JPH11327304A - Developing device, developing cartridge, process cartridge and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a developing device which can be made easily electrically conductive with an image forming device main body and facilitates the execution of the detections of the remaining amount of a developer and temperature, etc., and has an advantages of reduction in the number of parts for these detecting member, etc., in a developing device incorporated in the image forming device main body. SOLUTION: An opening part 7A of a partition wall 7a partitioning a developing container 7 into a developing chamber, in which a developing sleeve is installed, and a developer chamber housing toner, is covered with a seal member 11 consisting of a sticking layer stuck to the partition wall, a reinforcing resin layer and a conductive layer. In the seal member 11, two cut grooves G are previously formed in pulling out direction and the seal member 11 is made able to be torn and pulled out along the cut grooves G by pulling from the outside of the container 7. Thus, the upper seal part 11A of two parts remaining on the partition 7 is projected outside the container 7 and the projecting part P1 is made to be a point of contact for making the developing device electrically conductive with the image forming device main body.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a laser beam printer and a copying machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a laser beam printer or a copying machine, an image is formed using a powdery developer.

The developer is accommodated in a developing container of a developing device, transported to a developer carrier by developer transporting means, and held on the developer carrier. After a predetermined charge is applied by the developer layer thickness regulating member, the developer is conveyed to a developing unit facing the image carrier, and develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the image carrier. Then, the latent image is visualized.

[0004] The obtained visible image is transferred to the surface of a transfer material such as paper by transfer means, and is fixed by a fixing device. Thus, a series of image forming processes is completed, and the user can obtain a desired image.

[0005] In such an image forming apparatus, when the number of times of printing is increased, the developer in the developing device runs out and the printing becomes impossible. Therefore, a developer remaining amount detecting device is generally provided to warn the user that the remaining amount of the developer is low before reaching such an unprintable state. In the developer remaining amount detection method, for example, a detection member made of a rod-shaped metal is installed in a developing container, and a change in the amount of the developer in the developing container is regarded as a change in capacitance, and the remaining amount of the developer is detected. There is something to try to detect.

When the developer amount becomes small, the user replenishes the developer to the developing container by a warning from the developer remaining amount detecting device, whereby the white spot of the image can be prevented. Alternatively, when the developing device is configured as a process cartridge including an image carrier, the process cartridge is removed from the image forming apparatus main body, and the process cartridge is shaken and inserted into the image forming apparatus main body again, or a new process cartridge is used. Replace with Similar measures are taken when the developing device is formed in a developing cartridge that is detachable from the image forming apparatus main body.

Further, the image forming apparatus main body includes a fixing device as described above. Generally, this is performed by heat fixing using a heater or a heat roller, and causes a rise in the temperature inside the apparatus. Therefore, usually, by using a cooling fan to suck outside air or exhaust air inside the machine,
Although the temperature rise inside the machine is suppressed, noise from the cooling fan,
There is a problem in that scattered toner accumulated inside the machine is discharged outside the machine.

Therefore, image forming apparatuses without a cooling fan have been widely used in recent years. In such an image forming apparatus, when the temperature inside the apparatus rises above a certain level, there is a concern that the toner in the developing container may be damaged, and it is necessary to detect the temperature inside the apparatus.

Further, in recent years, a storage element is mounted on a process cartridge detachable from the main body of the image forming apparatus, and a use state of a user and a use state for each part of the cartridge are recorded in the storage element and collected.
Many proposals have been made to efficiently recycle cartridges.

[0010]

However, in order to attach a detecting member, a temperature detector, and a storage element of a toner remaining amount detecting device to a developing device, a process cartridge, or the like as described above, wirings related to the detecting member, the image forming device, the process cartridge, etc. must be formed. Must be attached to the device body. Further, a contact for electrically coupling the detecting means and the storage element with the image forming apparatus main body is required.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily establish electrical continuity with the image forming apparatus main body for the developing apparatus incorporated in the image forming apparatus main body, thereby detecting the remaining amount of the developer and detecting the temperature. It is another object of the present invention to provide a developing device having an advantage that it is easy to implement the present invention and that the number of components such as a detecting member and a detecting member can be reduced, and a developing cartridge, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus.

[0012]

The above object is achieved by an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. In summary, the present invention is configured such that the inside of a container is divided into a developing chamber in which a developer carrier is installed and a developer chamber containing a developer by a partition wall having an opening, and the opening is pulled out of the outside of the container. In the developing device closed by a possible seal member, the seal member includes at least two layers of an adhesive layer that adheres to the partition wall and a conductive layer laminated thereon, and the seal member includes the seal member, A cut groove that allows the seal member to be pulled out is formed except for two portions along the drawing direction of the seal member around the opening of the partition wall, and at least two of the two portions left on the partition wall of the seal member. One of the developing devices is characterized in that one of them protrudes out of the developing container and functions as a contact for establishing electrical continuity with the image forming apparatus main body in which the developing device is incorporated.

[0013] Preferably, a reinforcing layer is provided between the adhesive layer and the conductive layer thereon, and the protruding portion of the seal member is bent in a lateral direction of the developing container and adhered to the lateral surface. .

According to another aspect of the present invention, of the two portions left on the partition wall of the seal member, the side having the protruding portion out of the developing device is provided with the developer chamber by pulling out the seal material. The function of a developer remaining amount detecting member function of detecting the remaining amount of the developer sent from the developer chamber based on a change in capacitance between the side having the protrusion and the developer carrier. Fulfill.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the seal member can be pulled out while leaving at least one portion between the two portions left on the partition wall of the seal member. Cut groove is formed,
Each of the two portions and the at least one portion of the seal member protrudes out of the developing container to function as a contact for establishing electrical continuity with an image forming apparatus main body in which the developing device is incorporated. And each of the at least one portion reduces the remaining amount of the developer sent from the developer chamber into the developing chamber by pulling out the sealant, with each of the two portions and each of the at least one portion, and It functions as a detection member for detecting the remaining amount of developer, which is detected by a change in capacitance between the developer and the developer carrier.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, of the two portions left on the partition wall of the seal member, the side having the projecting portion outside the developing device is another portion projecting outside the developing device. Having a projection, the entire conductive layer including the another projection,
The groove having no conductive layer is separated into two insulated conductive layers, and the temperature detecting means is connected to the two conductive layers.

According to the present invention, the developing device is used in a developing cartridge in which the developing device is integrated and incorporated and which is detachably mounted on the image forming apparatus main body. Further, the developing device is used in a process cartridge in which at least the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the developing device are integrated and integrated, and which is detachably installed in the main body of the image forming apparatus. Further, the developing device is used in an image forming apparatus having at least an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a developing device.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention. This image forming apparatus is of a process cartridge type. As shown in FIG. 1, this process cartridge A is a compact arrangement of a photosensitive drum 1, a charging roller 2, a developing device 3 and a cleaner 5 which are image carriers. And is removably installed in the image forming apparatus main body.

In order to form an image, first, a DC voltage of, for example, about 1 to 2 kV, or a DC voltage of about 1 to 2 kV is applied to the charging roller 2 in contact with the surface of the rotating photosensitive drum 1 from a charging power source E1 of the image forming apparatus main body. A voltage on which an AC voltage is superimposed is applied, and the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 is charged to a predetermined potential of a predetermined polarity by the charging roller 2.

The cartridge A is provided with an opening (exposure window) 6a for exposing an image, and the laser beam L1 emitted from the exposure means 8a is reflected by the reflection mirror 8b and irradiated on the photosensitive drum 1 through the exposure window 6a. You. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the charged photosensitive drum 1 by irradiation of the laser beam L1. The formed latent image is supplied to the developing device 3
Is developed using a developer.

The developing device 3 has a developing container 7 partitioned into a developing chamber T1 and a developer chamber T2 by a partition wall 7a having an opening 7A, and an opening on the side of the developing chamber T1 facing the photosensitive drum 1. A non-magnetic developing sleeve 3a, which is a developer carrying member, is rotatably installed in the section, and a magnetic toner as a developer is accommodated in the developer chamber T2. A multi-pole magnet roller 3c is non-rotatably contained inside the developing sleeve 3a, and an elastic blade 3b as a developer regulating member is in contact with the upper surface of the developing sleeve 3a.

The magnetic toner contained in the developing chamber T2 is
While being stirred by the stirring and conveying member 10, the toner enters the developing chamber T1 through the opening 7A and is supplied to the developing sleeve 3a. The supplied toner is attracted and carried on the developing sleeve 3a by the magnetic force of the magnet roller 3c, and the carried magnetic toner is conveyed by the rotation of the developing sleeve 3a, and after the layer thickness is regulated by the elastic blade 3b, the photosensitive toner is exposed. The developer is sent to the developing section facing the drum 1.

Then, the developing sleeve 3 is operated by the developing power source E2.
By applying, for example, a voltage obtained by superimposing an AC voltage to a DC voltage between the photosensitive drum 1 and the photosensitive drum 1, the magnetic toner flies from the developing sleeve 3 a to the photosensitive drum 1 in the developing unit and is formed on the photosensitive drum 1. The latent image adheres to the formed electrostatic latent image, and the latent image is developed and visualized as a toner image.

The toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 1 is
Paper P supplied to the photosensitive drum 1 from the image forming apparatus main body side
Transcribed above. After the paper P is taken out from a paper feed cassette (not shown) on the apparatus main body side, it is supplied to the photosensitive drum 1 in synchronization with the formation of the toner image on the photosensitive drum 1, and is transferred by the transfer roller 4 on the apparatus main body side. Is pressed.
At the same time, the toner image on the photosensitive drum 1 is transferred onto the paper P by a transfer voltage applied to the transfer roller 4 from a transfer power supply (not shown).

The paper P to which the toner image has been transferred is separated from the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 and then conveyed to a fixing unit 9 provided on the apparatus main body side, where the toner image is fixed and a permanent image is formed. Thus, a series of image formation is completed. The photosensitive drum 1, on which the transfer of the toner image has been completed, is cleaned by the blade 5a of the cleaner 5 to remove residual matters such as untransferred toner, and is ready for the next image formation.

According to the present invention, when the developing device 3 is not used before the process cartridge A is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body, the opening 7 provided in the partition wall 7a in the developing container 7 when not in use.
5A is closed by a sheet-shaped sealing member 11 as shown in FIG. The user enters cartridge A
When the image forming apparatus is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body, the opening 7A is opened by pulling out the seal member 11, the developer chamber T2 communicates with the developing chamber T1, and the toner in the developer chamber T2 is released from the developing chamber T2. It enters the T1 and the developing device 3 becomes usable.

The feature of the present invention resides in that the sealing member 11 is devised. Hereinafter, the seal member 11 in this embodiment will be described in detail.

According to the invention, the sealing member 11 is
As shown in FIG. 1A, the adhesive layer 11a and the conductive layer 11c are composed of at least two layers.
1a, a resin layer 11b is laminated thereon, and a conductive layer 11c is formed thereon.
Are formed in a three-layer structure.

The adhesive layer 11a is a layer for heat-sealing the sealing member 11 to the partition wall 7a of the developing container 7, and is made of an adhesive film or the like. The resin layer 11b is a layer for maintaining the strength of the seal member 11, and is formed of a resin such as polyethylene or polyester. The conductive layer 11c is made of a conductive metal such as aluminum.

FIG. 4A and FIG.
As shown in (a), the adhesive layer 11a is thermally welded to a portion around the opening 7A of the partition wall 7a, so that the opening 7
A is attached to the partition wall 7a so as to cover A. Therefore, the conductive layer 11c is located on the surface of the seal member 11.

According to the present invention, a laser beam having a specific intensity is applied to the sealing member 11 from the side of the adhesive layer 11a on the back surface in advance, as shown in FIG. The layer 11b is cut into a groove shape, and a cut groove G is formed on the back surface side of the seal member 11.

In this embodiment, the sealing member 11 is
As shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4A, the upper portion 11A and the lower portion 11B of the seal member 11 corresponding to the upper and lower sides of the opening 7A of the partition wall 7a, and the opening 7A therebetween. A cut groove G is provided between the corresponding seal member 11 and the central portion 11C along the longitudinal direction.

According to the present embodiment, the sealing member 11
As shown in FIGS. 3A and 4A, one end of a central portion 11C protrudes out of the developing container 7, and the protruding portion Q is provided with a handle when the user pulls out the sealing member 11. Have been.

Further, one end of the upper portion 11A of the seal member 11, which is opposite to the above in the drawing, protrudes out of the developing container 7, and this protruding portion P1 is bent to the side surface of the developing container 7, It is adhered and fixed to. The protrusion P1 functions as a contact for establishing electrical continuity with the image forming apparatus main body in which the process cartridge A is incorporated.

In FIG. 5A, the opening 7A of the partition wall 7a for partitioning the developing chamber T1 into the developing chamber T2 is closed by the seal member 11 when the cartridge is manufactured. As shown in FIG. 4A, when the user pulls the handle Q of the seal member 11 in the direction of the arrow, the central portion 11C of the seal member 11 is cut off from the two cut lines G and pulled out. (B)
The opening 7A is opened as shown in FIG. Developer chamber T2
The toner inside the developing sleeve 3a enters the developing chamber T1 through the opening 7A and reaches the developing sleeve 3a.
It is carried on top and is subjected to development.

At the same time, the partition wall 7a is provided on the partition wall 7a as shown in FIG.
, Upper and lower portions 11A and 11B of the seal member 11
Remains in an adhered state. At one end of the remaining upper seal member portion 11A, a projecting portion P1 as a contact is tightly fixed to the side surface of the developing container 7. Further, since the surface of the portion 11A of the seal member is a conductive layer, it can be used as a detection member of the toner remaining amount detection device. The sealing member portion 11A is formed by the developing sleeve 3a and the opening 7A.
And the developing sleeve 3
A change in the amount of toner between a can be detected.

The detection of the remaining amount of toner will be described. When the process cartridge A is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body after the seal member 11 is pulled out, as shown in FIG. 6, the protrusion P1 of the remaining upper seal member portion 11A as shown in FIG.
Is electrically coupled to the contact of the image forming apparatus main body, and the upper seal member portion 11A and the remaining toner detecting circuit 40 provided in the image forming apparatus main body constitute a toner remaining amount detecting device.

As shown in FIG. 6, the detection circuit 40 includes a rectifier circuit 28 connected in series from the upper seal member portion 11A.
And current-voltage conversion circuit 2 having a variable resistance inside
9, control means 22 for adjusting the variable resistance value of the conversion circuit 29, a capacitor 27 having a predetermined capacitance Cth connected in parallel to the developing sleeve 3a with respect to the AC power supply 12, and connected in series from the capacitor 27. A rectifier circuit 20, a current-voltage conversion circuit 21, a comparator 25 that compares a voltage value V0 output from the current-voltage conversion circuit 29 with an arbitrarily set voltage value V1 and generates a signal when the values match. The comparator 25 includes a CPU 28 connected to the current-voltage conversion circuit 29 for detecting a signal emitted from the comparator 26.

The CPU 28 performs processing such as displaying a warning of the remaining amount of toner by using the detection signal. An arbitrary detection level can be set by selecting a capacitor having a capacity corresponding to the amount of toner to be detected as the capacitor 27.

Upon warning that the remaining amount of toner is low, the user replenishes toner to the developing container 7 or removes the process cartridge A from the main body of the image forming apparatus so that the toner in the developing container 7 can be used to the end. For this purpose, the cartridge A is shaken and then mounted again on the apparatus main body, or is replaced with a new cartridge. As a result, white spots in the image can be prevented.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
The sealing member 11 covering the opening 7A of the partition wall 7a for partitioning the developing chamber T1 and the developer chamber T2 of the developing container 7 is torn off and pulled out, so that the portion above the sealing member 11 remaining on the partition wall 7a Since 11A is used as a detecting member of the remaining toner detecting device, it is possible to detect an equivalent remaining amount of toner without newly installing a detecting member as in the related art.

Embodiment 2 This embodiment is characterized in that the processing shape of the seal member 11 is devised so as to increase the number of detection members for detecting the remaining amount of toner. That is, although the configuration of each layer of the seal member 11 is the same as that of the first embodiment, the adhesive layer 11a and the resin layer 11 are formed in the seal member 11 of FIG.
The region where b is cut is further subdivided, and the number of detection members is increased to three.

FIG. 7A shows the positions of the cut grooves of the seal member in this embodiment. Partition wall 7 of seal member 11
a, a substantially U-shaped cut groove is formed in a central portion 11C of the seal member 11 so that the seal member 11 can be pulled out while leaving one further portion 11D between the two portions 11A and 11B left in the area a. G 'is formed.

FIG. 7B is a conceptual view showing a state where the sealing member 11 is attached to the partition wall 7a of the developing container 7. As in the first embodiment, the adhesive layer of the seal member 11 is thermally welded to a portion around the opening 7A of the partition wall 7a.
The seal member 11 is attached to the partition wall 7a so as to cover the opening 7A.

When the user pulls the handle Q of the seal member 11 in the direction of the arrow, the seal member 11 is cut along two cut grooves G and a center cut groove G '.
As shown in FIG. 8, a portion 11A of the sealing member 11 corresponding to the upper portion and the lower portion of the opening 7A of the partition wall 7a,
11B and the portion 11D of the seal member 11 located at the center of the opening 7A therebetween remain.

The three remaining sealing member portions 11
A, 11D, and 11B have protrusions P1, P3, and P2 that protrude outside the developing container 7, respectively, and are adhered to side surfaces of the developing container 7, respectively. These protrusions P1, P
3, P2 independently functions as a contact for conducting to the image forming apparatus main body, and electrically couples with the contact of the image forming apparatus main body, as shown in FIG.
A toner remaining amount detecting circuit 40 installed in the apparatus main body and a toner remaining amount detecting device are configured.

The detection of the remaining amount of toner in this embodiment is basically the same as that in the first embodiment. In the present embodiment, the remaining seal member portions 11A, 11D, and 11B function as detection members, so that the remaining toner amount can be detected more accurately than in the first embodiment. These seal member portions 11A, 11D,
11B are connected in parallel and connected in series to the detection circuit 40.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show the present embodiment.
This shows how toner in the developing container 7 is being consumed and how the electrostatic capacitance detected at the seal member portions 11B, 11D, and 11A changes correspondingly.

When there is sufficient toner in the developing chamber T1 of the developing container 7, that is, when the toner is filled from the area S4 to the area S1 in the developing chamber T1, it is detected by the lower seal member portion 11B. The capacitance calculated by the detection circuit 40 indicates C1. Next, the consumption of the toner proceeds, and the toner disappears from the area S1 and the area S2
When the toner remains only up to this point, the signal from the lower seal member portion 11B rapidly attenuates, detection starts at the intermediate seal member portion 11D, and the capacitance becomes C
Indicates C2 lower than 1. Thereafter, similarly, if the toner remains only in the regions S3 and S4, the capacitance decreases to C3 and C4 each time the toner is consumed.

By notifying the value of the capacitance as a measure of the remaining amount of toner, the user can know stepwise that the remaining amount of toner in the developing device has decreased during use of the image forming apparatus.

Embodiment 3 In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, two portions 11 left on the partition wall 7a of the seal member 11 are formed.
A and 11B, another protruding portion P4 protruding out of the developing container 7 is formed on a portion 11A of the sealing member having a protruding portion P1 out of the developing container 7, and the sealing member including the other protruding portion P4 The entirety of the portion 11A is formed by two sealing member portions 11A in which the conductive layer is insulated by the groove H in which no conductive layer is provided.
1, 11A2. Then, the temperature sensor 30 was connected to the conductive layers 11c1 and 11c2 of the two seal member portions 11A1 and 11A2.

Similarly, the sealing member 11 is thermally welded to the partition wall 7a of the developing container 7, and the temperature sensor 30 is bent to the upper surface side of the developing container 7 and fixed to the upper surface, so that the temperature of the developing container 7 is reduced. It can be measured directly. Seal member portion 11
The protrusions P1a and P1b of A1 and 11A2 are
And is fixed to the side surface, functions as a contact point with the image forming apparatus main body, and is electrically coupled.

As in the first embodiment, the seal member 11 has a cut groove G at a portion indicated by a dotted line. When the process cartridge A is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body, the sealing member 1
When the handle Q is pulled from the outside of the developing container 7, the central seal member portion 11C is torn and pulled out, and FIG.
As shown in (b), the opening 7A is opened.

The output of the temperature of the developing container 7 measured by the temperature sensor 30 is output to the seal members 11A1, 11A.
Developing container 7 via the second conductive layers 11c1 and 11c2.
Are obtained from the two protrusions P1a and P1b exposed on the outer surface of. The output from the temperature sensor 30 is processed by an arithmetic circuit (not shown) of the image forming apparatus main body, and the temperature of the developing container 7 is measured.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, although the electric element called the temperature sensor 30 is disposed in the developing device 3 of the process cartridge A, the upper two-dimensional state remaining on the partition 7a of the developing container 7 is obtained. Seal member portions 11A1, 1
By using the 1A2 conductive layers 11c1 and 11c2, wiring in the cartridge A could be easily provided.

In the third embodiment, the temperature sensor 30 is used as an example of an electric element. However, in the present invention, a humidity sensor for detecting humidity near the cartridge and a storage element for storing information unique to the cartridge are provided. Is also possible.

As described above, in the first to third embodiments, the developing device 3 is integrated with the photosensitive drum 1 and the like, and the developing device 3 is configured as the process cartridge A detachable from the main body of the image forming apparatus. Not limited to, as usual, a developing device used by incorporating into the image forming apparatus body,
Alternatively, the present invention can also be applied to a developing device configured and used as a developing cartridge detachable from the image forming apparatus main body.

[0059]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The opening of the partition wall, which divides the inside of the developing container of the developing device into a developing chamber in which a developer carrier is installed and a developer chamber containing a developer, is laminated on an adhesive layer for bonding to the partition wall. Since the sealing member is closed with a sealing member composed of at least two layers of the conductive layer and two cutting grooves are formed in the sealing member in advance in the drawing direction, the sealing member is pulled from the outside of the developing container, so that the sealing member is cut along the cutting groove. It can be cut and pulled out, and at least one of the two portions left on the partition wall of the seal member is protruded out of the developing container, thereby providing a function of a contact for establishing electrical continuity with the image forming apparatus main body. By attaching the developing device or a developing cartridge or a process cartridge including the developing device to the image forming apparatus main body, electrical conduction with the apparatus main body is simplified. It is possible to take in.

Further, since the surface of the sealing member is a conductive layer, a portion of the sealing material having a protruding portion out of the developing unit, which is left on the partition wall, is fed from the developer chamber into the developing chamber. It can be used as a detecting member of a remaining amount detecting device that detects the remaining amount of the developer by a change in capacitance,
The remaining amount of the developer can be detected without installing a special detecting member in the developing container.

Further, by devising the shape of the cut groove of the seal member, at least one seal member portion can be easily left between two portions of the seal member left on the partition wall. By using the remaining sealing material as a detecting member for detecting the remaining amount of toner, the accuracy of detecting the remaining amount of toner can be increased.

Further, 2 remaining on the partition wall of the seal member
The sealing material portion having the protrusion outside the developing device among the two portions has another protrusion projecting outside the developing device, and the entire conductive layer of the sealing material portion including the other protrusion is electrically conductive. By separating the insulating layer into two insulated conductive layers by means of a groove having no layer and connecting a temperature detecting means to the conductive layer, the temperature of the developing device can be easily detected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a layer configuration of a seal member for closing an opening of a partition wall in a developing container of a developing device installed in the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1 and a cut groove to be formed.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the seal member of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state where a seal member is attached to a partition wall of a developing container, and a state where an opening is exposed by pulling out the seal member.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where a sealing member is attached to a partition wall of a developing container of the developing device, and a state where an opening is exposed by pulling out the sealing member.

6 is an explanatory diagram showing that a portion remaining on the partition wall of the seal member of FIG. 5 and a toner remaining amount detection circuit are electrically connected to constitute a remaining amount detecting device.

FIG. 7 is a view showing a seal member according to another embodiment of the present invention and a state where the seal member is attached to a partition wall of a developing container.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing that a portion remaining on the partition wall of the seal member in FIG. 7 and a toner remaining amount detection circuit are electrically connected to constitute a remaining amount detection device.

9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a relationship between a portion remaining on a partition wall of the seal member in FIG. 7 and a remaining amount of toner in a developing chamber of a developing container.

FIG. 10 is a graph schematically showing a change in capacitance with respect to the remaining amount of toner detected by the detection device in the relationship shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a view showing a seal member to which a temperature sensor is connected according to still another embodiment of the present invention, and a state where an opening is exposed by pulling out the seal member from a partition wall of a developing container to which the seal member is attached. .

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Developing device 3a Developing sleeve 7 Developing container 7a Partition wall 7A Opening 11 Sealing member 11a Adhesive layer 11b Resin layer 11c Conductive layer 11A Sealing member portion on 11C Sealing member central portion G, G 'Cut groove P1 to P4 Projecting portion Q Protrusion

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yasushi Shimizu 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Gaku Konishi 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inside the corporation

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A seal in which the interior of a container is partitioned by a partition wall having an opening into a developing chamber in which a developer carrier is installed and a developer chamber in which a developer is stored, wherein the opening is removable from the outside of the container. In the developing device closed by the member,
The seal member includes at least two layers of an adhesive layer that adheres to the partition wall and a conductive layer laminated thereon, and the seal member includes a seal member around an opening of the partition wall in a pull-out direction of the seal member. A cut groove that allows the seal member to be pulled out is formed leaving two portions along the seal member, and at least one of the two portions left on the partition wall of the seal member protrudes out of the developing container, so that the developing device is A developing device, which functions as a contact for establishing electrical continuity with an image forming apparatus main body to be incorporated. 2. The developing device according to claim 1, further comprising a reinforcing layer between said adhesive layer and a conductive layer thereon. 3. The developing device according to claim 1, wherein a projecting portion of the seal member is bent in a side direction of the developing container and is adhered to the side surface. 4. A developer which is fed into the developing chamber from the developer chamber by pulling out the seal material, of the two portions left on the partition wall of the seal member, the side having a protruding portion outside the developing device. 2. A function as a detecting member for detecting a remaining amount of the developer, wherein the remaining amount of the developer is detected by a change in capacitance between a side having the protrusion and the developer carrier.
4. The developing device according to any one of items 3 to 3. 5. A cut groove is formed in the seal member so that the seal member can be pulled out while leaving at least one portion between the two portions left on the partition wall of the seal member. The two portions and the at least one portion of the seal member project outside the developing container to function as a contact for establishing electrical continuity with an image forming apparatus main body in which the developing device is incorporated, and each of the two portions and Each of the at least one portion may determine a remaining amount of the developer sent from the developer chamber into the developing chamber by pulling out the sealant, and may be determined by the developing unit and the at least one portion. The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the developing device performs a function of a detecting member for detecting a remaining amount of the developer, the function being detected by a change in capacitance between the developing device and the developer carrier. . 6. A portion of the two portions left on the partition wall of the seal member having a protruding portion outside the developing device has another protruding portion protruding outside the developing device, and the another protruding portion. The entire conductive layer including the portion is separated into two insulated conductive layers by a groove in which no conductive layer is provided, and a temperature detection unit is connected to the two conductive layers. The developing device according to the item. 7. A developing device is integrated and incorporated.
A developing cartridge detachably installed in an image forming apparatus main body, wherein the developing device is the developing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6. 8. A process cartridge in which at least an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a developing device are integrated and incorporated, and wherein the developing device is detachably installed in an image forming apparatus main body, the developing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6. A developing cartridge as set forth in any one of the preceding claims. 9. An image forming apparatus having at least an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a developing device, wherein the developing device is the developing device according to claim 1. .