Image forming apparatus and a unit detachably used in the same

A process unit receivable into an image forming apparatus, comprising:

• process means including a photosensitive member and means actable thereon for repetitive image formation, for cooperating with means of the image forming apparatus to repetitively form an image on an image receiving material;
• supporting means for supporting said process means as a unit;
• and
• means for providing a representation of the process means to provide the image forming apparatus with property information of said process means within the unit for use in controlling the image formation on the image receiving material.

A process unit receivable into an image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a casing provided with an imput aperture adapted to receive oncoming light information from the image forming apparatus and an output aperture for providing an image receiving material with an image corresponding to the light information received through said input aperture;
• plural process means adapted to cooperate with means provided in the image forming apparatus to form an image on the image receiving material repeatedly;
• and
• an element, provided on the casing, for providing a representation of a property of said unit and adapted to cooperate with the image forming apparatus to control the image outgoing through said output aperture onto the image receiving material in accordance with the property represented by said element.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a process unit for forming images;
• a main assembly having means for actuating said process unit to operate for image formation, wherein said process unit is receivable into said main assembly;
• process means provided in said process unit and comprising a photosensitive member and means actable thereon for repetitive image formation, for cooperating with said actuating means of said main assembly to repetitively form an image on an image receiving material;
• supporting means for supporting said process means as a unit;
• and means for providing a representation of a property of said process means for use in forming said repetitive images on the image receiving material, effected by the cooperation of the means of said main assembly and said process means within said process unit;
• and
• said representation means adapted to automatically set said process means within said unit in accordance with the property representation from said representation means.