Process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising:

• a first frame which is disposed such that it takes a relatively upper position when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus;
• a second frame coupled with said first frame for rotation about a shaft, said second frame is disposed such that it takes a relatively lower position when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus;
• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum provided in said first frame;
• a developing roller, provided in said second frame, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on said photosensitive drum with a developer;
• a developer accommodating portion, provided in said second frame, for accommodating the developer;
• a cleaning member, provided in said first frame, for removing the developer remaining on said photosensitive drum;
• a removed developer feeding member, provided in said first frame, for transporting the developer removed by said cleaning member;
• a removed developer accommodating portion, provided in said first frame, for accommodating the developer removed by said cleaning member, said removed developer feeding member being disposed in said removed developer accommodating portion and being disposed such that it takes a position above said developer accommodating portion when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus;
• a cartridge coupling, provided in said first frame, to receiving, from the main assembly of apparatus, the driving force for rotating said photosensitive drum when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus, wherein said cartridge coupling is disposed coaxially with said photosensitive drum;
• a cartridge helical gear, provided in said second frame, for receiving, from the main assembly of the apparatus, a driving force for rotating said developing member when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus, wherein said helical gear is disposed downstream of said cartridge coupling with respect to a mounting direction of mounting said process cartridge to the main assembly of the apparatus, and wherein said cartridge helical gear is disposed coaxially with said shaft, and said cartridge helical gear disposed inside of a position of said cartridge coupling with respect to a direction crossing with the mounting direction;
• a gear train, provided in said second frame, for transmitting, to said removed developer feeding member, the driving force received from the main assembly of the apparatus by the cartridge helical gear to rotate said removed developer feeding member;
• wherein said photosensitive drum, said developing roller and a crank for driving said removed developer feeding member are disposed in the order named from an upstream side to a downstream side with respect to the mounting direction, and wherein said cartridge helical gear and said cartridge coupling are disposed at the same side with respect to a direction crossing with the mounting direction, and wherein said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus in a direction crossing with an axis of said photosensitive drum.

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a main assembly drum driving force transmitting member;
• (b) a main assembly development driving force transmitting member:
• (c) a mounting portion for detachably mounting a process cartridge, said process cartridge including:
• a second frame rotatably coupled with said first frame;
• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum provided in said first frame;
• a developing member, provided in said second frame, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on said photosensitive drum with a developer;
• a cleaning member, provided in said first frame, for removing the developer remaining on said photosensitive drum;
• a removed developer feeding member, provided in said first frame, for transporting the developer removed by said cleaning member;
• a drum driving force receiving member, provided in said first frame, for receiving, from the main assembly drum driving force transmitting member, a driving force for rotating said photosensitive drum when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus;
• a development driving force receiving member, provided in said second frame, for receiving, from the main assembly development driving force transmitting member, a driving force for rotating said developing member when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus;
• a driving force transmitting member, provided in said second frame, for transmitting, to said removed developer feeding member, the driving force received from the main assembly of apparatus by the development driving force to rotate said removed developer feeding member.

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, said apparatus comprising;

• (a) a main assembly coupling;
• (b) a main assembly helical gear;
• (c) a mounting portion for detachably mounting a process cartridge, said process cartridge including:
• a second frame coupled with said first frame for rotation about a shaft:
• wherein said second frame is disposed such that it takes a relatively lower position when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus;
• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum provided in said first frame;
• a developing roller, provided in said second frame, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on said photosensitive drum;
• a developer accommodating portion, provided in said second frame, for accommodating the developer:
• a cleaning member, provided in said first frame, for removing the developer remaining on said photosensitive drum;
• a removed developer feeding member, provided in said first frame, for transporting the developer removed by said cleaning member;
• a removed developer accommodating portion, provided in said first frame, for accommodating the developer removed by said cleaning member, said removed developer feeding member being disposed in said removed developer accommodating portion and being disposed such that it takes a position above said developer accommodating portion when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus;
• a cartridge coupling, provided in said first frame, to receiving, from said main assembly coupling, the driving force for rotating said photosensitive drum when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus, wherein said cartridge coupling is disposed coaxially with said photosensitive drum;
• a cartridge helical gear, provided in said second frame, for receiving, from said main assembly helical gear, a driving force for rotating said developing member when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus, wherein said helical gear is disposed downstream of said cartridge coupling with respect to a mounting direction of mounting said process cartridge to the main assembly of the apparatus, and wherein said cartridge helical gear is disposed coaxially with said shaft, and said cartridge helical gear disposed inside of a position of said cartridge coupling with respect to a direction crossing with the mounting direction;
• a gear train, provided in said second frame, for transmitting, to said removed developer feeding member, the driving force received from the main assembly of the apparatus by the helical gear to rotate said removed developer feeding member;
• wherein said photosensitive drum, said developing roller and a crank for driving said removed developer feeding member are disposed in the order named from an upstream side to a downstream side with respect to the mounting direction, and wherein said cartridge helical gear and said cartridge coupling are disposed at the same side with respect to a direction crossing with the mounting direction, and wherein said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus in a direction crossing with an axis of said photosensitive drum.