Abstract: A photosensitive member unit includes a photosensitive member, a charging roller, a charging roller bearing member, a gear, a separation member having an engagement portion, a guide portion, and a frame to support the photosensitive member. The guide portion guides the charging roller bearing member urged by a urging member to separate the charging roller from the photosensitive member in a state where the engagement portion and the gear are engaged with each other and guides the charging roller bearing member urged by the urging member so that the charging roller comes into contact with the photosensitive member in a state where the engagement portion and the gear are not engaged. A distance between the urged charging roller bearing member and the frame is less than a length in which the engagement portion and the gear are engaged in the state where the engagement portion and the gear are engaged.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a spacing member provided on a rotation shaft of a charging roller, the spacing member configured to include an engaging portion that engages with a rotation member, and to be rotatable between a spaced position at which a spaced state in which a photosensitive drum and the charging roller are spaced apart is maintained, and a released position at which the spaced state is released and the photosensitive drum and the charging roller are caused to be in contact; and a cover portion provided on the rotation shaft of the charging roller, and configured to cover an end face of the spacing member so that a fitting portion of the charging roller and the spacing member is covered.

Abstract: A photosensitive member unit includes a photosensitive member, a charging roller, a charging roller bearing member, a gear, a separation member having an engagement portion, a guide portion, and a frame to support the photosensitive member. The guide portion guides the charging roller bearing member urged by a urging member to separate the charging roller from the photosensitive member in a state where the engagement portion and the gear are engaged with each other and guides the charging roller bearing member urged by the urging member so that the charging roller comes into contact with the photosensitive member in a state where the engagement portion and the gear are not engaged. A distance between the urged charging roller bearing member and the frame is less than a length in which the engagement portion and the gear are engaged in the state where the engagement portion and the gear are engaged.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a spacing member provided on a rotation shaft of the charging roller, the spacing member configured to include an engaging portion that engages with the rotation member, and to be rotatable between a spaced position at which a spaced state in which the photosensitive drum and the charging roller are spaced apart is maintained, and a released position at which the spaced state is released and the photosensitive drum and the charging roller are caused to be in contact; and a cover portion provided on the rotation shaft of the charging roller, and configured to cover an end face of the spacing member so that a fitting portion of the charging roller and the spacing member is covered.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a light source, a light guiding unit including a light guiding member, a casing portion provided with a first through-hole, and a sheet-like elastic member provided with a second through-hole. The light guiding unit penetrates the first through-hole and the second through-hole, and one end portion of the light guiding unit opposes the light source and is positioned inside the casing portion. At a flat surface of the light guiding unit perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the light guiding unit, an area of the second through-hole is smaller than an area of the light guiding unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a light source, a light guiding unit including a light guiding member, a casing portion provided with a first through hole, and a sheet-like elastic member provided with a second through hole. The light guiding unit penetrates the first through hole and the second through hole, and one end portion of the light guiding unit opposes the light source and is positioned inside the casing portion. In a flat surface of the light guiding unit perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the light guiding unit, an area of the second through hole is smaller than an area of the light guiding unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member unit; a developing unit; an accommodating portion configured to accommodate the image bearing member unit and the developing unit and provided with an inserting opening; a door for the opening; a pressing mechanism for pressing and releasing the image bearing member unit and the developing unit relative to each other in interrelation with the openable member; and a contact surface provided on the openable member, the contact surface is contactable with an upstream end portion of one of the units, when the openable member is closed in a state that the upstream end portion is projected out of the opening, wherein an angle formed between a normal line of the contact surface and the inserting direction in a downstream side is not less than 90 degrees.

Abstract: A toner conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance coil and a regulation member. The conveyance coil includes a coil portion, an extended portion, a first engaging portion and a connecting portion. The regulation member includes a second engaging portion, a space portion and an opening portion. The connecting portion includes a first end portion that is connected to the extended portion and a second end portion that is connected to the first engaging portion, the first end portion being arranged further on the other end side than the second end portion. The second engaging portion includes a diameter reduction area whose distance in a radial distance from the rotational axis is reduced gradually toward the other end side such that the connecting portion and the regulation member are not in contact with each other when the conveyance coil is driven.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a cartridge main body, a protection member, a rib of the cartridge main body, and a pair of guides of the protection member, wherein an upstream-side guide of the guides can guide the rib when the cartridge main body is inserted into a device main body, and terminates the guide after allowing the cartridge main body to be inserted up to a position where the cartridge main body becomes independent of the device main body.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a cartridge main body, a protection member, a rib of the cartridge main body, and a pair of guides of the protection member, wherein an upstream-side guide of the guides can guide the rib when the cartridge main body is inserted into a device main body, and terminates the guide after allowing the cartridge main body to be inserted up to a position where the cartridge main body becomes independent of the device main body.

Abstract: A toner conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance coil and a regulation member. The conveyance coil includes a coil portion, an extended portion, a first engaging portion and a connecting portion. The regulation member includes a second engaging portion, a space portion and an opening portion. The connecting portion comprises a first end portion that is connected to the extended portion and a second end portion that is connected to the first engaging portion, the first end portion being arranged further on the other end side than the second end portion. The second engaging portion comprises a diameter reduction area whose distance in a radial distance from the rotational axis is reduced gradually toward the other end side such that the connecting portion and the regulation member are not in contact with each other when the conveyance coil is driven.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member unit; a developing unit; an accommodating portion configured to accommodate the image bearing member unit and the developing unit and provided with an inserting opening; a door for the opening; a pressing mechanism for pressing and releasing the image bearing member unit and the developing unit relative to each other in interrelation with the openable member; and a contact surface provided on the openable member, the contact surface is contactable with an upstream end portion of one of the units, when the openable member is closed in a state that the upstream end portion is projected out of the opening, wherein an angle formed between a normal line of the contact surface and the inserting direction in a downstream side is not less than 90 degrees.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an elastic member applying an urging force to a drum cartridge toward an upstream side of a mounting direction of the drum cartridge against a mounting operation thereof, and an engaging portion engaging with the drum cartridge receiving the urging force to restrict movement of the drum cartridge from a mounted position toward the upstream side in the mounting direction. The drum cartridge includes a release member for releasing engagement between the drum cartridge and an engaging portion, wherein the drum cartridge is moved to a predetermined position in an upstream side of the mounting position with respect to the mounting direction by receiving the urging force upon release of the engagement between the drum cartridge and the engaging portion, and the drum cartridge positioned at a predetermined position contacts a rotatable member subjected to a closing operation to restrict rotation of the rotating member.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a cartridge main body, a protection member, a rib of the cartridge main body, and a pair of guides of the protection member, wherein an upstream-side guide of the guides can guide the rib when the cartridge main body is inserted into a device main body, and terminates the guide after allowing the cartridge main body to be inserted up to a position where the cartridge main body becomes independent of the device main body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member unit; a developing unit; an accommodating portion configured to accommodate the image bearing member unit and the developing unit and provided with an inserting opening; a door for the opening; a pressing mechanism for pressing and releasing the image bearing member unit and the developing unit relative to each other in interrelation with the openable member; and a contact surface provided on the openable member, the contact surface is contactable with an upstream end portion of one of the units, when the openable member is closed in a state that the upstream end portion is projected out of the opening, wherein an angle formed between a normal line of the contact surface and the inserting direction in a downstream side is not less than 90 degrees.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member unit having an image bearing member, a developing unit including a developer carrying member configured to form a toner image on the image bearing member, and a moving mechanism configured to move the developing unit in interrelation with opening and closing of an openable member. In addition, a moving portion moves the image bearing member unit between a mounting position and a predetermined position a predetermined distance away from the mounting position in an upstream direction with respect to the inserting direction, with the moving portion capable of moving the image bearing member unit to the predetermined position or to a position upstream of the predetermined position with respect to the inserting direction.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a cartridge main body, a protection member, a rib of the cartridge main body, and a pair of guides of the protection member, wherein an upstream-side guide of the guides can guide the rib when the cartridge main body is inserted into a device main body, and terminates the guide after allowing the cartridge main body to be inserted up to a position where the cartridge main body becomes independent of the device main body.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer carrying member for carrying a two component developer, a first feeding member rotatably provided in a first chamber, and a second feeding member rotatably provided in a second chamber. The second feeding member includes a first spiral portion, a second spiral portion provided downstream of the first spiral portion, a disk portion provided downstream of the second spiral portion, and a shaft portion provided downstream of the second spiral portion. A stepped portion is provided in the second chamber at a position downstream of the disk portion and upstream of a discharge opening and has a height high enough to oppose a lateral surface of the disk portion. In addition, a projected portion projects from a part of the disk portion that opposes the stepped portion.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a cartridge main body, a protection member, a rib of the cartridge main body, and a pair of guides of the protection member, wherein an upstream-side guide of the guides can guide the rib when the cartridge main body is inserted into a device main body, and terminates the guide after allowing the cartridge main body to be inserted up to a position where the cartridge main body becomes independent of the device main body.

Abstract: A developing device includes a first chamber; a second chamber; a partition; a developer discharging path; a first feeding member; a second feeding member including a first spiral portion and a second spiral portion and a disk portion provided opposed to the developer discharging path in a position downstream of the second spiral portion of the first spiral portion, second spiral portion having a direction of helicity which is different from that of the first spiral portion. The disk portion is provided with a projected portion extending from a developer discharging path side surface in an axial direction of the second feeding member, the projected portion being disposed in a range outside of an area of the developer discharging path projected in the axial direction of the second feeding member.