Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a developing roller, two units, a movable member, and a cover. The roller can contact the photosensitive member to develop an image formed thereon. One unit supports the photosensitive member with a part thereof exposed. The other unit supports the roller and moves between positions for contacting the roller and the photosensitive member with each other and spacing these elements from each other. The movable member moves the roller-supporting unit between the contact and spaced positions. The cover covers the exposed part and engages the movable member to regulate movement thereof with the developing unit positioned in the spaced position.

Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a drum, first and second guidable portions guidable by first and second guides when the cartridge enters or advances in the main assembly, first and second regulatable portions provided at leading and trailing sides of the cartridge with respect to the advancing direction and regulated by a first main assembly regulator when the process is advancing in the main assembly, first and second positionable portions to be positioned at first and main assembly second positioners, respectively, by the urging force of a main assembly urging member after the first and second regulatable portions pass the first and second regulators, respectively. The cartridge is mounted to the main assembly with the first and second positionable portions at the first and second positioners, respectively, by the urging force of the urging member.

Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a drum, first and second guidable portions guidable by first and second guides when the cartridge enters or advances in the main assembly, first and second regulatable portions provided at leading and trailing sides of the cartridge with respect to the advancing direction and regulated by a first main assembly regulator when the process is advancing in the main assembly, first and second positionable portions to be positioned at first and main assembly second positioners, respectively, by the urging force of a main assembly urging member after the first and second regulatable portions pass the first and second regulators, respectively. The cartridge is mounted to the main assembly with the first and second positionable portions at the first and second positioners, respectively, by the urging force of the urging member.

Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a drum unit supporting the drum, a developing unit supporting a developing roller and swingably coupled with the drum unit, drum and developing roller rotating force receiving portions, first and second positionable portions positioned at first and second main assembly side positioning portions by contacting by an urging force of first and second main assembly side urging members, a developing device spacing force receiving portion, first and second cartridge side rotation regulating portions for limiting rotation of the drum unit by abutting first and second main assembly side rotation regulating portions when the drum and developing roller rotating force receiving portions receive the rotating forces or when the developing device spacing force receiving portion receives the urging force from the main assembly.

Abstract: A member for performing separation holding of a developing roller of a process cartridge is provided at a position opposite from a photosensitive drum with respect to a swing center. A detachably mountable protective cover is mounted to the process cartridge and a projection of the protective cover is inserted between the photosensitive drum and a developing device frame which supports the developing roller. The projection of the protective cover is inserted in a non-contact state with the photosensitive drum and the developing device frame.

Abstract: A process cartridge and an image forming apparatus in which a charging roller is separated from a photosensitive drum by a predetermined distance and in which the separation between the charging roller and the photosensitive drum is released at the time of use without involving an increase in the burden on the user and erroneous releasing of the separation by user is prevented prior to use. The process cartridge, which is detachably mountable to the apparatus main body having an acting portion, includes a process cartridge frame, a locking portion locked with the frame to separate the charging roller from the photosensitive drum, a separation holding member having an acted portion which penetrates the frame and on which the acting portion can act, and a protruding portion provided on the frame and protruding beyond the acted portion at the position where the separation holding member is locked with the frame.

Abstract: A process cartridge including: a photosensitive drum; a photosensitive unit rotatably supporting the photosensitive drum; and a protecting cover mountable to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body, for protecting the photosensitive drum exposed outside of the photosensitive unit, the protecting cover including: a guide portion for guiding the process cartridge to an inside of the apparatus main body along a longitudinal direction of the photosensitive drum; a positioned portion provided at a leading end of the protecting cover so as to be abutted against a positioning portion of the apparatus main body, for positioning the protecting cover in a direction crossing the longitudinal direction; and an engaged portion provided at the leading end so as to be engaged with an engaging portion of the apparatus main body, for regulating coming off of the protecting cover from the apparatus main body to an upstream side in the insertion direction.

Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus including a positioning portion, a rotatable urging member taking an urging position for urging the cartridge to the positioning portion, and retracted and stand-by positions. The cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a process device actable on the drum, a positionable portion, a displacing portion moving the urging member from the stand-by to the retracted position by contacting a portion-to-be-displaced disposed at a position remoter from the rotation axis of the urging portion than the urging portion when the cartridge advances along an axial direction of the drum in the main assembly, the displacing portion moving the urging member to the retracted position by contacting the urging member when the cartridge advances in the main assembly, and an urgable portion urgable by the urging portion when the cartridge is set in the main assembly.

Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a drum, first and second guidable portions guidable by first and second guides when the cartridge enters or advances in the main assembly, first and second regulatable portions provided at leading and trailing sides of the cartridge with respect to the advancing direction and regulated by a first main assembly regulator when the process is advancing in the main assembly, first and second positionable portions to be positioned at first and main assembly second positioners, respectively, by the urging force of a main assembly urging member after the first and second regulatable portions pass the first and second regulators, respectively. The cartridge is mounted to the main assembly with the first and second positionable portions at the first and second positioners, respectively, by the urging force of the urging member.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member; a developing roller contactable to the electrophotographic photosensitive member to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member; a photosensitive member unit supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive member with a part of the electrophotographic photosensitive member exposed; a developing unit supporting the developing roller and movable relative to the photosensitive member unit between a contact position for contacting the developing roller and the electrophotographic photosensitive member with each other to develop the electrostatic latent image and a spaced position for spacing the developing roller and the electrophotographic photosensitive member from each other; a movable member for moving the developing unit between the contact position and the spaced position; and a protection cov

Abstract: A developing cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a developing roller, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, having an elastic roller portion and a shaft portion supporting the elastic roller portion, a developer regulating member; a protecting member including a contact portion provided for contact with the elastic roller portion when the protecting member is demountably mounted between the developing roller and the developer regulating member; and a supporting portion for supporting the contact portion and provided for contact with the elastic roller portion when the protecting member is demountably mounted between the developing roller and the developer regulating member. The contact portion has a hardness which is not less than a predetermined value and not more than a hardness of the elastic roller portion.

Abstract: A developing cartridge detachably mountable to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a frame, a developing roller, a frame groove, a frame projection, a bearing configured and positioned to rotatably support a developing roller shaft, a bearing cylinder, an elongated bearing opening receiving the frame projection, first and second bearing projections, first, second and third screws, a side cover covering the bearing and including a first opening engageable with the first bearing projection and a second opening engageable with the second bearing projection, and a side cover projection engageable with the bearing cylinder. The first screw secures the bearing to the frame, the second screw secures the side cover to the frame and the third screw secures the side cover to the first bearing projection.

Abstract: A developing cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the developing cartridge includes a developing roller, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, having an elastic roller portion and a shaft portion supporting the elastic roller portion, a developer regulating member contactable to the elastic roller portion to regulate an amount of the developer deposited on the elastic roller portion; a protecting member including a contact portion provided at a side for contact with the elastic roller portion when the protecting member is demountably mounted between the developing roller and the developer regulating member; and a supporting portion for supporting the contact portion, the supporting portion being provided at a side for contact with the elastic roller portion when the protecting member is demountably mounted between the developing roller and the developer regulating member, wherein the