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 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: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly and a cartridge. The main assembly includes a mounting portion for mounting the cartridge and a door for causing the mounting portion to be in an open state and a closed state. The main assembly or the cartridge includes an expansion and contraction member for displacing at least a part of the cartridge. Opening and closing of the door is interrelated with expansion and contraction of the expansion and contraction member. In the closed state, the cartridge mounted in the mounting portion is in a first position, inside the main assembly, where an image is formable. In the open state, the cartridge mounted in the mounting portion is in a second position where at least a part thereof projects to an outside of the main assembly.

Abstract: In an X-Y address type solid state image pickup device represented by a CMOS image sensor, a back side light reception type pixel structure is adopted in which a wiring layer is provided on one side of a silicon layer including photo-diodes formed therein, and visible light is taken in from the other side of the silicon layer, namely, from the side (back side) opposite to the wiring layer. Wiring can be made without taking a light-receiving surface into account, and the degree of freedom in wiring for the pixels is enhanced.

Abstract: In an X-Y address type solid state image pickup device represented by a CMOS image sensor, a back side light reception type pixel structure is adopted in which a wiring layer is provided on one side of a silicon layer including photo-diodes formed therein. and visible light is taken in from the other side of the silicon layer, namely, from the side (back side) opposite to the wiring layer. wiring can be made without taking a light-receiving surface into account, and the degree of freedom in wiring for the pixels is enhanced.

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 configured to be removably mounted on an apparatus body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive unit including a photosensitive drum; a developing unit including a developing roller configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum, and configured to be rotatably coupled with the photosensitive unit around only a single center of rotation at one end side of the process cartridge in an axial direction of the photosensitive drum; and a link member provided at the other end side of the process cartridge in the axial direction, and configured to be rotatably coupled with the photosensitive unit and the developing unit and promote relative movement between the developing roller and the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes an accommodating portion for accommodating a developer, a recess provided in an outer wall of a frame for forming the accommodating portion, and a sheet member provided so as to cover the recess. The sheet member and the recess are configured so that an amount of flexure of the sheet member is larger than that of the recess when the cartridge is gripped at the sheet member.

Abstract: A supporting mechanism supporting an electrophotographic photosensitive drum having a photosensitive layer formed through a dip-coating on a peripheral surface of a cylindrical member, said supporting mechanism includes a bearing member supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive drum while contacting such a portion of the photosensitive layer as is away from one axial end of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum which have taken a lower position in the dip-coating, toward an axially central part.

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: In an X-Y address type solid state image pickup device represented by a CMOS image sensor, a back side light reception type pixel structure is adopted in which a wiring layer is provided on one side of a silicon layer including photo-diodes formed therein. and visible light is taken in from the other side of the silicon layer, namely, from the side (back side) opposite to the wiring layer. wiring can be made without taking a light-receiving surface into account, and the degree of freedom in wiring for the pixels is enhanced.

Abstract: An interval guarantee member including: a first image bearing member side sliding portion in sliding-contact with the image bearing member; a first developing side sliding portion in sliding-contact with the developer bearing member; a second image bearing member side sliding contact portion in sliding-contact with the image bearing member; and a second developing side sliding contact portion in sliding-contact with the developer bearing member, wherein the distance between the first image bearing member side sliding contact portion and the first developing side sliding contact portion is longer than that between the second image bearing member side sliding contact portion and the second developing side sliding contact portion, and the first image bearing member side sliding contact portion and the first developer side sliding contact portion come into contact with the image bearing member and the developer bearing member.

Abstract: An image pickup element includes a plurality of read signal lines; a pixel unit in which a plurality of pixel circuits are arranged in a matrix form, the plurality of pixel circuits in the pixel unit being divided into groups of pixel circuits so that each of the groups is provided in a corresponding one of columns, each of the groups of pixel circuits being connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of read signal lines; and a processing unit configured to process read signals that the plurality of pixel circuits, which are divided into groups, output to the plurality of read signal lines, which are connected to the plurality of pixel circuits.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer carrying member that carries developer; a frame member that supports the developer carrying member; a sealing section that faces a peripheral surface of the developer carrying member and suppresses leakage of the developer; and an interval ensuring member that maintains a distance between the image carrying member and the developer carrying member. The interval ensuring member includes a movement regulating portion that prevents movement of the interval ensuring member in a rotation direction of the developer carrying member when the image carrying member and the developer carrying member rotate, and a maintaining portion that contacts the image carrying member and the developer carrying member for maintaining the distance between the image carrying member and the developer carrying member. The maintaining portion and the sealing section are positioned in a predetermined cross section that is orthogonal to an axial line of the developer carrying member.

Abstract: An image pickup element includes a plurality of read signal lines; a pixel unit in which a plurality of pixel circuits are arranged in a matrix form, the plurality of pixel circuits in the pixel unit being divided into groups of pixel circuits so that each of the groups is provided in a corresponding one of columns, each of the groups of pixel circuits being connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of read signal lines; and a processing unit configured to process read signals that the plurality of pixel circuits, which are divided into groups, output to the plurality of read signal lines, which are connected to the plurality of pixel circuits.

Abstract: In an X-Y address type solid state image pickup device represented by a CMOS image sensor, a back side light reception type pixel structure is adopted in which a wiring layer is provided on one side of a silicon layer including photo-diodes formed therein. and visible light is taken in from the other side of the silicon layer, namely, from the side (back side) opposite to the wiring layer. wiring can be made without taking a light-receiving surface into account, and the degree of freedom in wiring for the pixels is enhanced.

Abstract: An interval guarantee member including: a first image bearing member side sliding portion in sliding-contact with the image bearing member; a first developing side sliding portion in sliding-contact with the developer bearing member; a second image bearing member side sliding contact portion in sliding-contact with the image bearing member; and a second developing side sliding contact portion in sliding-contact with the developer bearing member, wherein the distance between the first image bearing member side sliding contact portion and the first developing side sliding contact portion is longer than that between the second image bearing member side sliding contact portion and the second developing side sliding contact portion, and the first image bearing member side sliding contact portion and the first developer side sliding contact portion come into contact with the image bearing member and the developer bearing member.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer carrying member that carries developer; a frame member that supports the developer carrying member; a sealing section that faces a peripheral surface of the developer carrying member and suppresses leakage of the developer; and an interval ensuring member that maintains a distance between the image carrying member and the developer carrying member. The interval ensuring member includes a movement regulating portion that prevents movement of the interval ensuring member in a rotation direction of the developer carrying member when the image carrying member and the developer carrying member rotate, and a maintaining portion that contacts the image carrying member and the developer carrying member for maintaining the distance between the image carrying member and the developer carrying member. The maintaining portion and the sealing section are positioned in a predetermined cross section that is orthogonal to an axial line of the developer carrying member.

Abstract: A solid-state image capture device including: a pixel having a photoelectric conversion element and first to fourth switch elements; a reference-signal generator that generates a reference signal; and an analog-to-digital converter that generates a digital signal corresponding to an analog signal output by the pixel, by using a comparator having first and second input terminals. The second switch element is turned on to reset a voltage of the predetermined connection point, the fourth switch element is turned on while a connection degree of the second switch element is in an intermediate state between an on state and an off state to cause the first and second input terminals to reach a same potential, and the second switch element is not turned on and at least one of the first and third switch elements is turned on to cause the analog-to-digital converter to perform conversion into a digital signal.

Abstract: A photosensitive drum for use with an image forming apparatus, includes a cylinder; a flange provided at a longitudinal end of said cylinder, wherein the flange has an outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the cylinder; and a resin material injected in a gap in a radial direction between the cylinder and the flange and fixing said flange to the cylinder.