Abstract: A process cartridge that is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a drum unit supporting an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a developing unit supporting a developing roller. The developing unit is movable relative to the drum unit between a contacting position in which the developing roller is contacted to the electrophotographic photosensitive member and a spaced position in which the developing roller is spaced from the electrophotographic photosensitive member. The process cartridge further includes a positioning portion and a space maintaining member, with the space maintaining member retracting from the positioning portion to move the developing unit from the spaced position to the contacting position.

Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a drum unit containing the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and a developing unit swingably supported by the drum unit and containing the developing roller. The process cartridge also includes an urging member for urging the drum unit and the developing unit to each other so as to press the developing roller against the electrophotographic photosensitive drum. A space keeping member keeps space between the electrophotographic photosensitive drum and the developing roller by engaging with the developing unit and limiting swing of the developing unit against an urging force of the urging member.

Abstract: A process cartridge comprises a photosensitive drum and a developing roller. A coupling member is provided adjacent to one axial end of the developing roller. The coupling member includes a driven portion, and an intermediary portion configured and positioned to engage with the driven portion. The intermediary portion is also configured to be movable relative to the driven portion in a direction crossing the axis of the developing roller while maintaining engagement with the driven portion. The coupling member further includes a driving portion configured and positioned to receive a driving force for rotating the developing roller. The driving portion is also configured to engage with the intermediary portion, and to be movable relative to the intermediary portion in a direction crossing the axis of the developing roller while maintaining engagement with the intermediary portion.

Abstract: A process cartridge is provided that is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a photosensitive drum and a developing roller. A coupling member is provided adjacent to one axial end of the developing roller, with the coupling member including a driven portion, an intermediary portion, and a driving portion. A retaining portion is also provided, with the retaining portion configured and positioned to retain an axis of the driving portion of the coupling member in a position that is deviated from the axis of the developing roller in a direction crossing the axis of the developing roller so as to enable engagement of the driving portion with a driving member of the image forming apparatus when the process cartridge is inserted into the main assembly of the apparatus with the developing roller being in contact with the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of the apparatus of an image forming apparatus, the process cartridge includes a first unit provided with a photosensitive drum; and a second unit provided with a developer carrying member and connected with the first unit so as to be movable between a contact position in which the developer carrying member is contacted with the drum and a spacing position in which the developer carrying member is spaced from the drum, and the second unit including a first contact portion for contacting to a main assembly electrical contact provided in the main assembly and for receiving a first contact force therefrom when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly and the second unit is positioned in the spacing position, and a second contact portion for contacting to the main assembly electrical contact and for receiving a second contact force therefrom to electrically connect with the main assembly electrical contact when the process cartridge is mount

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a charging roller for charging a surface of the photosensitive drum by being urged and contacted to a photosensitive drum; a link engaged with an end of a rotation shaft of the charging roller; a locking member, locked with the link in a state that charging roller is spaced from the drum, for holding a spaced state of the charging roller from drum; the developing unit including, a gear train for transmitting an externally inputted driving force to a member provided in the developing unit: a space releasing member for contacting and moving the link to release the link from the locking member, thereby to cease the spaced state of the charging roller, the space releasing member being provided with a drive receiving portion; a connecting member including an input gear portion for receiving a driving force from the gear train, and a drive transmitting portion engageable with the drive receiving po

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a drum unit containing a movably connected to a developing unit containing a developing roller between a contact position where the roller contacts the drum and a spaced position where the roller is spaced from the drum, a drum coupler engaging a first main assembly drive transmitter transmitting a first rotational driving force to the drum, when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly, a shaft coupler transmitting a second rotational driving force with a deviation permitted between an axis of a second main assembly drive transmitter and an axis of the roller, from the second main assembly drive transmission member to the roller when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein the main assembly includes a first rotatable main assembly drive transmission member, and a second rotatable main assembly drive transmission member, the process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum with a developer; a drum coupling member, provided on one axial end of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, for engaging with the first main assembly drive transmission member and transmitting a first rotational driving force to the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus along an axial direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; and a shaft coupling member, provided on one axial end of the developing roller, for transmitting a second rotational driving forc

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a drum unit containing a movably connected to a developing unit containing a developing roller between a contact position where the roller contacts the drum and a spaced position where the roller is spaced from the drum, a drum coupler engaging a first main assembly drive transmitter transmitting a first rotational driving force to the drum, when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly, a shaft coupler transmitting a second rotational driving force with a deviation permitted between an axis of a second main assembly drive transmitter and an axis of the roller, from the second main assembly drive transmission member to the roller when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly.

Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The main assembly includes first and second rotatable main assembly drive transmission members. The cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a drum coupling member, provided on one axial end of the drum, for engaging the first m transmission member and transmitting a first rotational driving force to the drum, when the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly, and a shaft coupler provided on one axial end of the developing roller, for transmitting a second rotational driving force with a deviation permitted between an axis of the second transmission member and an axis of the developing roller. The shaft coupler includes an engaging portion for engaging the second transmission member and receiving the second rotational driving force, when the cartridge is mounted to the main.

Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The main assembly includes first and second rotatable main assembly drive transmission members. The cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a drum coupling member, provided on one axial end of the drum, for engaging the first m transmission member and transmitting a first rotational driving force to the drum, when the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly, and a shaft coupler provided on one axial end of the developing roller, for transmitting a second rotational driving force with a deviation permitted between an axis of the second transmission member and an axis of the developing roller. The shaft coupler includes an engaging portion for engaging the second transmission member and receiving the second rotational driving force, when the cartridge is mounted to the main.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, the apparatus, includes (a) a plurality of mounting portions for detachably mounting process cartridges, respectively, the process cartridges each including, an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer for use by the developing roller to develop the electrostatic latent image, a developer supply opening for supplying the developer to the developing roller from the developer accommodating portion, a sealing member for unsealably sealing the developer supply opening, and unsealing means for unsealing the developer supply opening by removing the sealing member from the developer supply opening; (b) a motor; and (c) driving force transmitting means for selectively transmitting a driving f

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a drum unit containing said electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a developing unit swingably supported by said drum unit and containing said developing roller; an urging member for urging said drum unit and said developing unit to each other so as to press said developing roller against said electrophotographic photosensitive drum; and a space keeping member for keeping space between said electrophotographic photosensitive drum and said developing roller by engaging with said developing unit and limiting swing of said developing unit against an urging force of said urging member, wherein said space keeping member is movable by being contacted by the main assembly of the apparatus in a direction crossing

Abstract: An assembling method for a process cartridge the assembling method includes a step of preparing a drum unit supporting a electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a step of preparing a developing unit supporting a developing roller for developing a electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum a developer supplying roller for supplying a developer to the developing roller and a developer accommodating portion having a developer supply opening; a unit coupling process of coupling the drum unit and the developing unit with each other; a first-end developing-device spacing member mounting step after the unit coupling process of engaging with a opening provided at a first end portion of the drum unit a first-end developing-device spacing member provided rotatably about a shaft at a first end portion of the developing unit to regulate rotation of the developing unit relative to the drum unit; and a second-end developing-device spacing member mounting step of engaging, with a proje

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the process cartridge includes a drum unit supporting an electrophotographic photosensitive member and having a process cartridge positioning portion which is engageable with a main assembly positioning portion provided in the main assembly of the apparatus when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus; a developing unit supporting a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member with a developer, wherein the developing unit is movable relative to the drum unit between a contacting position in which the developing roller is contacted to the electrophotographic photosensitive member and a spaced position in which the developing roller is spaced from the electrophotographic photosensitive member; and a space maintaining member movable between an engaging position for maintaining the developing unit in