Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to the main body of an image forming apparatus having a cartridge mounting portion for mounting the process cartridge thereon and an openable and closable door disposed in proximity to the cartridge mounting portion has an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, at least one process device for acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a cartridge frame holding the electrophotographic photosensitive drum and the process device and exposing a portion of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a shutter member provided for movement between a protection position in which it protects an exposed portion in which a portion of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum is exposed out of the cartridge frame and a retraction position in which it is downwardly retracted from the protection position to expose the electrophotographic photosensitive drum out of the cartridge frame, and a shutter opening and closing link mechanism for moving the shutter member in

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; process means actable on the he electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a memory member for storing information about the process cartridge and for communicating with communicating means provided in the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus; a cartridge frame supporting the he electrophotographic photosensitive drum, the process means and the memory member, wherein the memory member is provided on a surface which crosses with an axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus, the process cartridge is urged by an urging member provided in the main assembly in a direction from a side provided with the memory member to a side opposite therefrom.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; process means actable on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; an electroconductive shaft member supporting the photosensitive drum and electrically connected with the photosensitive drum; a cartridge frame for rotatably supporting the photosensitive drum; a grounding contact member mounted on the cartridge frame, the grounding contact member including a sliding contact for sliding contact with the electroconductive shaft member and affixed contact contacted to an urging member provided in the main assembly of the image forming apparatus; a cartridge positioning member for positioning an axis of the photosensitive drum, wherein the cartridge positioning member is urged to a positioning portion of the main assembly of the image forming apparatus by the fixed contact being urged by the urging means when the process cartridge is mounted to to t

Abstract: A developer container for accommodating a developer used for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member by means of a developing member for developing the electrostatic latent image includes, a first light-transmitting window for guiding detection light emitted from a light emitting member provided in a main body of an image forming apparatus into the developer container, in order to detect a remaining amount of the developer accommodated within the developer container when the developer container is mounted in the main body of the image forming apparatus, a second light-transmitting window for guiding the detection light entering from the first light-transmitting window and passing through the developer container to a photosensing member provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus, in order to detect the remaining amount of the developer accommodated within the developer container when the developer container is mounted in the main body of the

Abstract: A developing apparatus and a method for assembling the apparatus is capable of uniformalizing a thickness of a developer carried on a developer carrying body, thereby preventing a nonuniform optical density of an image from being produced. The developing apparatus includes a developing frame, a developer carrying body, and a regulating member, wherein the regulating member includes an elastic blade to be brought into contact with the developer and a supporting member for supporting the elastic blade. The supporting member is supported by the developing frame. The elastic blade is coupled with the supporting member by welding.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a first frame; a second frame rotatablely coupled with the first frame; an electrophotographic photosensitive drum provided in the first frame; a developing member, provided in the second frame, for developing a latent image formed on the photosensitive drum with a developer; a cleaning member, provided in the first frame, for removing the developer remaining on the drum; a removed developer feeding member, provided in the first frame, for transporting the developer removed by the cleaning member; a drum driving force receiving member, provided in the first frame, for receiving, from the main assembly, a driving force for rotating the drum when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly; a development driving force receiving member, provided in the second frame, for receiving, from the main assembly, a driving force for rotating the developing member when the process cartridge is m

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to the main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the process cartridge includes a first frame; a second frame connected with the first frame for rotation about a shaft; an electrophotographic photosensitive drum provided in the first frame; a developing member, provided in the second frame, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum with a developer; and a development driving force receiving member for receiving a driving force for rotating the developing member from a main assembly of the apparatus when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus, the development driving force receiving member being disposed coaxial with the shaft.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, the apparatus including a motor, a driving rotatable member for transmitting a driving force from the motor, and a twisted recess provided at a central portion of the driving rotatable member and having a non-circular cross-section with a plurality of corners, the recess being rotatable integrally with the driving rotatable member, the process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; process means actable on the drum; a twisted projection having a non-circular cross-section with a plurality of corners, the twisted projection being provided at one longitudinal end of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum and being engageable with the recess; a permitting portion for permitting engagement between the twisted protection and the recess only at a predetermined relative rotational position therebetween to establish the engagement ther

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a cleaning member for removing a developer from a member to be cleaned, a cleaning container for containing therein the developer removed by the cleaning member, the cleaning container being provided with a developer containing portion provided more remotely from the member to be cleaned than the cleaning member, and a conveying unit for conveying the developer removed by the cleaning member to the containing portion, the conveying unit being provided with a conveying member for conveying the developer, and a rotatable crank shaft provided more remotely from the member to be cleaned than the conveying member for transmitting a driving force to the conveying member.

Abstract: A process cartridge is mounted to or demounted from a movable member which is retractable in a horizontal direction to mount the process cartridge to the main assembly or to demount the process cartridge from the main assembly, and includes: an electrophotographic photosensitive member; a cleaning member for removing toner from the electrophotographic photosensitive member; a toner feeding portion for feeding by a toner feeding member toner removed from the electrophotographic photosensitive member by the cleaning member; a cartridge frame supporting at least the electrophotographic photosensitive member; a first projection projecting outwardly substantially coaxially with the electrophotographic photosensitive member, provided on one end surface of the cartridge frame; a third projection projecting outwardly at a position upstream of the first projection; a second projection projected outwardly substantially coaxially with the first projection, provided on the other end surface; and a fourth projection proje

Abstract: A mounting member for mounting a flange to an end of a cylindrical member of an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, includes a base plate; a hole provided at a center portion of said base plate; a plurality of first projected portions provided projected outwardly from an edge of the base plate, for elastic contact to an inner surface of the flange; and a plurality of second projected portions provided projected outwardly from an edge of the base plate, for elastic contact to an inner surface of the flange.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a developing apparatus and an assembling method for this apparatus which are capable of uniformalizing a thickness of a developer carried on a developer carrying body, thereby preventing an ununiform optical density of image from being produced. Further object of the present invention is to provide a developing apparatus that has a developing frame, a developer carrying body, and a regulating member, wherein the regulating member has an elastic blade to be brought into contact with the developer and a supporting member for supporting the elastic blade, and the supporting member is supported by the developing frame, and wherein the elastic blade is coupled with the supporting member by welding.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to the main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the process cartridge includes a first frame; a second frame connected with the first frame for rotation about a shaft; an electrophotographic photosensitive drum provided in the first frame; a developing member, provided in the second frame, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum with a developer; and a development driving force receiving member for receiving a driving force for rotating the developing member from a main assembly of the apparatus when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus, the development driving force receiving member being disposed coaxial with the shaft.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a first frame; a second frame rotatablely coupled with the first frame; an electrophotographic photosensitive drum provided in the first frame; a developing member, provided in the second frame, for developing a latent image formed on the photosensitive drum with a developer; a cleaning member, provided in the first frame, for removing the developer remaining on the drum; a removed developer feeding member, provided in the first frame, for transporting the developer removed by the cleaning member; a drum driving force receiving member, provided in the first frame, for receiving, from the main assembly, a driving force for rotating the drum when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly; a development driving force receiving member, provided in the second frame, for receiving, from the main assembly, a driving force for rotating the developing member when the process cartridge is m

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member; a process device actable on the electrophotographic photosensitive member; and a frame for supporting at least the electrophotographic photosensitive member. The frame includes a first positioning portion and a second positioning portion for positioning the process cartridge relative to the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus coaxially with the electrophotographic photosensitive member. The first and second positioning portions are each provided with at least three receiving portions at three positions on an outer surface.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a positioning portion for positioning the process cartridge when mounted to a mounting position of the main assembly. The positioning portion is engageable with a positioning member provided in the main assembly of the apparatus, and is projected from the cartridge coaxially with and at one longitudinal end side of a electrophotographic photosensitive drum. A drum driving force receiving member receives driving force for rotating the drum from the main assembly when the process cartridge is mounted, the drum driving force receiving member being juxtaposed with the positioning member coaxially with the drum and projected outwardly beyond the positioning member.

Abstract: A cleaning device for removing toner from an electrophotographic photosensitive member usable with an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a cleaning member for removing toner from the electrophotographic photosensitive member; a toner transporting portion having a toner transporting member for transporting the toner removed from the electrophotographic photosensitive member by the cleaning member; a toner accommodating portion for accommodating the toner transported by the toner transporting portion; a separation member provided between the toner transporting portion and the toner accommodating portion and having an accommodation opening for permitting the toner to be fed by the toner transporting portion to the toner accommodating portion.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes a cartridge frame, an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a processor actable on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a cartridge shutter capable of taking a closing position for covering an exposed portion of the electrophotographic photosensitive member exposed from the cartridge frame and an open position for exposing a part of the electrophotographic photosensitive member. The cartridge shutter has a first portion and a second portion which are swingable relative to each other, with the first portion being disposed downstream of the second portion with respect to a movement direction of the shutter toward the open position. The cartridge shutter takes a position above the cartridge frame when the process cartridge is mounted to a mounting position of the main assembly of the apparatus and the shutter takes the open position.