Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus on which a process cartridge is detachably mountable forms an image on a recording medium, and has a main body electrical contact electrically connected to a cartridge electrical contact when the cartridge is mounted on an apparatus main body, an electrically grounded electrically conductive discharge preventing member for effecting discharge between it and a charged foreign substance to thereby prevent discharge from occurring between the foreign substance and the main body electrical contact when the foreign substance has entered the apparatus main body on which the process cartridge is not mounted. The discharge preventing member is movable between a first position located in the entry route of the cartridge and a second position retracted from the first position and located outside the entry route. The apparatus also has an actuating member for moving the discharge preventing member from the first to the second position.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the main assembly including an output contact movable between an electrical connecting position and a retracted position retracted from the electrical connecting position, a displaceable member for moving the output contact, and an elastic function member for elastically urging the displaceable member to urge the output contact toward the retracted position away from the electrical connecting position, the process cartridge includes A electrophotographic photosensitive drum; process means actable on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; an operating member; a movable operation member movable relative to a cartridge frame and operable by the operating member, after the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus, to be engaged with the displaceable member provided in the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus to move the displaceable member, in i

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which a cartridge is detachably mountable for forming an image on a recording medium, having a main body electrical contact member having a main body electrical contact electrically connected to a cartridge electrical contact of the cartridge in order to supply electric power to an electric power supplied member of the cartridge when the cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body, the main body electrical contact being movable relative to the apparatus main body, and an electrical contact cover member having an exposed portion for exposing the main body electrical contact, and covering the main body electrical contact member, and attached to the main body electrical contact member so that the exposed portion is movable relative to the main body electrical contact member, wherein in operative association with the operation of mounting the cartridge on the apparatus main body, the electrical contact cover member is moved relative to the main body electrical

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus on which a process cartridge is detachably mountable and for forming an image on a recording medium, having a main body electrical contact electrically connected to a cartridge electrical contact the process cartridge has when the process cartridge is mounted on an apparatus main body, an electrically earthed electrically conductive discharge preventing member for effecting discharge between it and a charged foreign substance to thereby prevent discharge from occurring between the foreign substance and the main body electrical contact when the foreign substance has entered the apparatus main body on which the process cartridge is not mounted, the discharge preventing member being movable between a first position located in the entry route of the process cartridge and a second position retracted from the first position and located outside the entry route, and an actuating member for moving the discharge preventing member from the first position to the second posit

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a process device actable on the drum, and a movable operation member. After the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus, the movable operation member is displaced by a driving force transmitted from the main assembly of the apparatus to the cartridge, so that the movable operation member is engaged with a displaceable member provided in the main assembly to move the displaceable member, in interrelation with which an output contact of the apparatus is moved from a retracted to an electrical connection position against an elastic force of an elastic function member. In addition, the cartridge includes an input electrical contact for receiving a voltage for enabling the process device means by engagement with the output contact moved to the electrical connection position.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the main assembly including an output contact movable between an electrical connecting position and a retracted position retracted from the electrical connecting position, a displaceable member for moving the output contact, and an elastic function member for elastically urging the displaceable member to urge the output contact toward the retracted position away from the electrical connecting position, the process cartridge includes A electrophotographic photosensitive drum; process means actable on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; an operating member; a movable operation member movable relative to a cartridge frame and operable by the operating member, after the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus, to be engaged with the displaceable member provided in the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus to move the displaceable member, in i

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main body of an image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a process device acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and a cartridge side positioning portion adapted to contact and be positioned by the positioning portion of the main body of the image forming apparatus when the process cartridge is mounted to the main body of the image forming apparatus. The cartridge has on or near the cartridge side positioning portion a detecting action portion for operating a cartridge detecting device for detecting the mounting of the process cartridge provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus when the process cartridge has been mounted at a mounting position in the main body of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A remanufacturing method of a process cartridge detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus includes disassembling the process cartridge into a first frame having a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer and a second frame having a developer carrying member for carrying the developer supplied from the developer accommodating portion toward an image bearing member, thus exposing an opening of the first frame for permitting movement of the developer from the first frame to the second frame; removing residual which is resulted from a covering member having been used for sealing the opening and which remains around the opening, wherein the covering member has a sealing portion for sealing the opening and an extension for permitting the sealing portion to be torn with a part thereof remaining around the opening to open the opening, by pulling the extension, wherein the residual is a part of the sealing portion; mounting a fresh covering member to seal the opening; then supplying the d

Abstract: This invention relates to shutter to be used in a process cartridge detachably mountable to the electrophotographic image forming apparatus and protects an electrophotographic photosensitive drum provided in the process cartridge.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a developing apparatus which has a developer bearing member, a sealing member, a developer scraping portion, and a damming portion disposed on the downstream side of the sealing members and on an upstream side of the developer scraping portion in the carrying direction, and adapted for damming the developer scraped off by the developer scraping portion, and a damming surface of the damming portion is provided so as to intersect with the developer scraping portion.

Abstract: A toner container mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a toner containing portion for containing toner; a rotatable toner stirring member for stirring the toner contained in the toner containing portion; a helical gear for receiving driving force for rotating the stirring member, the helical gear being movable in a thrust direction which is substantially crossing with a direction of rotation thereof; an opposite member opposed to an internal surface of the toner containing portion with a gap therebetween, the opposite member being notable together with the helical gear; wherein thrust force produced when the helical gear is rotated with the opposite member being spaced from the internal surface of toner containing portion, is oriented in a direction from outside to inside of the toner containing portion.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes a cartridge frame; an electrophotographic photosensitive drum having a cylinder and a photosensitive layer thereon; process device actable on the photosensitive drum; a drum shaft for rotatably supporting the photosensitive drum on the cartridge frame, the drum shaft extending through the photosensitive drum; a grounding member for electrically grounding the photosensitive drum, the grounding member having a cylinder contacting portion contacted to an inside of the cylinder and a drum shaft contact portion having an inclined portion for contact with the drum shaft in a direction of insertion of the drum shaft into the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electro-photographic image forming apparatus including a cartridge frame; an electro-photographic photosensitive drum; processing device actable on the electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a first projection projecting outward from one of opposite ends of the cartridge frame, coaxial with the electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a second projection projecting outward from the other of the opposite ends of the cartridge frame, coaxial with the electro-photographic photosensitive drum; wherein the first and second projections are different in size.

Abstract: A developing device for developing a latent image on an image carrying member includes a container member containing toner; a development roller provided at a development opening of the container member; a first toner conveying member disposed so as to face the development roller, wherein a direction of rotation of said first developer conveying member is opposite to a direction of rotation of said developer carrying member; and a second toner conveying member provided further downstream from the first conveying member as viewed in the direction of rotation of the development roller and having a higher conveying capability than the first toner conveying member. The toner circulation capability around the development roller is very high.

Abstract: A process cartridge that is detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus contains a photosensitive drum acting as an image bearing member and having opposed first and second ends. A developing roller and a charging roller are also provided in the process cartridge. A developing bias conductive member and a grounding conductive member are supplied at the first end of the drum in a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of the drum, and a charging bias conductive member for the charging roller is provided adjacent the second end of the drum.

Abstract: A photosensitive drum usable with an image forming apparatus includes a cylindrical member having a photosensitive material at its surface; and juxtaposed helical gear and spur gear at a longitudinal end of the cylindrical member.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes a first frame; a second frame engageable with the first frame; an image bearing member; a process device actable on the image bearing member; an elastic sealing member interposed between the first and second frames engaged with each other, with the elastic sealing member locally compressed by a projection.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable relative to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a process device actable on the image bearing member; an elastic device; a receptor for receiving a force against an elastic force of the elastic device in contact with the main assembly when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus; where when the process cartridge is to be taken out of the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, the elastic device displaces the process cartridge by the elastic force of the elastic device.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes a frame; an image bearing member; a developing device; a toner accommodating device for accommodating toner to be supplied to said developing device; opening for supplying to said developing device the toner in said toner accommodating device; a toner seal removably mounted at said opening to close it; a gap in said frame to permit pulling of said toner seal; an elastic sealing member in contact with said toner seal to prevent leakage of the toner through the gap; wherein said toner seal is constructed such that said toner seal is out of contact with an end of said elastic sealing member upon pulling of said toner seal.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes a frame; an image bearing member; a process device actable on the image bearing member; a projection formed on the frame and extended downwardly beyond a bottom surface of the frame.