A method for manufacturing a cartridge attachable to and detachable from a main body of an image forming apparatus, includes preparing a unit that includes a frame including a developer storage unit storing developer and an opening connecting to the outside from the developer storage unit, and a first sheet member, one edge of which is attached to the frame, arranging a connecting member on the first sheet member, fixing a second sheet member to the first sheet member via the connecting member, and attaching a rotation member onto the opening so that the rotation member abuts on the second sheet member.

A process cartridge of an image forming apparatus includes a seal member to seal a first gap between an end portion of a developer bearing member and a frame, and a sealing portion that seals a second gap between the frame and an end portion of the seal member. The frame includes an injection inlet through which elastomer has been injected into the second gap for forming the sealing portion, a storage portion that is a space surrounded by a second surface of the frame and a wall protruding from the second surface and in which elastomer spilling out of the second gap is stored, and a protruding portion that protrudes, from the second surface of the frame, further than the wall of the storage portion. The protruding portion contacts a conveyed recording medium when the process cartridge is mounted in an apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus.

A developing device includes a housing in which a circulation path is formed by a first path through which a developer passed to a developing roll flows, a second path disposed offset from the first path in a direction of gravity, a pair of connecting ports connecting the first path and the second path, and a transport member that operates in the housing. The transport member transports the developer in a determined direction, or a reverse direction to the determined direction, in the circulation path according to a load applied for driving the transport member.

A toner case includes a case main body, a cover, and a coil spring. The case main body is rotatable and has a toner containing space in which a toner is contained and an opening through which the toner is discharged from the toner containing space. The cover keeps a rotation stop state when the case main body rotates and has a communication space which communicates with the toner containing space via the opening. The coil spring is fixed to the cover so that at least a part of the coil spring is arranged in the communication space. The coil spring vibrates as the case main body rotates.

This invention provides a developing apparatus including: first and second chambers containing developer and configured to form a circulation path of the developer; a first feeding member arranged in the first chamber and feeding the developer in a first direction; a second feeding member arranged in the second chamber and feeding the developer in a second direction opposite to the first direction; first and second communication parts through which the developer is transferred; a feeding path having a discharging port and communicating with the first chamber on a downstream side relative to the first communication part in the first direction to feed the developer toward the discharging port; a sealing part sealing the developer; a feeding path sealing part sealing the feeding path on an upstream side relative to the discharging port in the first direction; and an unsealing mechanism receiving a driving force and unsealing the sealing part.

A developing apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member includes a developer carrying member, first and second accommodation chambers to accommodate developer, and a feeding screw provided in the first accommodation chamber to feed the developer. In addition, a developer accommodation portion accommodates the developer to be supplied to the first accommodation chamber and is sealed by a sealing member. A controller executes an operation in a mode in which after the developer accommodating portion starts to be unsealed at the sealing member, the feeding screw is initially rotated for a predetermined period in a direction opposite to a normal direction in which the feeding screw is rotated during the image forming operation, and after elapse of the predetermined period, the feeding screw is rotated in the normal direction.

A method of remanufacturing an imaging cartridge comprising a toner hopper having a toner bag and not having a seal port, the method comprising forming a seal port in the toner hopper; disposing a replacement toner container in the toner hopper, the replacement toner container including a removable seal having a seal tail; and inserting a portion of the seal tail through the seal port. A method of remanufacturing an imaging cartridge comprising a toner hopper having a toner bag and not having a seal port, the method comprising providing a replacement toner hopper having a seal port; removing the toner hopper not having the seal port from the imaging cartridge; and attaching the replacement toner hopper having a seal port to the imaging cartridge.

A toner container includes an elongated container main body, a toner discharge port, a first rotation member configured to convey the toner toward the toner discharge port, a support plate provided in the container main body and disposed in such a way as to face the wall surface, and an opening and closing member provided between the wall surface and the support plate and supported by the support plate in such a way as to be able to move between a closing position and an opening position. The support plate includes a first opening portion formed at a position corresponding to the toner discharge port and larger than the toner discharge port in size, and a film member attached to the support plate in such a way as to cover the first opening portion and including a second opening portion formed at a position corresponding to the toner discharge port.

A toner container that is removable from an image forming apparatus includes a storage portion including a container portion that stores toner and a front end portion including a discharge port that discharges the toner from the toner container and a nozzle including a passage that enables the toner to pass through the passage toward the discharge port. At least part of the front end portion is covered by a film that is removable.

An image developing apparatus includes a developer carrying sleeve; a first developer chamber; a second developer chamber; a developer feeding screw in the first chamber; a first port for moving the developer from the first chamber to the second chamber; a second port for moving the developer from the second chamber to the first chamber; a supply opening for supplying the developer into the first chamber; a discharge opening adjacent to the second port for discharging the developer from the first chamber; a developer accommodating portion in the first chamber; and a controller for executing, after the developer is supplied from the developer accommodating portion, a operation in a mode in which the feeding screw is rotated for a time period in a direction opposite to a normal direction in which the feeding screw is rotated during the image forming operation and then is rotated in the normal direction.