Patent ID: 6980755

Claim:
A recycling method for a developer supply unit for supplying a developer to developing means for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, wherein the developer supply unit is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and includes a developer accommodating portion accommodating the developer, a developer supply port for supplying the developer to the developing means, and a feeding member configured to feed the developer to the developer supply port from the developer accommodating portion and from the developer supply port to the developer accommodating portion, said method comprising: an injection step of injecting the developer through the developer supply port; and a driving step of driving the feeding member in a direction for feeding the developer from the developer supply port to the developer accommodating portion, so that the developer is fed from the developer supply port to fill the developer accommodating portion with the developer, and wherein the feeding member rotates in a predetermined rotational direction to feed the developer in an axial direction of the feeding member when the developer is to be fed from the developer accommodating portion to the developer supply port, and in said driving step, the feeding member is rotated in a direction opposite to the predetermined rotational direction.