Process cartridge, method for assembling process cartridge and image forming appararatus

An image forming apparatus having a main body to which a process cartridge is removably mounted to form an image on a recording medium, said image forming apparatus comprising:

• an engaging member for abutting against the process cartridge to apply a mounting resistance to the process cartridge when the process cartridge is mounted to the main body;
• mounting means for removably mounting a process cartridge including a frame, an image bearing member, process means acting on the image bearing member, and a gripper portion for gripping the process cartridge, said gripper portion being provided on the frame at a position offset from a longitudinal center of the frame toward a side of the process cartridge that is subjected to a greater mounting resistance generated by engagement between the process cartridge and said engaging member, when the process cartridge is mounted onto the main body;
• and
• convey means for conveying the recording medium.

A process cartridge removably mountable to a main body of an image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:

• a frame;
• an image bearing member;
• process means acting on said image bearing member;
• a shutter movable between a closed position to protect said image bearing member and an open position retracted from the closed position;
• engagement means, disposed on one side of said process cartridge, for abutting against an engaging member provided on the main body to shift said shutter to the open position when said process cartridge is mounted to the main body;
• and
• a gripper portion provided on said frame for gripping said process cartridge,
• wherein said gripper portion is provided on said frame at a position offset from a longitudinal center of said image bearing member toward the side of said process cartridge having said engagement means.

An image forming apparatus having a main body to which a process cartridge is removably mounted to form an image on a recording medium, said image forming apparatus comprising:

• an engaging member provided on the main body to be engageable with engagement means of the process cartridge;
• mounting means for removably mounting a process cartridge including a frame, an image bearing member, process means acting on the image bearing member, a shutter movable between a closed position to protect the image bearing member and an open position retracted from the closed position, engagement means, located at one side of the process cartridge, for abutting against said engaging member and for shifting the shutter to the open position by engaging said engaging member when the process cartridge is mounted to said image forming apparatus, and a gripper portion provided on the frame for gripping the process cartridge, the gripper portion being provided on the frame at a position offset from a longitudinal center of the image bearing member toward the side of the process cartridge having the engagement means;
• and
• convey means for conveying the recording medium.

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

• a frame;
• an image bearing member;
• process means acting on said image bearing member;
• and
• a gripper provided on said frame at a location offset from a longitudinal center of said cartridge, in an axial direction of said image bearing member, toward a side of said process cartridge at which a mounting resistance when mounting said process cartridge onto the main body is greater.

A process cartridge removably mountable onto a main body of an image forming apparatus, said cartridge comprising:

• a frame;
• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• process means for acting on said drum;
• a cartridge conductive member, disposed on one side of said cartridge, for contacting an apparatus conductive member provided on the main body when said process cartridge is mounted onto the main body, to ground said drum;
• and
• a gripper for gripping said process cartridge, said gripper being provided on said frame at a position offset from a longitudinal center of said frame toward a side of said cartridge where said cartridge conductive member is provided.

A process cartridge removably mountable onto a main body of an image forming apparatus, said cartridge comprising:

• a frame;
• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• process means for acting on said drum;
• a shutter shiftable between a protection position for protecting said drum and open position retracted from the protection position;
• engaging means, disposed on one side of said cartridge, for shifting said shutter from the protection position toward the open position, against a resilient force for urging the shutter toward the protection position, by engaging with an engaging member provided on the main body during mounting of said process cartridge onto the main body;
• and
• a gripper for gripping said process cartridge, said gripper being provided on said frame at a position offset from a longitudinal center of said cartridge, in an axial direction of said drum, toward a side of said cartridge where said engaging means is provided.

A process cartridge removably mountable onto a main body of an image forming apparatus, said cartridge comprising:

• a frame;
• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• process means for acting on said drum;
• a cartridge conductive member, provided on one side of said cartridge, for contacting an apparatus conductive member provided on the main body when said process cartridge is mounted onto the main body, to ground said drum;
• a shutter, shiftable between a protection position for protecting said drum and an open position retracted from the protection position, for protecting said drum;
• engaging means, provided on a same side of said process cartridge in an axial direction of said drum as said cartridge conductive member, for shifting said shutter from the protection position toward the open position, against a resilient force for urging said shutter toward the protection position, by engaging an engaging member provided on the main body during mounting of said process cartridge onto the main body;
• and
• a gripper for gripping said process cartridge, said gripper being provided on said frame at a position offset from a longitudinal center of said process cartridge in an axial direction of said drum toward a side of said process cartridge where said engaging means is provided.

A process cartridge removably mountable onto a main body of an image forming apparatus, said cartridge comprising:

• a first frame including an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, charging means for charging said drum, and cleaning means for removing residual developer from said drum;
• a second frame rockably engaged with said first frame and including developing means for developing a latent image formed on said drum and a developer containing portion for containing developer;
• a cartridge conductive member, provided on one side of said first frame, for engaging an apparatus conductive member provided on the main body when said process cartridge is mounted onto the main body, to ground said drum;
• a shutter provided on said first frame, said shutter being shiftable between a protection position for protecting said drum and an open position retracted from the protection position;
• engaging means for shifting said shutter from the protection position toward the open position, against a resilient force for urging said shutter toward the protection position, by engaging an engaging member provided on the main body during mounting of said process cartridge onto the main body, said engaging means being provided on said first frame at a same side of said first frame, in an axial direction of said drum, as said cartridge conductive member;
• and
• a gripper for gripping said process cartridge, said gripper being provided on said second frame at a position offset from a longitudinal center of said process cartridge, in an axial direction of said drum, toward a side of said process cartridge where said engaging means is provided.

A method for assembling a process cartridge removably mountable onto a main body of an image forming apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first frame including an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, charging means for charging the drum, cleaning means for removing residual developer from the drum, and a cartridge conductive member, provided on one side of the process cartridge, for engaging an apparatus conductive member provided on the main body when said process cartridge is mounted onto the main body, to ground the drum;
• providing a second frame including developing means for developing a latent image formed on the drum, a developer containing portion for containing developer to be used by the developing means, and a gripper for gripping the process cartridge provided at a position offset from a longitudinal center of the second frame, in an axial direction of the drum, toward a same side of the process cartridge as the side where the cartridge conductive member is provided;
• and
• connecting the first frame and the second frame rockably to assemble the process cartridge.

An image forming apparatus having a main body onto which a process cartridge is removably mountable for forming an image on a recording medium, said apparatus comprising:

• mounting means for mounting a process cartridge including a frame, an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, process means for acting on the drum, a cartridge conductive member, provided on one side of the process cartridge, for contacting a main body conductive member provided on the main body when the process cartridge is mounted onto the main body, to ground the drum, and a gripper for gripping the process cartridge provided on the frame at a position offset from a longitudinal center of the process cartridge toward the side of the process cartridge where the cartridge conductive member is provided;
• a main body conductive member for contacting the cartridge conductive member of the process cartridge mounted on said mounting means;
• and
• conveying means for conveying the recording medium.

An image forming apparatus having a main body onto which a process cartridge is removably mountable for forming an image on a recording medium, said apparatus comprising:

• mounting means for mounting a process cartridge including a frame, an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, process means for acting on the drum, a shutter shiftable between a protection position for protecting the drum and an open position retracted from the protection position, engaging means, provided on one side of the process cartridge, for shifting the shutter from the protection position toward the open position, against a resilient force for urging the shutter toward the protection position, by engaging an engaging member provided on the main body during mounting of the process cartridge onto the main body, and a gripper for gripping the process cartridge provided on the frame at a position offset from a longitudinal center of the process cartridge in an axial direction of said drum toward the side of the process cartridge where the engaging means is provided;
• an engaging member for engaging the engaging means of the process cartridge during mounting of the process cartridge onto the main body;
• and
• conveying means for conveying the recording medium.