Process cartridge and image forming apparatus

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

• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, wherein said process cartridge is detachably mountable along a longitudinal direction of said developing roller;
• a drum unit for rotatably supporting said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a first portion to be positioned relative to the main assembly of the apparatus to position said drum unit relative to the main assembly of the apparatus when said process cartridge is set in said main assembly of the apparatus, said first portion to be positioned being provided at a rear side of said drum unit with respect to a mounting direction in which said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus;
• a second portion to be positioned relative to the main assembly of the apparatus to position said drum unit relative to the main assembly of the apparatus when said process cartridge is set in said main assembly of the apparatus, said first portion to be positioned being provided at a front side of said drum unit with respect to the mounting direction;
• a rotatable developing unit for rotatably supporting said developing roller, said developing unit being rotatable in a direction crossing with the mounting direction to permit relative movement between said developing roller and said electrophotographic photosensitive drum toward and away from each other;
• a first portion to be supported on a first supporting portion provided in said drum unit at a rear side of said developing unit with respect to the mounting direction so as to permit a rotation of said developing unit in the crossing direction when said process cartridge is set in the main assembly of the apparatus;
• a second portion to be supported on a second supporting portion provided in said drum unit at a front side of said developing unit with respect to the mounting direction so as to permit a rotation of said developing unit in the crossing direction when said process cartridge is set in the main assembly of the apparatus;
• and
• a driving force receiving member, provided at a front side of said developing unit, for receiving a driving force for rotating said developing roller from a driving force transmission member provided in the main assembly of the apparatus when said process cartridge is set in the main assembly of the apparatus.

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, said apparatus comprising:

• i) a first positioning portion;
• ii) a second positioning portion;
• iii) a second supporting portion;
• iv) a driving force transmission member;
• and
• a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge including,
• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum,
• a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, wherein said process cartridge is detachably mountable along a longitudinal direction of said developing roller,
• a drum unit for rotatably supporting said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a first portion to be positioned relative to the first positioning portion when said process cartridge is set in said main assembly of the apparatus, said first portion to be positioned being provided at a rear side of said drum unit with respect to a mounting direction in which said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus;
• a second portion to be positioned relative to the second positioning portion when said process cartridge is set in said main assembly of the apparatus, said first portion to be positioned being provided at a front side of said drum unit with respect to the mounting direction;
• a rotatable developing unit for rotatably supporting said developing roller, said developing unit being rotatable in a direction crossing with the mounting direction to permit relative movement between said developing roller and said electrophotographic photosensitive drum toward and away from each other;
• a first portion to be supported on a first supporting portion provided in said drum unit at a rear side of said developing unit with respect to the mounting direction so as to permit a rotation of said developing unit in the crossing direction when said process cartridge is set in the main assembly of the apparatus;
• a second portion to be supported on the second supporting portion so as to permit a rotation of said developing unit in the crossing direction when said process cartridge is set in the main assembly of the apparatus, said second portion to be supported being disposed at a front side of said developing unit with respect to the mounting direction;
• and
• a driving force receiving member, rotatably supported on an outer surface of said second portion to be supported, for receiving a driving force for rotating said developing roller form a driving force transmission member rotatably supported on an outer surface of the second supporting portion when said process cartridge is set in the main assembly of the apparatus.

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, said apparatus comprising:

• i) a first positioning portion;
• ii) a second positioning portion;
• iii) a second supporting portion;
• iv) a driving force transmission member;
• and
• a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge including,
• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum,
• a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, wherein said process cartridge is detachably mountable along a longitudinal direction of said developing roller,
• a drum unit for rotatably supporting said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a first portion to be positioned relative to the first positioning portion when said process cartridge is set in said main assembly of the apparatus, said first portion to be positioned being provided at a rear side of said drum unit with respect to a mounting direction in which said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus;
• a second portion to be positioned relative to the second positioning portion when said process cartridge is set in said main assembly of the apparatus, said first portion to be positioned being provided at a front side of said drum unit with respect to the mounting direction;
• a rotatable developing unit for rotatably supporting said developing roller, said developing unit being rotatable in a direction crossing with the mounting direction to permit relative movement between said developing roller and said electrophotographic photosensitive drum toward and away from each other;
• a first portion to be supported on a first supporting portion provided in said drum unit at a rear side of said developing unit with respect to the mounting direction so as to permit a rotation of said developing unit in the crossing direction when said process cartridge is set in the main assembly of the apparatus;
• a second portion to be supported on the second supporting portion so as to permit a rotation of said developing unit in the crossing direction when said process cartridge is set in the main assembly of the apparatus, said second portion to be supported being disposed at a front side of said developing unit with respect to the mounting direction;
• and
• a driving force receiving member, provided at a front side of said developing unit, for receiving a driving force for rotating said developing roller form the driving force transmission member when said process cartridge is set in the main assembly of the apparatus.