contained developer. To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, the developing member comprises a developing member main body containing a developer for developing images, a sealing member sealing developer supply holes of the developing member main body, a grip member connected to one end of the sealing member for the gripping of the hand to pull the sealing member away from the developing member main body, positioning means provided at the grip member, and a position member fixedly provided in one end wall thereof of the developing member main body and adapted for receiving the positioning means of the grip to secure the grip to the end wall of the developing member main body. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a developing member according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view in an enlarged view of a part of the developing member, showing the grip disconnected from the position member at the developing member main body. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the position member at the developing member main body and the positioning means of the grip member according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates an alternate form of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates another alternate form of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a developing member in accordance with the present invent is shown comprised of a developing member main body  1 , a sealing member  2 , a grip member  3 , and a position member  4 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 and FIG. 1 again, the developing member main body  1  comprises a row of developer supply holes  11  disposed in one side thereof through which the contained developer is supplied. The sealing member  2  is a thin film of plastics adapted for sealably sealing the developer supply holes  11 . The grip member  3  is connected to one end of the sealing member  2 , having positioning means for positioning. The positioning means of the grip member  3  may be variously embodied. For example, the positioning means of the grip member  3  can be a split retaining bolt  31  (see FIG.  3 ), or retaining hole  32  (see FIG.  4 ). 
     Referring to FIGS. from  3  through  5 , the position member  4  is fixedly provided in one end wall of the developer container member main body  1 , and adapted for securing grip member  3  in position. The position member  4  can also be variously embodied. For example, the position member  4  can be a retaining hole  41  (matching the split retaining bolt  31  of the grip member  3  as shown in FIG.  3 ), split retaining bolt  42  (matching the retaining hole  32  as shown in FIG.  4 ), or double-side adhesive tape  43  (for securing a planar surface area of the grip member  3  as shown in FIG.  5 ). 
     By means of the position member  4 , the grip member  3  is closely secured to one end wall of the developing member main body  1 , keeping the sealing member  2  in the sealing position. Furthermore, referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, in one embodiment of the present invention, the surface  21  of the developing member main body  1 , wherein the developer supply holes or openings  11  are formed, projects over one end wall  1   a  along the longitudinal axis of the developing member main body  1  such that as positioning means  3  is received by the position member  4 , a portion  22  of the sealing member  2  is around an edge  21   a  of the surface  21  and bent over to the back  23  of the surface  21  of the developing member main body  1 . This provides a further assurance that the sealing member  2  is positioned properly to seal the developer supply openings  11  even if the postioning means may accidentially disengage from the position member  4 . 
     A prototype of developing member has been constructed with the features of FIGS.  1 ˜ 5 . The developing member functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier. 
     Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.