JP2003084551A - Developer sealing member, developer container, and process cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent unsealing failure (sealing member breaking, tearing position deviation, etc.), that occurs when a sealing member closing the opening of a developer container used for supplying developer to an electrophotographic image forming device is unsealed. SOLUTION: A half-cut part (cut line) is made in a multiplayer structure film that has a band shape consisting of two portions of different widths and contains an oriented polymeric material, and thus the sealing member is obtained. A developer container is obtained by hermetically sealing an opening with a sealing pattern (adhesive form) that continues beyond the sealing member.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention mainly relates to a developer seal member, a developer accommodating container, and a developer accommodating container used for supplying a developer to a developing device of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as an electrostatic copying machine or a printer. Regarding process cartridge.

Further, as the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, for example, an electrophotographic copying machine or an electrophotographic printer (for example, L
ED printers, laser beam printers, etc.), electrophotographic facsimiles, electrophotographic word processors, etc.

A process cartridge is a cartridge in which a charging means, a developing means or a cleaning means and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally formed, and the cartridge can be attached to and detached from the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. is there. Further, at least one of the charging means, the developing means, and the cleaning means and the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally made into a cartridge so as to be attachable to and detachable from the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. Further, it means that at least the developing means and the electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally made into a cartridge so as to be attachable to and detachable from the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an electrophotographic recording apparatus using an electrophotographic image forming process, an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally made into a cartridge, and this cartridge is used. A process cartridge system that can be attached to and detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus is adopted, and since maintenance can be performed by the user himself instead of a serviceman, operability is remarkably good and it is widely used in image forming apparatuses. .

By the way, in the developing device in the process cartridge, a toner container (hereinafter referred to as a toner container) whose opening is sealed by a seal member is connected to the developing container. When the process cartridge is used, the seal member is pulled out and removed, the opening is opened, and toner is supplied from the opened toner container to the developing container.

[0006] As the reel member, what is called an easy peel film, which is sealed with one film and is peeled off and opened at the start of use, a cover film and a tear tape are integrated, and the tear tape is pulled at the start of use. There is a so-called tear tape-based tear seal that tears the cover film to open it, but since the tear seal is opened by tearing the cover film, it has a high opening strength.
Since it can be made small, it has been widely used in recent years.

It is also proposed to use a tear seal member as described in JP-A-59-13262 and JP-A-63-60164.

Further, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 63-60164, it has been proposed to use a tear seal member in which a tear is made at the tear start portion to ensure the positional accuracy of the opening.

Furthermore, the present inventors also filed Japanese Patent Application No. 10-1987.
In Japanese Patent No. 80, it is also proposed to use a tear seal member having a tear portion for opening to form an opening.

[0010]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a further development of such a conventional technique, and in particular, it is possible to improve the tearing stability of the unsealing intermediate portion and to secure the positional accuracy of the opening portion, and the sealing member. It is possible to prevent the tearing position from being displaced due to the oblique pulling of the sheet (that is, the sheet is opened by being shifted from the predetermined opening position). An object is to provide a developer seal member, a developer container provided with the developer seal member, and a process cartridge.

In addition, since the tearing start portion is not cut (or half-cut) processed, it is erroneously opened before opening (for example, when the process cartridge is assembled, the free end of the film is erroneously pulled too much and the leading end is opened. That) can be prevented.

[0012]

The main invention of the present invention is as follows, when it is shown with the numbers corresponding to the claims.

A first invention according to the present application is a developer container having a developer reservoir for containing a developer, an opening for discharging the developer, and a seal member for sealing the opening. The seal member is a cover seal portion for sealing the opening of the developer container so as to be openable, and a width of the cover seal portion that extends from one end of the cover seal portion and is orthogonal to the extending direction of the cover seal portion. And a sealing member having a tearing directionality that is torn in the extending direction of the drawer portion, and the cover seal portion excludes a connecting portion with the drawer portion. A half-cut portion is provided on a substantially extended line of both edges of the lead-out portion, and the half-cut portion intermittently has a half-cut component oblique to the extending direction of the lead-out portion. A developer container to symptoms.

A twenty-fifth aspect of the present invention is a seal member for sealing an opening of a developer container for accommodating a developer, and a cover seal part for sealing the opening of the developer container so that the opening can be opened. And a drawer portion that extends from one end of the cover seal portion and has a width in a direction orthogonal to the extending direction that is narrower than the width of the cover seal portion, and the seal member is arranged in the extending direction of the drawer portion. It has a tearing direction to be torn, and the cover seal part includes a half-cut part on a substantially extended line of both edges of the drawer part except a connection part with the drawer part, and the half-cut part has the drawer part. The developer seal member is characterized by intermittently having a half-cut component oblique to the extending direction of the portion.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, as an embodiment of the present invention, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which a process cartridge having a developing device can be mounted will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

[Embodiment 1] {Overall configuration} As shown in FIG. 1, this electrophotographic image forming apparatus A is an image carrier by irradiating a laser light image based on image information from an optical system 1. A latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 7, and then the latent image is developed with toner to form a toner image. Then, in synchronism with the formation of the toner image, the recording medium 2 is conveyed from the paper feed cassette 3a by a conveying means 3 including a pickup roller 3b, a feeding roller 3c, a conveying roller 3d, a registration roller 3e and the like.

Then, the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 7 of the process cartridge B is transferred to the recording medium 2 by applying a voltage to a transfer roller 4 as transfer means provided in the image forming apparatus A. Then, the recording medium 2 is guided by the guide plate 3f and conveyed to the fixing means 5. The fixing means 5 includes a driving roller 5a and a heater 5b.
A fixing roller 5c having a built-in roller is provided, and heat and pressure are applied to the recording medium 2 passing therethrough to fix the transferred toner image. Then, the recording medium 2 is conveyed by the discharge rollers 3g and 3h,
The sheet is discharged to the discharging section 6 through the reverse conveyance path. The image forming apparatus A can also manually feed the recording medium 2 with the manual feed tray 3i and the rollers 3j.

On the other hand, in the process cartridge B, as shown in FIG. 2, a photosensitive drum 7 having a photosensitive layer is rotated and its surface is uniformly charged by applying a voltage to a charging roller 8 as a charging means. , The optical image from the optical system 1 is exposed to the photosensitive drum 7 through the opening 9 to form a latent image,
The latent image is developed by the developing means 10.

The developing means 10 (hereinafter also referred to as a developing device) feeds out the toner in the toner reservoir 10e as a toner storage portion by the rotation of the toner feeding member 10a.
Then, the developing roller 10c having the fixed magnet 10b built therein is rotated to form a toner layer to which a triboelectric charge is applied by the developing blade 10d on the surface of the developing roller 10c.
The toner image is formed and visualized by supplying the toner to the photosensitive drum 7 according to the latent image. Then, a voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the toner image is applied to the transfer roller 4 to transfer the toner image to the recording medium 2. After transfer,
The cleaning blade 11a scrapes off the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 7, and the cleaning sheet 11b
The residual toner on the photosensitive drum 7 is removed by the cleaning means 11 which collects the toner in the removed toner reservoir 11c.

The developing device 10 is integrally formed by welding a toner container 12a containing toner and a developing frame 12b holding a developing member such as a developing roller 10c. Further, the developing frame 12b of the integrated developing device 10 is combined with the cleaning container 12c for holding the photosensitive drum 7, the cleaning blade 11a, the charging roller 8 and the like to form the process cartridge B. The process cartridge B is removably attached to the cartridge attaching means provided in the apparatus main body 13 of the image forming apparatus A.

The cartridge mounting means is shown in FIG.
When the opening / closing member 15 provided in the apparatus main body 13 is opened around the shaft 14 shown in FIG. 3, the cartridge mounting guide member 16 is attached so as to face the left and right inner side surfaces of the cartridge mounting space as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. There is. The left and right guide members 16 are provided with a guide portion 16a that serves as a guide when the process cartridge B is inserted. The process cartridge B is inserted into the image forming apparatus A by inserting the process cartridge B along the guide portion 16a and closing the opening / closing member 15.
With this device, a drum gear (not shown) attached to the longitudinal end of the photoconductor drum 7 meshes with a drive transmission gear G provided in the main body 13 of the device, so that the driving force to the photoconductor drum 7 can be transmitted. .

{Coupling structure of toner container and developing frame}
Next, the connection configuration of the toner container 12a and the developing frame 12b that configure the developing device 10 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 6, the toner container 12a has an opening 12a1. A flange 12a2 is formed around the opening 12a1. The opening 12a1 is openably sealed by a sealing member 17 as a sealing member.

As shown in FIG. 5, the sealing member 17 covers the opening 12a1 and is heat-sealed to the flange 12a2 and attached to the cover sealing portion 1 as a sealing portion.
7a. Further, the seal member 17 has a drawer portion 17b as an extension portion from the cover seal portion 17a.
have. Then, the cover seal portion 17a and the pull-out portion 17b are integrally formed of a single sheet and folded to form the seal member 17.

It is necessary that the drawer portion 17b has sufficient strength to tear the cover seal 17a.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a seal member 17 is attached to the flange 12a2 around the opening 12a1. Then, welded portions W2 are provided in parallel with the longitudinal direction on both sides of the seal member 17 in the longitudinal direction. A welding rib (not shown) is ultrasonically welded to the developing frame 12b in contact with the welding portion W2 of the toner container 12a.
Are provided in parallel. Therefore, the toner container 12a
After welding the developing frame 12b and the developing frame 12b, welding ribs (not shown) are located on both sides of the seal member 17 in the longitudinal direction.

Further, the developing device 10 has a gap between the toner container 12a and the developing frame 12b in the longitudinal direction thereof. The welding rib is a ridge having a triangular cross section. The vibration welding rib has a substantially rectangular cross section. Toner container 12a
The developing frame 12b is provided with elastic sealing members 19 and 20 made of polyurethane foam or the like at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the container gap between the developing frame 12b and the developing frame 12b. The elastic seal member 20 on one end side in the longitudinal direction is the pull-out portion 17 b of the seal member 17.
The toner container 12a is pressed at intervals.

{Structure of Seal Member} The structure of the seal member 17 will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the sealing member 17
Is composed of a surface layer 31a having tear directivity, an intermediate tear layer 31b having tear directivity, a seal cushion layer 31c, and a sealant layer 31d.

In the first embodiment, the intermediate tearing layer 31b and the seal cushion layer 31c are not essential in the structure, and can be used without any problem even if they are appropriately omitted.

The surface layer 31a is selected from a stretched polyester film (PET) having a thickness of 5 to 50 μm, a stretched polypropylene film (OPP), and a stretched linear polyamide (nylon (registered trademark)) film (ONy).

The stretching method is biaxial stretching, or OPP, O
In Ny, uniaxial stretching is also used as appropriate, and in uniaxial stretching, it is used so that the tearing direction of the seal member 17 and the stretching direction of the film coincide.

When the intermediate tearing layer 31b is used, the thickness of the surface layer 31 is preferably 10 to 30 μm, more preferably 10 to 20 μm.

The reason for this is that the film is less damaged by heat during sealing, the sealing conditions can be maximized, and the tearing performance is ensured while maintaining the film strength. It is also for ensuring the processing stability in processing.

The material is a stretched polyester film (PE
T) is preferably used in terms of heat resistance at the time of sealing, curl resistance of the film at high temperature and high humidity, and maintenance of the strength of the sealing member 17, but a stretched polypropylene film (OP
P) and linear polyamide ONy are also excellent in tear stability (straight cut property).

In this embodiment, the surface layer 31a has a thickness of 12 μm.
m biaxially stretched polyester film (PET) was used.

In the stretching of PET, the tear direction of the seal member 17 was the stretching direction (longitudinal direction), and the stretching ratio in the transverse direction to the longitudinal direction was 1.4 times.

The intermediate tear layer 31b has a thickness of 5 to
It is selected from a stretched polyester film (PET) of 50 μm, a stretched polypropylene film (OPP), a stretched linear polyamide (Nylon (registered trademark)) film (ONy), and a stretched polypropylene film (OPP).

The stretching method is biaxial stretching or OPP,
In ONy, uniaxial stretching is also used as appropriate, and in uniaxial stretching, it is used so that the tearing direction of the seal member 17 and the stretching direction of the film match.

The thickness is preferably 10 to 30 μm, more preferably 10 to 20 μm.

The reason for this is to secure the tearing performance while maintaining the film strength, and to secure the processing stability in the half-cut processing described later.

As the material, PET is preferably used in terms of the curl resistance of the film at high temperature and high humidity and the maintenance of the strength of the seal member 17, but OPP and ONy also have a tear stability (straight cut property). Are better.

In this embodiment, the intermediate tearing layer 31b is used.
A biaxially stretched PET having a thickness of 12 μm was used.

In the stretching of PET, the tear direction of the seal member 17 was the stretching direction (longitudinal direction), and the stretching ratio in the transverse direction to the longitudinal direction was 1.4 times.

Further, the surface layer 31a and the intermediate tearing layer 31b
When laminating with, laminate so that they have the same mechanical direction.

Further, the surface layer 31a and the intermediate tearing layer 31b.
Is dry-laminated with a urethane or polyester adhesive.

In this embodiment, since the surface layer 31a and the intermediate tear layer 31b are made of the same material (PET), the interlayer adhesive strength is increased, and delamination development (delamination development) during tearing is performed.
In order to suppress the above, a polyester adhesive is used, and the film thickness of the adhesive after drying is set to 3 μm.

The seal cushion layer 31c is a low molecular weight (low density) polyethylene (LDPE) having a density of about 0.91 to 0.93 produced by using a Ziegler catalyst or the like having a plurality of active sites with a multisite catalyst, or It is selected from at least one of linear low molecular weight polyethylene (LLDPE) or a low molecular weight polyolefin polymer synthesized by a metallocene catalyst.

Also, LDPE and general-purpose LLDPE
Has a wide molecular weight distribution and contains a low molecular weight component, and therefore has very good tearability at the time of opening. On the other hand, when the sealing member 17 is opened, polyethylene itself is fragile and easily stretched, so that it tends to become slightly fluffy.

The low molecular weight polyolefin polymer synthesized by the metallocene catalyst has a narrow molecular weight distribution because it has a single active point, and is tough because it has a low low molecular weight. When the seal member 17 is opened, it is more durable than LDPE or LLDPE. Although the tear strength extremely increases, it is preferably used because it hardly causes fluff. In the present embodiment, a copolymer of LLDPE and octene synthesized by a metallocene catalyst was used.

A seal cushion layer 31c made of the above material
Is used for the cushioning effect and the easy-opening effect at the time of heat sealing, but the thickness of 10 to 50 μm is used, and the thickness of 20 to 50 μm is the most stable in terms of tearing stability. In the above embodiment, the thickness was 30 μm.

The sealant layer 31d is at least one selected from an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) and a low molecular weight polyolefin polymer synthesized by a metallocene catalyst.

When EVA is used, the sealant layer 31d
The vinyl acetate copolymer (VA) has a sealant content ratio of 10% by weight or less, and the molecular weight distribution by GPC does not have a maximum at a molecular weight of less than 100,000, but has at least one maximum at a molecular weight of 100,000 or more. I will. The reason for this is to prevent the sealant layer 31d from being pseudo-bonded (blocked) under a high temperature and high humidity environment and the trouble that the seal member 17 cannot be opened.

Further, if the sealant layer 31d is a low molecular weight polyolefin polymer synthesized by a metallocene catalyst, low molecular weight components can be eliminated, and the sealant layer 31d
It is possible to prevent the trouble that the seal member 17 cannot be opened due to pseudo-adhesion (blocking) in a high temperature and high humidity environment.

Further, the thickness of the sealant layer 31d is such that when the film strength of the seal member 17 is given to the surface layer 31a or the intermediate tearing layer 31b (the surface layer 31a or the intermediate tearing layer 31d is not provided with a half cut, either layer is used). When maintaining the film strength), the thickness of the sealant layer 31d is preferably 20 to 70 μm, more preferably 3
0 to 60 μm is preferable.

On the other hand, in the case where the sealant layer 31d is provided with the film strength of the seal member 17 (a two-layered structure of the surface layer 31a and the sealant layer 31d provided with a half cut without an intermediate tearing layer, or the above two-layered structure). Seal cushion layer 3 which has little influence from the viewpoint of film strength
1c), the thickness of the sealant layer 31d is preferably 100 to 200 μm, more preferably 1
20 to 150 μm is preferable, and further, the sealant main component is a low molecular weight polyolefin polymer synthesized by a metallocene catalyst, and the molecular weight distribution (Mw / Mn) is 1 to 3 in the molecular weight distribution by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). It is preferable that the component does not include a component having a molecular weight of 1 × 10 ³ or less and has a maximum value in the region of a molecular weight of 1 × 10 ⁴ to 1 × 10 ⁶ . This allows the sealant layer 31d to have the film strength of the seal member 17.

In the present embodiment, as will be described later, a half cut is provided on the surface layer 31a so that the intermediate tear layer 31b has the film strength of the seal member 17, and the sealant layer 31d is a metallocene catalyst having a thickness of 40 μm. The copolymer of LLDPE and octene synthesized by the method described above was used.

The sealant layer 31d is usually produced by extrusion laminating from a T die and laminated with the film-processed seal cushion layer 31c, or
Alternatively, the film-state sealant layer 31d is laminated with the seal cushion layer 31c manufactured by extrusion lamination. In the present embodiment, the sealant layer 31d is manufactured by extrusion lamination and laminated with the seal cushion layer 31d.

The sealant layer 31d was laminated so that it had the same mechanical direction as the seal cushion layer 31c. Furthermore, the sealant layer 31d has a thickness of 40 μm.
In the above case, particularly in the case of manufacturing by extrusion lamination, extrusion lamination may be performed twice from the T die in order to reduce the thickness unevenness when being formed and wound into a roll state. In the present embodiment, It was created using this two-time extrusion.

When the seal cushion layer 31c and the intermediate tear layer 31b are not provided, the sealant layer 31d is extruded from the T die and laminated by lamination with the surface layer 31a or the intermediate tear layer 31b. Lamination is performed so that the layer 31c and the layer above it have the same mechanical direction.

As described above, the seal member 17 having a four-layer structure is completed by laminating the surface layer 31a and the intermediate tearing layer 31b and the sealant layer 31d through the seal cushion layer 31c and laminating. did. In this embodiment, the thickness of the completed film is 100 μm.

{Explanation of Half-Cut Section} As shown in FIG. 15, the half-cut section 40 exists in the cover seal section 17a of the seal member 17, and is different from the tip edge section 17e which is the connecting section with the lead section 17b. , The drawer 1
It is repeatedly provided on the substantially extended line 17f on both side surfaces of 7b.

In the half-cut portion 40, cut patterns having the same shape are arranged in a substantially straight line in a region surrounded by the seal pattern 33, and the opening portion 12a of the toner container 12a is opened when unsealing.
In order to obtain the seal opening corresponding to No. 1, it plays a role of maintaining the opening width to be surely secured in the middle of opening, without relying on only the safety of tearing the seal member 17 (straightening cut property). Here, the seal opening is an opening formed in the cover seal portion 17a by opening the seal member 17,
The toner container 12a and the developing frame 12b pass through this opening.

Half-cut section 40 (processing by blade 40
a, laser processing 40b) is a surface layer 31a as shown in FIGS. 9 and 12 and FIGS. 11 and 14.
Or on the intermediate tear layer 31b as shown in FIGS.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 12, the half cut portions 40a and 40b are provided on the surface layer 31a, and the intermediate tearing layer 3 is formed.
If it is not in 1b, the film strength of the seal member 17 is
It is secured by the intermediate tearing layer 31b.

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 13, when the half cut portions 40a and 40b are in the intermediate tear layer 31b and not in the surface layer 31a, the film strength of the seal member 17 is secured by the surface layer 31a.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 14, when the half-cut portions 40a and 40b are provided on the surface layer 31a and the intermediate tear layer 31b is not provided, even if the seal cushion layer 31c is provided, the film strength can be ensured by itself. Since it is difficult, the film strength is secured by the sealant layer 31d.

There are two methods of processing the half-cut portion 40, which will be described below.

The first processing method is shown in FIGS.
0, as shown in FIG. 11, a seal member 1 is provided between a roll provided with a half-cut shape blade and an opposing receiving roll.
There is a way to pass 7. Here, the roll provided with a half-cut shaped blade refers to a roll in which the blade provided on the circumferential surface of the roll is arranged in a half-cut shape when the circumferential surface of the roll is flattened.

In this case, the half-cut portion 4 is formed on the surface layer 31a.
In the case where 0a is provided, the half cut processing may be performed after the lamination of the seal member 17 is completed, or the seal member 17 may be laminated after the half cut processing is performed on the surface layer 31a.

On the other hand, when the half-cut 40 is provided on the intermediate tear layer 31b, the intermediate tear layer 31b is half-cut and then the sealing member 17 is laminated.

When performing half-cutting with a roll provided with a half-cut blade, the distance between the rolls and the distance between the rolls are adjusted so that the cutting depth is about 1/3 to 2/3 of the layer thickness to be processed. Although the tension control of the film is properly maintained and the processing depth is precisely adjusted, when there is no layer for maintaining the film strength layer in the lower layer, the sealant which is the lower layer by penetrating the blade as shown in 40a-1 in FIG. The layer 31d may be reached, and when there is a sealant layer 31d as a film strength layer as a lower layer as shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, lamination may be performed after forming the penetrating cutting.

The second processing method is shown in FIGS.
3, the surface layer 31a of the seal member 17 as shown in FIG.
From the side or from the sealant layer 31d side, a laser is irradiated according to the half-cut shape to absorb the laser light and heat-melt to form the half-cut portion 40b.

A carbon dioxide gas laser is preferably used as the laser light, and the layer member forming the half cut portion 40b has a chemical structure in which the laser light is easy to breathe, that is, there is no double bond in the main chain like ethylene. For example, a carbon dioxide gas laser passes through without absorbing light, and a material having a double bond in the main chain, such as an ester system, which easily absorbs carbon dioxide laser light is used.

PET, ONy, etc. are used as such a material that easily absorbs laser light, and OPP, foamed PP, PE, etc. are used as materials that do not absorb laser light and maintain the film strength of the sheet member 17. Is used.

It is possible to form the half-cut portion 40b by laser light on either the surface layer 31a or the intermediate tearing layer 31b, and the laser light can process only the light absorption layer. Therefore, laser irradiation is appropriately performed from either the surface layer 31a side or the sealant layer 31d side.

Regarding the processing order, it is technically possible to laminate after processing with a laser beam, but in consideration of film wrinkles and half-cut position deviation during lamination, the first processing method is used. Unlike the processing method using a certain blade, it is preferable to perform half-cut processing with a laser beam after laminating.

In the processing with laser light, as shown in FIG. 15, two half-cut portions 40 are intermittently irradiated with laser beams along two half-oscillation devices (not shown) at substantially the same time along the half-cut shape.

Further, the laser output, the laser spot diameter, the laser processing speed, the distance between the laser irradiation part and the film, etc. are appropriately adjusted to reduce the influence of radiant heat on the layer through which the laser light passes as much as possible. Also, the half cut portion 40
Precisely adjust the process stability (process size, melted process width, etc.) of b (heat-melting part).

Next, the shape, size, and positional relationship of the half cut portion 40 will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 15 and 17 to 20 (the direction in which the arrow in the drawing is torn), the half cut portion 4 is formed.
The shape of 0 is a V-shaped pattern (Fig. 17) opened in the tear initiation method of the seal member 17, or a C-shaped pattern opened in the tear initiation direction is repeatedly provided at equal intervals (Fig. 18), Alternatively, at least one type in which linear cuts having an inverse gradient with respect to the tearing direction are alternately arranged at equal intervals (FIG. 19) is used.

As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, it is preferable that the V-shape or the C-shape is bilaterally symmetrical.

The reason for this is that even if the tape is pulled obliquely during opening, the tearing portion can be pulled back to a predetermined opening position in either the left or right direction, that is, the center line of the half cart portion 40. Because there is.

Even if the linear cuts having an inverse gradient to the tearing direction are alternately arranged as shown in FIG. 19, the left and right sides of the left-right symmetrical half-cut having a symmetrical shape as shown in FIG. It is preferable that the shape is such that the halves do not alternate.

As shown in FIG. 20, the half cut interval 17h is a narrow interval 17h near the tear start portion.
1, the interval 17h2 may be wide from the middle.

The reason for this is to prevent it from being displaced from the predetermined tearing position at the beginning of tearing and being disengaged from the half cut portion 40 in the middle of tearing.

Further, as shown in FIG. 21, in the case where linear cuts having an inverse gradient to the tearing direction are alternately arranged, the shape 40c straddling the center line of the half cut portion 40 is not preferable.

The reason for this is that if the half cuts cross over the center line, the opening end faces become serrated like saw teeth when opened while passing through each half cut, and the width of the seal opening is kept constant. This is because it cannot be done.

Further, as shown in FIG. 16, the distance 17g between the leading end of the half cut portion 40 (on the side of the lead-out portion 17b) and the tearing edge 17e of the seal member 17 is 0.5 mm.
10 mm or less is preferable and 1 mm is more preferable.
It is preferably 5 mm or less.

The reason for this is that if the leading edge of the half-cut portion 40 and the tearing edge 17e are too far apart, the seal member 17 is torn and the tearing position is displaced or delamination occurs. In order to promptly correct the tear position, it is necessary to reduce the distance 17g.

Further, as shown in FIG. 24, the center line 40d of the half cut portion 40 and the lead-out portion 1 of the seal member 17 are formed.
The deviation amount 17i in the left-right direction from the substantially extended line 17f of 7b is
It is preferably 0 mm or more and 1 mm or less, more preferably 0
It is preferable that the thickness is not less than mm and not more than 0.5 mm.

The reason for this is that if the position to be torn and the position to be corrected and torn are deviated, the stable effect of compensating the tear position by the half cut portion 40 cannot be obtained, and the amount of deviation is minimized. 17i should be eliminated.

Furthermore, when the two longitudinal edges 17b1 of the drawer portion 17b are not substantially parallel but are, for example, tapered so as to gradually spread, the opening 12a1 of the toner container 12a has a uniform toner discharging performance. Is substantially rectangular, that is, the edges of the opening 12a1 in the longitudinal direction are substantially parallel to each other.
In order to secure the unsealing position of the seal member 17 corresponding to a1, a straight line extending from the tip edge portion 17e of the seal member 17 to the cover seal portion 17a is substantially parallel to the longitudinal edge of the opening 12a1 of the toner container 12a. The position (straight line) to be torn is set to the straight line position, and the shift amount 1 between this position (straight line) and the center line 40d of the half cut portion 40 is set.
7i is within a predetermined range, that is, 0 mm or more and 1 mm or less, and more preferably 0 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less (FIG. 1).
6, see FIG. 24).

The interval 17h between the half cuts is 2 mm or more and 30 m or more from the viewpoint of ensuring the correction effect of the tear position.
m or less is preferable.

The interval 17h is 2 mm or more and 10 m if the half cut portion 40 does not change from the start portion to the end portion.
m or less is preferable, and more preferably 2 mm or more and 7 mm
The following are preferred.

Further, as shown in FIG. 20, when a narrow half-cut interval 17h1 is set near the tear start portion and a half-cut interval 17h2 is wide halfway, the narrow half-cut interval 17h1 is preferably 2 mm or more and 10 mm or less. It is more preferably 2 mm or more and 7 mm or less, and preferably 10 mm or more and 30 mm or less, and further preferably 10 mm or more and 20 mm or less in the wide interval 17h2.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 25 to 27, the half-cut width 40e and the length 40f of each half-cut pattern are preferably 2 mm or more and 15 mm or less, more preferably 5 mm or more and 10 mm or less.

The reason is that, in addition to the effect of correcting the tear position by the half-cut portion 40, it is not a very fine half-cut processing from the viewpoint of processing stability and processing speed during the half-cut processing, and there is no problem in performance. The size will be half-cut size with consideration of processing productivity.

The half-cut opening angle of 40 g is 3
It is preferably 0 degrees or more and 120 degrees or less, more preferably 4 degrees.
It is preferably 5 degrees or more and 105 degrees or less.

The reason for this is that, as shown in FIGS. 28 and 29, when the half-cut angle is extremely narrow (less than 30 degrees) or wide (greater than 120 degrees), it is extremely narrow from the viewpoint of tear correction. In the case, the half-cut is missed by the diagonal pull when opening (jumping over the half-cut).
If the width is extremely wide, the correction effect may be weakened, and the correction position may be deviated from the center line 40d of the half-cut portion 40 and may be opened. Here, the correction means an action in which the opening position is brought close to the center line 40d due to the shape of the half-cut portion 40 when the opening is shifted from the center line 40d (see FIG. 24).

As described above, the half cut portion 40
In the present embodiment, the processing method, the shape, and the positional relationship are described as follows.

The half-cut portion 40 was provided on the surface PET of the seal member 17 including the surface layer 31a of PET, the intermediate tearing layer 31b of PET, the seal cushion layer 31c and the sealant layer 31d. The processing method is such that a seal member is passed between a roll provided with a half-cut shape blade and an opposing receiving roll, and the processing depth is 1 of the surface layer 31a.
It was adjusted so as to be within / 2 to 2/3.

The shape of the half cut portions 40a is V-shaped as shown in FIG. 17, and the intervals 17h between the respective half cuts are 5 mm and are equal to each other.
The distance from 3d was 4 mm.

The deviation amount 17i between the center line 40d of the half cut portion 40 and the substantially extended line 17f of the lead-out portion of the seal member 17 is set to 0.5 mm or less.

The half-cut width 40e, the length 40f, and the opening angle 40g were 4 mm, 2 mm, and 90 degrees, respectively (see FIG. 25).

The distance 17g between the leading end of the half cut portion 40 and the tip edge portion 17e of the seal member 17 was 2 mm (see FIG. 16).

The seal member 17 of the present embodiment was obtained by punching from the above-described film original fabric. The tip edge portion 17e has an arc shape with a radius of 1.

The shaded portions in FIGS. 15 and 16 indicate that the cover seal portion 17a shown in the drawing is the flange 12 of the toner container 12a.
The portion to be attached to a2 is shown. That is, in FIG. 15 and FIG. 16, the shaded portion in the upper right portion is the portion (seal pattern) 3 to which the cover seal portion 17a is attached by heat sealing.
It is 3. Then, at both ends of the tip edge portion 17e,
The angular pattern 33b is provided. Then, a mountain-shaped seal pattern 33a is provided in the central portion of the seal member 17 so as to connect the two angular patterns 33b. or,
A chevron-shaped seal pattern 33c is provided at the rear end portion of the withdrawal. Since the angular pattern 33b is sealed by stepping on the shoulder portion 17a1 of the cover seal portion 17a, lifting of the shoulder portion 17a1 is suppressed at the time of opening, and tear stress is concentrated on the tip edge portion 17e to obtain a stable tear opening. To be

Using the seal member 17 prepared as described above, the toner feeding member 10a as shown in FIG. 6 is actually used.
The toner container 12a (see FIG. 2) was heat-sealed. Further, as the toner container 12a, high impact polystyrene (HIPS), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS), polycarbonate-acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (PC-ABS) and the like are used. In the embodiment, injection molded HIPS is used.

The opening 12a1 of the toner container 12a has a width of 50 mm and a length of 300 mm, and the internal volume is 1 mm.
It was set to 500 cc. The heat sealing conditions were 150 ° C., the sealing pressure was 39.2 MPa (surface pressure 2.9 MPa), and the sealing time was 3 seconds. As the seal pattern 33, the seal pattern 33 as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 is used, and the angle-shaped seal patterns 33a (front end) and 33c (rear end) have a seal width of 2.5 mm, a rectangular pattern 33b, and a longitudinal seal width. 33e was set to 3.5 mm, respectively.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the toner container 12a prepared as described above is combined with the developing frame 12b to prepare the developing device 10. The pull-out portion 17b of the free end of the seal member 17 of the toner container 12a, which is folded back, is folded back so as to project to the pull-out port. Then, the developing frame 12b having elastic seal members 19 and 20 made of foamed polyurethane adhered to the tearing front end and the tearing rear end is combined by ultrasonic welding over the entire length in the longitudinal direction except for both short side portions. did.

The elastic seal members 19 and 2 used at this time
0 uses urethane foam having a thickness of about 2 mm and a foaming ratio of about 18 times, and is crushed to a thickness of about 1 mm between the toner container 12a and the developing frame 12b after fusion-bonding, and the toner container 12a after sealing is sealed. Ensure sealing performance. The toner seal member 17 of the developing device 10 created as described above
The tearing stability and pressure resistance were confirmed. The opening method is as follows: the developing device 10 is fixed and the tape is torn straight in a direction of 180 degrees at an opening speed of about 5000 mm / min, and a case of obliquely pulling in the left-right direction of about 10 degrees that may occur in actual opening. The strength and stability of the opening width after opening (presence or absence of spread) were confirmed.

As for pressure resistance, a toner container 12a filled with 800 g of a one-component magnetic toner having an average particle diameter of 6.5 μm.
Acceleration (G value) that causes seal peeling or seal tearing by vertically dropping the seal surface downward from a certain height
Was measured, and the drop height was gradually increased to measure the limit acceleration (G value) at which seal peeling or seal breakage did not occur.

As a result, the unsealing strength was 2 even when straight and diagonally pulled about 30 degrees.
The tear stability was as good as 9.4 N, and a stable opening width with a tear spread width of ± 0.5 mm was obtained, and neither delamination nor fluffing occurred. Moreover, the limit acceleration was as high as 150 G, and sufficient pressure resistance could be confirmed.

Further, the opening accuracy of the unsealing intermediate portion including the oblique pulling was very good, and the unsealing position was obviously corrected in the half cut portion, and a sufficient effect was obtained.

[Second Embodiment] In the second embodiment, as compared with the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, the seal member 17 has a biaxially stretched PET having a layer structure of a surface layer 31a and an intermediate tear layer 31b. Biaxially stretched PET, sealant layer 3
It was changed to a three-layer structure of 1d. The difference from the first embodiment is that the intermediate tearing layer 31b is changed to PET having a thickness of 50 μm except for the seal cushion layer 31c.
Further, the half-cut portion 40 is provided in the intermediate tearing layer 31b, and the processing method is the processing in which the blade is provided on the roll as in the first embodiment, and the processing depth is the depth reaching the lower sealant layer ( (See 40a-1 in FIG. 10). However, unlike the first embodiment, the half-cutting process was performed on the intermediate tearing layer 31b alone, and then all layers were laminated to form the seal member 17.

The shape of the half-cut portion 40a is a left-right symmetrical C-shape as shown in FIG. 18, and the intervals 17h between the half-cuts are equal to 7 mm. The distance from the inner edge 33d was 7 mm.

The center line 40d of the half cut portion 40a
Then, the shift amount 17i from the substantially extended line 17f of the lead-out portion of the seal member 17 is set to 0.5 mm or less as in the first embodiment. The distance 17g between the top of the half cut portion 40 and the leading edge 17e of the seal member 17 was 1 mm.

The width 40e, the length 40f, and the opening angle 40g of the half cut are 12 mm, 9.9 mm, and 45 degrees, respectively (see FIG. 26).

Further, in order to use the original film thus prepared as the sealing member 17, the punching process was carried out as in the first embodiment.

The tear stability and pressure resistance of the toner seal member 17 of the developing device 10 prepared as described above were checked when the toner seal member 17 was pulled straight and obliquely about 30 degrees left and right.

As a result, the unsealing strength was as good as 29.4 N, and the tearing stability was ± ±
A stable opening width of 0.5 mm is obtained, delamination and fluffing do not occur, and the critical acceleration showing pressure resistance is also the same as in the first embodiment.
As good as.

Further, similarly to the first embodiment, the opening accuracy of the unsealing intermediate portion including the oblique pulling is very good, and the unsealing position is obviously corrected by the half cut portion 40a, which is a sufficient effect. was gotten.

[Third Embodiment] In comparison with the first embodiment,
As shown in FIG. 11, the sealing member 17 has a layer structure of the surface layer 3
It was changed to a two-layer constitution of a uniaxially stretched OPP which is 1a and a sealant layer 31d. The difference from the first embodiment is the surface layer 3
1a is a uniaxially stretched OPP having a thickness of 40 μm, the thickness of the sealant layer 31d is changed to 150 μm, the sealant main component is a low molecular weight polyolefin polymer synthesized by a metallocene catalyst, and a molecular weight by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). In the distribution, the molecular weight distribution (Mw / Mn) is 1 to 3. The component was changed to one having a maximum value in the region of the molecular weight of 1 × 10 ⁴ to 1 × 10 ⁶ without containing a component having a molecular weight of 1 × 10 ³ or less. As a result, the strength of the sealant layer 31d is significantly improved, so that the film strength of the seal member 17 can be provided even if the half-cut portion 40 is provided on the surface layer 31a. Further, the half-cut processing method is the one in which the blade is provided on the roll as in the first embodiment, and the processing is performed after laminating, and the processing depth is within 1/2 to 2/3 of the surface layer 31a as in the first embodiment. Was adjusted.

The shape of the half cut portion 40a was such that linear cuts having an inverse gradient to the tearing direction were alternately arranged at equal intervals as shown in FIG.

The interval 17h between the half cut portions 40a is
The distance between the seal pattern 33 and the inner edge 33d is 7 mm.

Further, the center line 40d of the half cut portion 40a
Then, the shift amount 17i from the substantially extended line 17f of the lead-out portion of the seal member 17 is set to 0.5 mm or less as in the first embodiment.

The width 40e, the length 40f, and the opening angle 40g of the half cut were 9.5 mm, 4 mm, and 100 degrees, respectively. The distance 17g between the head of the half cut portion 40a and the leading edge 17e of the seal member 17 was set to 1.5 mm (see FIG. 27).

Further, in order to make the original film of the film thus produced into the sealing member 17, the punching process was carried out as in the first embodiment.

The tearing stability and pressure resistance of the developing device 10 produced as described above were checked when it was pulled straight and obliquely to the left and right at about 30 degrees.

As a result, the unsealing strength was as good as 29.4 N, and the tearing stability was such that the tearing spread width was ±.
A stable opening width of 0.5 mm is obtained, delamination and fluffing are not generated, and the limit acceleration showing pressure resistance is also the same as in the first embodiment.
As good as.

Further, similarly to the first embodiment, the opening accuracy of the unsealing intermediate portion including the oblique pulling is very good, and the unsealing position is obviously corrected by the half cut portion 40a, which is a sufficient effect. was gotten.

[Embodiment 4] In comparison with Embodiment 1,
As shown in FIG. 12, the seal member 17 has a layer structure of a surface layer 31.
The biaxially stretched PET which is a, the uniaxially stretched OPP which is the intermediate tearing layer 31b, the copolymer of LLDPE and octene synthesized by the metallocene catalyst which is the seal cushion layer, and the sealant layer 31d are used. The difference from the first embodiment is that the tearing intermediate layer 31b has an OP of 20 μm in thickness.
It is changed to P. Further, the half-cut processing method is that after laminating the seal member 17, the surface layer 31a is irradiated with a carbon dioxide gas laser in a predetermined half-cut pattern to form the half-cut portion 40b on the surface layer 31a made of a laser absorbing material for the carbon dioxide laser. did.

In the laser processing, as shown in FIG. 15, two half cut portions 40 were intermittently irradiated with laser by two laser transmission devices (not shown) substantially simultaneously along the half cut shape.

The laser output was 5 W, the laser spot diameter was 0.1 mm, the laser processing speed was 20 mm / min, and the distance between the laser irradiation part and the seal member 17 was adjusted to 25 mm. As a result, the half cut part 40b was processed. The position was suppressed to within 0.1 mm from the predetermined position, and the laser processing width was precisely adjusted so as to be within the range of 0.14 to 0.16 mm. Further, the laser output and the laser processing speed were set so that the influence of the laser radiation heat on the intermediate tearing layer 31b, which is the lower layer of the laser processing layer, was suppressed as much as possible.

The half-cut shape is a V-shape having a symmetrical shape similar to that of the first embodiment, and an interval of each half-cut is 1.
7h is 4 for the first 1/3 of the entire area of the half cut portion 40b.
mm, the rest is changed to 20 mm, the gap between the seal pattern 33 and the inner edge 33d, and the half cut portion 40
center line 40d of b and lead-out part 17b of seal member 17
The deviation amount 17i from the substantially extended line 17f is the same as that in the first embodiment.

Further, the width 40e of the half cut and the length 40
f, the opening angle 40g, and the distance between the leading end of the half-cut portion 40b and the leading edge 17e of the seal member 17 are also the same as those in the first embodiment.

In order to use the original film thus produced as the sealing member 17, punching was performed as in the first embodiment.

The tearing stability and pressure resistance of the developing device 10 produced as described above were checked when it was pulled straight and obliquely to the left and right about 30 degrees.

As a result, the unsealing strength was as good as 29.4 N, and the tearing stability was such that the tearing spread width was ±.
A stable opening width of 0.5 mm is obtained, delamination and fluffing are not generated, and the limit acceleration showing pressure resistance is also the same as in the first embodiment.
As good as.

Further, similarly to the first embodiment, the opening accuracy of the unsealing intermediate portion including the oblique pulling is very good, and the unsealing position is obviously corrected by the half cut portion 40b, which is a sufficient effect. was gotten.

[Embodiment 5] As compared with Embodiment 1, the seal member 17 has a layer structure as shown in FIG.
The three-layer constitution of the uniaxially stretched OPP which is a, the uniaxially stretched ONy which is the intermediate tearing layer 31b, and the sealant layer 31d is used. The difference from the first embodiment is that the surface layer 31a has a thickness of 3
0 μm OPP, tearing intermediate layer 31b 40 μm thick
It was changed to ONy. After laminating the seal member 17, a carbon dioxide gas laser was irradiated from the sealant layer 31d side in a predetermined half-cut pattern to form a half-cut portion 40b on the intermediate tearing layer 31b made of a laser absorbing material for the carbon dioxide gas laser.

The processing conditions in laser processing were the same as those in the fourth embodiment, and as a result, an elliptical laser processing cross section as shown in FIG. 13 was obtained.

The half-cut shape is a left-right symmetrical C-shape similar to that of the second embodiment, and the half-cut spacing 17h, the inner edge 33d of the seal pattern 33, and the half-cut portion 40b. The deviation amount 17i between the center line 40d and the substantially extended line 17f of the lead-out portion 17b of the seal member 17 is also the same as in the second embodiment.

Further, the width 40e of the half cut and the length 40
f, the opening angle 40g, the beginning of the half cut portion 40b,
The distance between the seal member 17 and the leading edge 19e is the same as that in the second embodiment.

In order to use the original film film prepared as described above as the seal member 17, punching was performed as in the first embodiment.

The tearing stability and pressure resistance of the developing device 10 prepared as described above were checked when the developing device 10 was pulled straight and obliquely to the left and right about 30 degrees.

As a result, the unsealing strength was as good as 29.4 N, and the tearing spread was ± ±
A stable opening width of 0.5 mm is obtained, delamination and fluffing are not generated, and the limit acceleration showing pressure resistance is also the same as in the first embodiment.
As good as.

Further, similarly to the first embodiment, the opening accuracy of the unsealing intermediate portion including the oblique pulling is very good, and the unsealing position is obviously corrected by the half cut portion 40b, which is a sufficient effect. was gotten.

[Sixth Embodiment] In comparison with the first embodiment,
As shown in FIG. 14, the sealing member 17 has a layer structure of the surface layer 3
The structure was changed to a two-layer structure of a uniaxially stretched ONy which is 1a and a sealant layer 31d. The difference from the first embodiment is that the surface layer 31a is ONy having a thickness of 30 μm, and the sealant layer 31 is
d is a low molecular weight polyolefin polymer whose sealant main component having a thickness of 150 μm as in Embodiment 3 was synthesized by a metallocene catalyst, and the molecular weight distribution (Mw / Mn) was determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Is 1 to 3. Molecular weight 1 × 1
0 ³ or less components are not included, and molecular weight is 1 × 10 ⁴ to 1 × 10 ^6.
Was changed to one having a maximum value in the region. As a result, the strength of the sealant layer 31d is significantly improved, the half cut portion 40b is provided on the surface layer 31a, and the sealing member 17 can have film strength.

After laminating the seal member 17, the surface layer 31a was irradiated with a carbon dioxide gas laser in a predetermined half-cut pattern to form a half-cut portion 40b on the surface layer 31a made of a laser absorbing material for the carbon dioxide gas laser.

The processing conditions for laser processing were the same as in the fourth embodiment.

The shape of the half-cut portion 40b is the same as that of the third embodiment, in which linear cuts having an inverse gradient with respect to the tearing direction are alternately arranged at equal intervals, and the half-cut interval 17h and the seal pattern are formed. 33 inner edges 3
3d, the center line 40 of the half-cut portion 40b
d and a substantially extended line 17 of the lead-out portion 17b of the seal member 17
The amount of deviation 17i from f is the same as in the third embodiment.

Also, the half-cut width 40e and the length 40
f, the opening angle 40g, and the distance between the leading end of the half-cut portion 40b and the leading edge 17e of the seal member 17 are the same as those in the third embodiment.

In order to use the original film film thus produced as the sealing member 17, punching was performed as in the first embodiment.

The tearing stability and the pressure resistance of the developing device 10 produced as described above were checked when it was pulled straight and obliquely to the left and right about 30 degrees.

As a result, the unsealing speed was as good as 29.4 N, and the tearing spread was ± ± in the tearing stability.
A stable opening width of 0.5 mm is obtained, delamination and fluffing are not generated, and the limit acceleration showing pressure resistance is also the same as in the first embodiment.
As good as.

Further, similarly to the first embodiment, the opening accuracy of the unsealing intermediate portion including the oblique pulling is very good, and the unsealing position is obviously corrected by the half cut portion 40b, which is a sufficient effect. was gotten.

[Comparative Example 1] Similar to the first embodiment, except that the half-cut processing is not provided, the seal member 17 and the developing device 10 are produced in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and the straight and about 30 degrees are formed. The tearing stability and the pressure resistance were confirmed when diagonally pulling left and right.

As a result, the opening strength, the pressure resistance, and the tearability when opened straight were as good as those of the first embodiment, but the tearing stability when left and right obliquely pulled at about 30 degrees. With respect to, the seal opening torn in the obliquely tearing direction is the edge 1 of the drawer portion 17b.
7b1 was extended from the substantially extended line 17f (see the inventor) by 2 to 5 mm, and the predetermined opening position could not be obtained particularly in the middle portion of opening.

[Comparative Example 2] Similar to Embodiment 1, except that the half-cut pattern has a broken line shape as shown in FIG.
Other than that, the sealing member 17 and the developing device 10 were prepared in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and the tearing stability and pressure resistance were confirmed when straight and diagonally pulled about 30 degrees.

As a result, the unsealing strength, the pressure resistance, and the tearability when straightly opened were the same as those in the first embodiment, but the tearing stability when the left and right diagonal pulling was performed to about 30 was as follows. Over the half cut part, the seal opening that is torn in the diagonally torn direction is from the extension line 17f (Please check with the inventor) 2-5
It was misaligned by mm, and a predetermined opening position could not be obtained especially in the unsealing intermediate portion. Furthermore, when getting over the half-cut portion, a part of the surface layer 31a, which is the half-cut layer, was delaminated.

[Comparative Example 3] The layer structure is the same as that of the first embodiment, but a half-cut pattern is formed by connecting opposite V-shaped patterns with straight lines at both ends as shown in FIG. The sealing member 17 and the developing device 10 were prepared in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and the stability of tearing and the pressure resistance were confirmed when straight and diagonally pulled about 30 degrees.

As a result, the opening strength, the pressure resistance, and the tearability when straightly opened were as good as those of the first embodiment, but the tearing stability when left and right oblique pulling was performed at about 30 degrees. Regarding the sex, the effect of correcting the tear position was seen in the V-shaped portion of the half-cut portion on the tear start side, but eventually it got over the half-cut portion, and as a result, it was torn in the diagonal tear direction. The seal opening was deviated from the extension line 17f by 2 to 5 mm, and the predetermined opening position could not be obtained especially in the unsealing intermediate portion. Furthermore, when overcoming the half cut part,
A part of the surface layer 31a, which is a half-cut layer, is delaminated.

[Other Embodiments] In the above-described embodiments, the half-cart pattern of the seal member 17 is described as being of the same type. However, for example, a V-shaped pattern and a C-shaped one are half-cut. Change the interval 17h,
A V-shaped pattern having an excellent tear correction effect may be arranged at the tip portion, and a V-shaped pattern may be arranged at the latter half portion, or an appropriate pattern may be arranged. be able to.

Further, as a direction of the half-cut processing, the original film film may be punched into the shape of the seal member 17 in advance, and then the half-cut processing may be performed.

For the half-cutting, a method of passing a roll having a blade and a method of laser irradiation may be used in combination.

In addition, in the method of performing the half-cut processing with a laser, the above-described Embodiments 4 and 5,
Although the carbon dioxide gas laser has been described in the sixth embodiment, the YAG laser, the semiconductor laser, the excimer laser, or the like is not particularly limited, and if the absorption layer for each laser wavelength is a half-cut layer, the sealing member 17 can be used without any problem. Can be used as

The film structure may be a three-layer structure of the surface layer 31a, the seal cushion layer 31c and the sealant layer 31d without the intermediate tear layer.

[0170]

EXAMPLES The description was given together with the embodiments of the invention.

[0171]

As is apparent from the above description of the embodiments, according to the present invention, it is possible to improve the tearing stability of the unsealing intermediate portion and to secure the positional accuracy of the opening, and the diagonal angle of the sealing member. The tearing position due to pulling is displaced (it can be prevented from opening by opening from the predetermined opening position,
Prevent erroneous opening before opening (for example, accidentally pulling the free end of the film too much when opening the free end of the film when assembling the process cartridge) because the cut (or half cut) at the tear start part is not performed. You can

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize the toner container and the process cartridge having the excellent tearability as described above.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a process cartridge.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the main body of the image forming apparatus showing a cartridge mounting guide on the non-driving side.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus main body showing a drive side cartridge mounting guide.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a seal member in which a toner container and a developing frame are shown separately.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a toner container opening and a seal member which are separated.

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a seal member having four layers.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a seal member.

FIG. 9: A half-cut portion is provided with a roll blade when a single layer is used.
It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the sealing member laminated on the layer.

FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a seal member in which a half-cut portion is provided on the intermediate tear layer with a roll blade in a two-layer structure and laminated in three layers.

FIG. 11: A half-cut portion is provided by a roll blade when a single layer is formed,
It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the sealing member laminated in two layers.

FIG. 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a seal member laminated with four layers and provided with a half cut portion by laser light.

FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a sealing member laminated with three layers and provided with a half cut portion by laser light.

FIG. 14 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a seal member laminated with two layers and provided with a half cut portion by laser light.

FIG. 15 is a plan view of the seal member welded to the opening of the toner container.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged plan view of a shoulder portion of the seal member welded to the opening of the toner container.

FIG. 17 is a plan view showing the shape of a V-shaped half cut portion.

FIG. 18 is a plan view showing the shape of a C-shaped half-cut portion.

FIG. 19 is a plan view showing a shape of a straight half-cut portion having mutually opposite gradients.

FIG. 20 is a plan view showing a half-cut portion in which the half-cut interval is changed midway.

FIG. 21 is a plan view showing the shape of a half-cut portion that crosses a center line with straight lines having mutually opposite gradients.

22 is a plan view showing the shape of a half cut portion in Comparative Example 2. FIG.

23 is a plan view showing the shape of a half-cut portion in Comparative Example 3. FIG.

FIG. 24 is a plan view showing a deviation between a center line of a half-cut portion and a substantially extended line of an edge of a lead portion.

FIG. 25 is a plan view showing the dimensional shape of the half cuts forming the V-shaped half cut portion.

FIG. 26 is a plan view showing a dimensional shape of a half cut forming a C-shaped half cut portion.

FIG. 27 is a plan view showing the dimensions and shapes of half cuts that form straight line half cut portions with mutually opposite gradients.

FIG. 28 is a plan view showing a dimensional shape of a half cut having an extremely narrow opening angle.

FIG. 29 is a plan view showing a dimensional shape of a half cut having an extremely wide opening angle.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Optical system 2 ... Recording medium 3 ... Conveying means 3a ... Paper feeding cassette 3b ... Pickup roller 3c ... Paper feeding roller 3d ... Conveying roller 3e ... Registration roller 3f ... Guide plates 3g, 3h ... Ejection roller 3i ... Manual feed tray 3j ...
Roller 4 ... Transfer roller 5 ... Fixing means 5a ... Drive roller 5b ... Heater 5c
... Fixing roller 6 ... Discharging section 7 ... Photosensitive drum 8 ... Charging roller 9 ... Aperture 10 ... Developing means (developing device) 10a ... Toner feeding member 10b ... Fixed magnet 10c ... Developing roller 10d ... Developing blade 10e ...
Toner reservoir 11 ... Cleaning means 11a ... Cleaning blade 11b ... Squeeze sheet 11c ... Removal toner reservoir 12a ... Toner container 12a1 ... Opening 12a2 ... Flange 12b ... Development frame 12c ... Cleaning container 13 ... Device body 14 ... Shaft 15 ... Opening / closing member 16 ... Cartridge mounting guide member 16a ... Guide portion 17 ... Seal member 17a ... Cover seal portion 17b ...
Drawer 17b1 ... End face 17e ... Tip edge 17f ... Approximately extended line 17g ... Distance 17h ... Interval 17h1 ... Narrow interval 17h2 ... Wide interval 17i ... Offset 19,20 ... Toner seal member 31a ... Surface layer 31b ... Intermediate tearing layer 31c ... Seal cushion layer 31d ... Sealant layer 33 ... Seal pattern 33a ... Angle seal pattern
33b ... Square pattern 33c ... Angle seal pattern 33d ... Inner edge 40 ... Half cut part 40a ... Half cut part (using a blade as a processing means) 40a1 ... Half cut part 40b penetrating the lower layer ... Half cut part (laser 40c ... a shape straddling the center line 40d ... a center line 40e
Width 40f Length 40g Opening angle A Image forming device B Process cartridge G Drive transmission gear W2 Welding part

Claims (48)

[Claims] 1. A developer container having a developer reservoir for containing a developer, an opening for discharging the developer, and a sealing member for sealing the opening, wherein the sealing member is a developing member. A cover seal part for sealing the opening of the agent container so that it can be opened; and a drawer part extending from one end of the cover seal part and having a width in a direction orthogonal to the extending direction narrower than the width of the cover seal part. Further, the seal member has tearing directionality that is torn in the extending direction of the drawer portion, and the cover seal portion has both edges of the drawer portion except for a connection portion with the drawer portion. Of the developer container, wherein the half-cut portion has a half-cut portion which is intermittently provided in the half-cut portion obliquely with respect to the extending direction of the drawer portion. 2. A part of a seal pattern, which is an adhesive shape between the seal member and the opening, is provided by stepping on a shoulder portion formed by a difference in width between the cover seal portion and the drawer portion. The developer container according to claim 1. 3. The developer according to claim 1, wherein the seal member includes a surface layer having a tearing directionality, an intermediate tearing layer having a tearing directionality, and a seal layer. container. 4. The seal member is laminated with the seal layer by aligning the tear direction of the surface layer and the tear direction of the intermediate tear layer with the tear direction of the seal member. The developer container according to. 5. The developer container according to claim 4, wherein the seal layer includes a seal cushion layer and a sealant layer. 6. The developer container according to claim 1, wherein the half-cut portion is provided in the surface layer or the intermediate tear layer. 7. The developer according to claim 1, wherein the seal member includes the surface layer, the seal cushion layer, and the sealant layer, or the surface layer and the sealant layer. container. 8. The stretched polyester film or the stretched polypropylene film, wherein the surface layer has a thickness of 5 to 50 μm,
Alternatively, the developer container according to claim 3, wherein the developer container comprises at least one stretched linear polyamide film. 9. The intermediate tear layer has a thickness of 5 to 50 μm.
4. The developer container according to claim 3, comprising at least one of the stretched polyester film, the stretched polypropylene film, the stretched linear polyamide film, and the foamed stretched polypropylene film. 10. The seal cushion layer has a thickness of 10 to 10.
The developer container according to claim 5, wherein the developer container is made of at least one of low-density polyethylene having a thickness of 50 μm, linear low-density polyethylene, or a low-molecular-weight polyolefin polymer synthesized by a metallocene catalyst. 11. The sealant layer has a thickness of 20 to 150.
The developer container according to claim 5, wherein the developer container is a μm ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer or a low molecular weight polyolefin polymer synthesized by a metallocene catalyst. 12. The sealant layer has a thickness of 100 to 2
At a particle size of 00 μm, the main component of the sealant layer is a low molecular weight polyolefin polymer synthesized by a metallocene catalyst, and the molecular weight distribution by gel permeation chromatography is 1-3, and the molecular weight is 1
Does not contain components of 10 ³ or less and has a molecular weight of 1 10 ⁴ to 1 1
^{6. It} has a maximum value in the region of 0 ^6.
The developer container according to. 13. The half-cut portion has a V-shape that opens in the tear start direction, or a V-shaped half-cut component that opens in the tear start direction, provided intermittently, or in the tear direction. 2. The developer container according to claim 1, wherein the developer container is at least one of a plurality of alternating half-cut components having opposite slopes. 14. The gap between the leading end of the half-cut portion of the seal member on the pull-out side and the tearing tip of the seal member is 0.5 mm or more and 10 mm or less. Developer container. 15. The deviation between the center line of the half cut portion and the substantially extended lines of both edges of the lead portion of the seal member is 0 or more and 1 mm or less.
The developer container according to. 16. The developer container according to claim 1, wherein an interval between the half-cut components intermittently provided on the seal member is 2 mm or more and 30 mm or less. 17. The width and length of the half-cut component intermittently provided on the seal member are both 2 mm or more and 15
The developer container according to claim 1, wherein the developer container has a diameter of not more than mm. 18. The developer container according to claim 1, wherein an opening angle of a half cut portion provided intermittently to the seal member is 30 degrees or more and 120 degrees or less. 19. The processing method of the half-cut portion is a step of passing the seal member between a roll provided with a blade having the same shape as the half-cut portion and a receiving roll facing the roll. 1. The developer container according to 1. 20. The method of processing the half-cut portion is a method of irradiating a laser beam in accordance with the shape of the half-cut component from the surface layer side of the seal member or the seal layer side. The developer container according to. 21. The developer according to claim 1, wherein the half-cut portion is processed before laminating the seal member, and the outer shape of the seal member is formed by punching after the lamination. container. 22. The developer according to claim 1, wherein the processing of the half-cut portion is performed after laminating the seal member, and the outer shape of the seal member is formed by punching after the processing. container. 23. The developer container according to claim 1, wherein the seal member is bonded to the opening by thermocompression bonding or impulse sealing. 24. The developer container according to claim 1, wherein the seal member is easily peelable at a seal interface. 25. A seal member for sealing an opening of a developer container accommodating a developer, the cover seal part for sealing the opening of the developer container so that the opening can be opened, and extending from one end of the cover seal part. And a drawer portion whose width in a direction orthogonal to the extension direction is narrower than the width of the cover seal portion, and the seal member has tearing directionality to be torn in the extension direction of the drawer portion. However, the cover seal portion includes a half-cut portion on a substantially extended line of both edges of the drawer portion, except for a connecting portion with the drawer portion, and the half-cut portion with respect to an extending direction of the drawer portion. And a diagonal half-cut component intermittently provided, which is a developer seal member. 26. The developer according to claim 25, wherein the seal member includes a surface layer having a tearing directionality, an intermediate tearing layer having a tearing directionality, and a seal layer. Seal member. 27. The sealing member is laminated with the sealing layer such that the tearing direction of the surface layer and the tearing direction of the intermediate tearing layer are aligned with the tearing direction of the sealing member. The developer seal member according to [4]. 28. The seal layer is composed of a seal cushion layer and a sealant layer.
The developer seal member according to [4]. 29. The developer seal member according to claim 25, wherein the half cut portion is provided on the surface layer or the intermediate tear layer. 30. The developer according to claim 25, wherein the seal member includes the surface layer, the seal cushion layer, and the sealant layer, or the surface layer and the sealant layer. Seal member. 31. The developer according to claim 26, wherein the surface layer is composed of at least one of a stretched polyester film having a thickness of 5 to 50 μm, a stretched polypropylene film, and a stretched linear polyamide film. Seal member. 32. The intermediate tear layer has a thickness of 5 to 50 μm.
m stretched polyester film, or stretched polypropylene film, or stretched linear polyamide film,
27. The developer sealing member according to claim 26, which is composed of at least one of expanded and stretched polypropylene film. 33. The seal cushion layer has a thickness of 10 to 10.
29. The developer sealing member according to claim 28, comprising at least one of low-density polyethylene having a thickness of 50 μm, linear low-density polyethylene, or a low molecular weight polyolefin polymer synthesized by a metallocene catalyst. . 34. The sealant layer has a thickness of 20 to 150.
29. The developer sealing member according to claim 28, wherein the developer sealing member is a μm ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer or a low molecular weight polyolefin polymer synthesized by a metallocene catalyst. 35. The sealant layer has a thickness of 100 to 2
The low-molecular-weight polyolefin polymer synthesized with a metallocene catalyst as a main component of the sealant layer having a molecular weight distribution of 1 to 3 and a molecular weight of 1
Does not contain components of 10 ³ or less and has a molecular weight of 1 10 ⁴ to 1 1
3. It has a maximum value in the region of 0 ^6.
8. The developer sealing member according to item 8. 36. The half-cut portion is provided with a V-shaped half-cut component opened in the tearing start direction or a C-shaped half-cut component opened in the tearing start direction, or with respect to the tearing direction. 26. The developer seal member according to claim 25, wherein the developer seal member is at least one in which straight line half-cut components having mutually opposite slopes are alternately provided intermittently. 37. The seal member according to claim 25, wherein a distance between a leading end of the half-cut portion on the pull-out portion side and a tearing tip portion of the seal member is 0.5 mm or more and 10 mm or less. Developer seal member. 38. The seal member according to claim 25, wherein a deviation between a center line of the half-cut portion and a substantially extended line of both edges of the lead-out portion is 0 or more and 1 mm or less. Developer seal member. 39. The developer seal member according to claim 25, wherein the half-cut component provided intermittently on the seal member has an interval of 2 mm or more and 30 mm or less. 40. The width and length of the half-cut component intermittently provided on the seal member are both 2 mm or more and 15
26. The developer seal member according to claim 25, which has a diameter of not more than mm. 41. The developer sealing member according to claim 25, wherein the half-cut component provided intermittently on the sealing member has an opening angle of 30 degrees or more and 120 degrees or less. 42. The method of processing the half-cut portion is a process of passing the seal member between a roll provided with a blade having the same shape as the half-cut component and a receiving roll facing the roll. 25. The developer seal member according to item 25. 43. The processing method of the half-cut portion is a processing step of irradiating a laser beam from the surface layer side of the seal member or from the seal layer side according to the shape of the half-cut component. The developer seal member according to [4]. 44. The developer according to claim 25, wherein the processing of the half-cut portion is performed before laminating the sealing member, and the outer shape of the sealing member is formed by punching after the laminating. Seal member. 45. The developer according to claim 25, wherein the processing of the half-cut portion is performed after laminating the sealing member, and the outer shape of the sealing member is formed by punching after the processing. Seal member. 46. The developer sealing member according to claim 25, wherein the sealing member is bonded to the opening by thermocompression bonding or impulse sealing. 47. The developer seal member according to claim 25, wherein the seal member is easily peelable at a seal interface. 48. A process cartridge comprising a photoconductor drum and removable from the main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein the developer container according to claim 1 or the developer according to claim 25. A process cartridge having at least one of sealing members.