Process cartridge detectably mountable to image forming apparatus and image forming apparatus using same

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

• (i) mounting means for detachably mounting said process cartridge;
• (ii) detecting means for detecting whether said process cartridge is mounted, said process cartridge including:
• an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a first frame for supporting said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• developing means for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a second frame for supporting said developing means and rotatably coupled to said first frame;
• a member to be detected, provided on an upper surface of said first frame and extended bridging between said first frame and said second frame, wherein said member to be detected is detected by said detecting means when said process cartridge is mounted to a main assembly of said electrophotographic image forming apparatus;
• and
• (iii) feeding means for feeding the recording material.

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein the main assembly of said image forming apparatus is provided with a detecting member for detecting whether said process cartridge is mounted, said process cartridge comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a charging member for charging said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a first frame for supporting said electrophotographic photosensitive drum and said charging member, wherein said first frame is provided with a projected portion for positioning said process cartridge relative to the main assembly of said image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted to said image forming apparatus, and said projected portion is projected outwardly from a lateral end of said first frame;
• a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a second frame for supporting said developing roller and rotatably coupled to said first frame;
• a member to be detected, provided on an upper surface of said first frame and extended bridging between said first frame and said second frame, wherein said member to be detected is detected by said detecting member when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said image forming apparatus, wherein said member to be detected is positioned at one longitudinal end of an image exposure opening, provided between said first frame and said second frame, for permitting projection, onto said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, image light corresponding to image information from the main assembly of said image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted in the main assembly of said image forming apparatus.

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

• a. a photo-interrupter, having a light emission element and a photoreceptor element, to detect existence of said process cartridge;
• b. mounting means for detachably mounting said process cartridge, said process cartridge including:
• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a charging member for charging said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a first frame for supporting said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, wherein said first frame is provided with a projected portion for positioning said process cartridge relative to a main assembly of said electrophotographic image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and said projected portion is projected outwardly from a lateral end of said first frame;
• a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a second frame for supporting said developing roller and rotatably coupled on said first frame;
• a member to be detected, provided on an upper surface of said first frame and extended bridging between said first frame and said second frame, wherein said member to be detected is actable on a movable member actable on said photo-interrupter to notify mounting of said process cartridge to the main assembly of said electrophotographic image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein said member to be detected is positioned at one longitudinal end of an image exposure opening, provided between said first frame and said second frame, for permitting projection, onto said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, image light corresponding to image information from the main assembly of said electrophotographic image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted in the main assembly of said electrophotographic image forming apparatus;
• c. a projecting member for projecting, to said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, the image light corresponding to image information through the image exposure opening of said process cartridge mounted to said mounting means;
• and
• d. feeding means for feeding the recording medium.

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein the main assembly of said image forming apparatus is provided with a photo-interrupter having a light emission element and a photoreceptor element, to detect whether said process cartridge is mounted, said process cartridge comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a charging member for charging said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a cleaning member for removing toner remaining on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a helical gear, provided at one end of said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, for receiving driving force for rotating said electrophotographic photosensitive drum from the main assembly of said image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said image forming apparatus;
• a first frame for supporting said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, said charging member and said cleaning member, wherein said first frame is provided with a projected portion for positioning said process cartridge relative to the main assembly of said image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted to said image forming apparatus, and said projected portion is projected outwardly from a lateral end of said first frame;
• a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a second frame for supporting said developing roller and rotatably coupled on said first frame;
• a member to be detected, provided on an upper surface of said first frame and extended bridging between said first frame and said second frame, wherein said member to be detected is detected by said photo-interrupter when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said image forming apparatus, wherein said member to be detected is positioned at one longitudinal end of an image exposure opening, provided between said first frame and said second frame for permitting projection, onto said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, image light corresponding to image information from the main assembly of said image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted in the main assembly of said image forming apparatus, wherein said member to be detected is positioned at a same side as said helical gear in a longitudinal direction of said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, wherein said one end is adjacent the side where said driving force receiving portion is positioned;
• wherein said member to be detected is an elongated plate member projected and curved toward said second frame from said first frame, wherein said plate member is integrally molded with said first frame, and wherein said second frame is provided with a recess faced to said member to be detected.

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

• a. a photo-interrupter, having a light emission element and a photoreceptor element, to detect whether said process cartridge is mounted, said process cartridge including an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a charging member for charging said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a cleaning member for removing toner remaining on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a helical gear, provided at one end of said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, for receiving driving force for rotating said electrophotographic photosensitive drum from the main assembly of said electrophotographic image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said electrophotographic image forming apparatus;
• a first frame for supporting said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, said charging member and said cleaning member;
• a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a second frame for supporting said developing roller and rotatably coupled on said first frame;
• a member to be detected, provided on an upper surface of said first frame and extended bridging between said first frame and said second frame, wherein said member to be detected is detected by said photo-interrupter when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said electrophotographic image forming apparatus;
• b. a movable member rotatable about a shaft and having a base portion and an end portion,
• wherein, when said process cartridge is not mounted to said image forming apparatus, said end portion blocks an optical path of light from said light emission element, so that said photo-interrupter is OFF, and when said process cartridge is mounted, said member to be detected contacts said base portion, rotating said movable member so that said end portion does not block said optical path, so that said photointerrupter is ON;
• c. mounting means for detachably mounting a process cartridge, wherein said first frame is provided with a projected portion for positioning said process cartridge relative to the main assembly of said electrophotographic image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted to said electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and said projected portion is projected outwardly from a lateral end of said first frame;
• wherein said member to be detected is positioned at one longitudinal end of an image exposure opening, provided between said first frame and said second frame for permitting projection, onto said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, image light corresponding to image information from the main assembly of said electrophotographic image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted in the main assembly of said electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein said member to be detected is positioned at a same side as said helical gear in a longitudinal direction of said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, wherein said one end is adjacent the side where said helical gear is positioned;
• wherein said member to be detected is an elongated plate member projected and curved toward said second frame from said first frame, wherein said plate member is integrally molded with said first frame, and wherein said second frame is a recess faced to said member to be detected;
• and
• d. a projecting member for projection, to said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, the image light corresponding to response through the image exposure opening of said process cartridge mounted to said mounting means;
• e. control means for preventing an image forming operation of said electrophotographic image forming apparatus from starting when said photo-interrupter does not detect said member to be detected;
• and
• f. a feeding member for feeding the recording medium.