A process cartridge including a first frame member molded by pouring a resin from a gate; a conductive sheet adhered integrally to a sheet adhering portion of the first frame member by molding of the resin; and a second frame member configured to define a toner storage portion by being coupled with the first frame member, wherein, the first frame member includes a bent portion at the sheet adhering portion, and a portion of the first frame member different in thickness is provided at an adjacent position to the adhering portion.

The engagement between a fixing member and a resin member is released and the resin member is separated from a frame thereby separating a bearing member from the frame. Parts to be used in a developing device are replaced or the developing device is replenished with a developer. The resin member is connected to the frame to connect the bearing member to the frame. The fixing member is inserted into a through hole to engage with the resin member and fix the resin member to the frame, thereby fixing the bearing member to the frame.

The present invention relates to an apparatus (100) for extracting toner from a toner cartridge comprising an inlet opening (1), a first outlet opening (2) for discharging toner, and a second outlet opening (3) for discharging toner cartridges. The apparatus (100) also comprises: a toner cartridge opening device (10) configured to break a toner cartridge so that the toner may be removed from inside said toner cartridge; a separating device (20) connected to said opening device (10) for receiving broken toner cartridges from said opening device, and configured to separate toner from a respective toner cartridge broken by said opening device (10), said separating device (20) being further configured to separately convey the broken toner cartridge to said second outlet opening (3) and toner separated from said broken toner cartridge to said first outlet opening (2).

An apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable and which includes an accommodating portion and a replenishment port, a transfer portion configured to transfer a developer image on an image bearing member onto a recording material, a supporting tray including a supporting surface configured to support the recording material thereon, and a discharge portion configured to discharge the recording material, onto which the developer image has been transferred, on the supporting surface, wherein the supporting surface has an opening portion opening such that the replenishment port is exposed through the supporting surface, and wherein an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position where the opening/closing member covers the replenishment port and serves as a part of the supporting surface and an open position where the replenishment port is exposed is provided.

A cartridge includes: a housing; a storage medium; and a holder. The storage medium has an electrical contact surface. The holder is movable relative to the housing. The holder includes: a first holder member; and a second holder member. The first holder member has a pawl portion and is configured to hold the electrical contact surface. The second holder member includes a corner portion. The pawl portion is engageable with the corner portion. The second holder member has a through-hole. An engagement part of the pawl portion engaging with the corner portion is accessible from outside the second holder member through the through-hole in a state where the pawl portion engages with the corner portion.

A method of converting a CMYW toner printer to a CMYK printer that prints with black toner, comprising the steps: providing a CMYW toner printer; wherein the CMYW toner printer has four starting toner printing cartridges; wherein the four starting toner printing cartridges comprise a white toner printing cartridge, a cyan toner printing cartridge, a magenta toner printing cartridge, and a yellow toner printing cartridge; removing one or more of the four starting toner printing cartridges from the CMYW toner printer, such that there are one or more empty toner cartridge slots; providing a black toner printing cartridge that are each filled with black toner; and installing the black toner printing cartridge into the one or more empty toner cartridge slots.

A cartridge detachably attachable to an apparatus body of an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium in which a memory unit is fixed by an inexpensive adhesive member that can control adhesion force. The cartridge includes: a memory; and a memory support member that supports the memory. The memory has a semiconductor device storing information related to a cartridge, a sealing material that protects the semiconductor device, and a cartridge electrical contact configured to be electrically connectable to a body electrical contact of the image forming apparatus body for transferring information on the semiconductor device to the image forming apparatus body. The sealing material and the memory support member contain the same type of a thermoplastic resin, the sealing material and the memory support member have bonding faces, and at least parts of the bonding faces are welded and fixed by a solvent.

An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable, the developer container including an accommodating portion, and a supporting portion, wherein the developer container includes a projection portion that is provided at one end portion thereof in the rotation axis direction of the developer bearing member and projects toward the supporting portion more than a center portion of the developer container in a crossing direction crossing the rotation axis direction, the projection portion communicates with the accommodating portion and includes, at a distal end portion thereof, an attachment portion configured such that the replenishment container is attachable thereto in a state of being exposed to the outside of the apparatus, and a replenishment port for replenishing the accommodating portion with developer from the replenishment container is defined in the attachment portion.

An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to and from which the replenishment container is attachable and detachable and which includes an accommodating portion that accommodates developer and a replenishment port, an agitation member, an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position and an open position, a drive source for driving the agitation member, and a control portion configured to control the drive source. The apparatus is configured such that image formation is not possible when the opening/closing member is at the open position, and the agitation member is capable of driving in a case where the opening/closing member is at the open position.

A device is to supply printing material to a printing material container in a printing apparatus. The device includes a first container to contain printing material, a first piston movable in the first container to exert first pressure to discharge the printing material contained in the first container from the first container, a second container having an opening to the first container, and a second piston movable in the second container to exert second pressure higher than the first pressure to form a pressure gradient based on the first pressure and the second pressure through the opening. The pressure gradient is to disperse the printing material in the first container.