Grounding member, flange, photosensitive drum, process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus

A drum flange mountable to an end of a cylinder of an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, comprising:

• a. a circular member having an engaging portion for engagement with the end of the cylinder;
• and
• b. an electrical grounding member, which includes:
• a base plate;
• a hole, formed in said base plate, for receiving a conduction shaft for supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a first contact portion provided in said base plate and elastically contactable to said conduction shaft;
• a second contact portion, provided in said base plate, elastically contactable to an inner surface of the cylinder of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• and
• a third contact portion, provided in said base plate, elastically contactable to an inner surface of the cylinder of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum,
• wherein said second contact portion and third contact portion are disposed at symmetrical positions relative to each other with respect to a center line of a contact portion between said first contact portion and the conduction shaft, and
• wherein said second contact portion and said third contact portion include leaf springs which are provided with holes.

An electrophotographic photosensitive drum for an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a. a cylinder provided with a photosensitive layer thereon;
• and
• b. a drum flange, said drum flange including;
• a circular member having an engaging portion for engagement with the end of the cylinder;
• and
• an electrical grounding member, which includes:
• a base plate;
• a hole, formed in said base plate, for receiving a conduction shaft for supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a first contact portion provided in said base plate and elastically contactable to the conduction shaft;
• a second contact portion, provided in said base plate, elastically contactable to an inner surface of a cylinder of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• and
• a third contact portion, provided in said base plate, elastically contactable to an inner surface of the cylinder of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum,
• wherein said second contact portion and third contact portion are disposed at symmetrical positions relative to each other with respect to a center line of a contact portion between said first contact portion and the conduction shaft, and
• wherein said second contact portion and third contact portion include leaf springs which are provided with holes.

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

• a. an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, which includes:
• a cylinder provided with a photosensitive layer thereon;
• and
• a drum flange, said drum flange including:
• a circular member having an engaging portion for engagement with an end of the cylinder;
• and
• an electrical grounding member, which includes:
• a base plate;
• a hole, formed in said base plate, for receiving a conduction shaft for supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a first contact portion provided in said base plate and elastically contactable to said conduction shaft;
• a second contact portion, provided in said base plate, elastically contactable to an inner surface of the cylinder of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• and
• a third contact portion, provided in said base plate, elastically contactable to an inner surface of the cylinder of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum,
• wherein said second contact portion and third contact portion are disposed at symmetrical positions relative to each other with respect to a center line of a contact portion between said first contact portion and the conduction shaft, and
• wherein said second contact portion and third contact portion include leaf springs which are provided with holes;
• and
• b. process means actable on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum.

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

• a. a mounting member for detachably mounting a process cartridge, said process cartridge including:
• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, said drum including:
• a cylinder provided with a photosensitive layer thereon;
• and
• a drum flange said drum flange including:
• a circular member having an engaging portion for engagement with an end of said cylinder, and
• an electrically grounding member for electrically grounding the process cartridge to the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus, said grounding member including:
• a base plate;
• a first contact portion provided in said base plate and elastically contactable to the conduction shaft;
• a second contact portion, provided in said base plate, elastically contactable to an inner surface of a cylinder of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• and
• a third contact portion, provided in said base plate, elastically contactable to the inner surface of the cylinder of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum,
• wherein said second contact portion and third contact portion are disposed at symmetrical positions relative to each other with respect to a center line of a contact portion between said first contact portion and the conduction shafts, and
• wherein said second contact portion and said third contact portion include leaf springs which are provided with holes;
• and
• process means actable on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• b. a feeding member for feeding the recording material;
• and
• c. a main assembly side grounding contact for electrical connection with said grounding member of said process cartridge when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly.