Electrophotographic image forming apparatus with detachable imaging cartridge

An imaging cartridge detachable from the main assembly of an image forming apparatus comprising:

• a first unit and a second unit, the second unit being separable from the first unit;
• a toner image carrier provided in the first unit;
• and
• a charging roller provided in the second unit for transferring a toner image on the toner image carrier onto a copy sheet conveyed without being wound around the charging roller.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main assembly;
• and
• an imaging cartridge detachable from the main assembly including
• a first unit and a second unit both being separable from each other,
• a toner image carrier provided in the first unit,
• a charging roller provided in the second unit for transferring a toner image on the toner image carrier onto a copy sheet,
• connecting means for connecting the first unit and the second unit, and
• releasing means for releasing connection of the first unit and the second unit by the connecting means.

An imaging cartridge detachable from a main assembly of an image forming apparatus comprising:

• a first unit and a second unit both being separable from each other;
• a toner image carrier provided in the first unit;
• a charging roller provided in the second unit for transferring a toner image on the toner image carrier onto a copy sheet;
• connecting means for connecting the first unit and the second unit;
• and
• releasing means for releasing connection of the first unit and the second unit by the connecting means.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main assembly dividable into an upper unit and a lower unit;
• and
• a first unit and a second unit both being releasable from each other,
• a toner image carrier provided in the first unit,
• a charging roller provided in the second unit for transferring a toner image on the toner image carrier onto a copy sheet, and
• releasing means for releasing the first unit and the second unit in relation with separation of the upper unit and the lower unit.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main assembly;
• and
• an imaging cartridge detachable from the main assembly including
• a first unit and a second unit both being releasable from each other,
• a toner image carrier provided in the first unit,
• a charging roller provided in the second unit for transferring a toner image on the toner image carrier onto a copy sheet, and
• releasing means for releasing the first unit and the second unit in relation with an operation of removing the imaging cartridge from the main assembly.

An imaging cartridge detachable from a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, said detachable imaging cartridge comprising:

• a housing;
• a toner image carrier provided in the housing;
• a charging roller provided in the housing for transferring a toner image on the toner image carrier onto a copy sheet;
• and
• cleaning means provided in the housing for removing residual toner particles on the charging roller.

An imaging cartridge detachable from a main assembly of an image forming apparatus comprising:

• a housing,
• a toner image carrier provided in the housing;
• copy sheet guiding means installed in the housing for guiding a copy sheet passing through the housing;
• erasing means installed at a position where it opposes a copy sheet upon having a toner image transferred thereon from the toner image carrier for removing a charge on the copy sheet;
• and
• a charging device provided in the housing for transferring a toner image on the toner image carrier onto a copy sheet,
• wherein the housing includes a releasable first unit and a releasable second unit, the toner image carrier is provided in the first unit, and the charging device, the copy sheet guiding means, and the erasing means are provided in the second unit,
• wherein the charging device includes a charging roller.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main assembly;
• and
• an imaging cartridge detachable from the main assembly including
• a first unit,
• a second unit separate from the first unit,
• a toner image carrier provided in the first unit,
• a charging roller provided in the second unit for transferring a toner image on the toner image carrier onto a copy sheet, and
• a lock member for locking the first unit and the second unit together.

An image cartridge detachable from a main assembly of an image forming apparatus comprising:

• a first unit and a second unit both being separate from each other;
• a toner image carrier provided in the first unit;
• a charging roller provided in the second unit for transferring a toner image on the toner image carrier onto a copy sheet;
• and
• a lock member for locking the first unit and the second unit together.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main assembly;
• and
• an imaging cartridge detachable from the main assembly including
• a first unit,
• a second unit,
• a toner image carrier provided in the first unit,
• a charging roller provided in the second unit for transferring a toner image on the toner image carrier onto a copy sheet, and
• connecting means for connecting the first unit to the second unit as the charging roller is movable away from the toner image carrier.

An imaging cartridge detachable from a main assembly of an image forming apparatus comprising:

• a first unit;
• a second unit;
• a toner image carrier provided in the first unit;
• a charging roller provided in the second unit for transferring a toner image on the toner image carrier onto a copy sheet;
• and
• connecting means for connecting the first unit to the second unit as the charging roller is movable away from the toner image carrier.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main assembly;
• and
• an imaging cartridge detachable from the main assembly including
• a first unit and a second unit both being separable from each other,
• a toner image carrier provided in the first unit,
• a charging roller provided in the second unit for transferring a toner image on the toner image carrier onto a copy sheet, and
• a guiding member arranged on said first unit or on said second unit for guiding the copy sheet.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main assembly;
• and
• an imaging cartridge detachable from the main assembly including
• a first unit,
• a second unit positioned by a horizontal side of the first unit and being separable from the first unit,
• a toner image carrier provided in the first unit, and
• a charging roller provided in the second unit for transferring a toner image on the toner image carrier onto a copy sheet,
• wherein the copy sheet is conveyed vertically upward between said toner image carrier and said charging roller.