Process cartridge, engaging member therefor and method for mounting developing roller and magnet

An engaging member to be used for mounting a developing roller to a developing device frame in a process cartridge comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, the developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum and a magnet disposed in the developing roller, the process cartridge being detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said engaging member comprising:

• an engaging portion for engagement with one end of said developing roller and one end of the magnet;
• a projected portion projected at a side opposite from a side having said engaging portion;
• and
• an urging portion urged by an elastic member provided on said projected portion,
• wherein said engaging member is mounted on one longitudinal end of the developing device frame to support an end of the developing roller and one end of the magnet on the developing device frame.

A mounting method for mounting a developing roller and a magnet to a developing device frame comprising the steps of:

• providing an engaging member including an engaging portion for engagement with one end the developing roller and with one end of the magnet, a projected portion projected from a side opposite from a side having the engaging portion and an urging portion urged by an elastic member and provided on the projected portion;
• engaging the engaging portion with the one end of the developing roller and the one end of the magnet;
• and then
• mounting the engaging member to a longitudinal end of the developing device frame, by which an end of the developing roller and end of the magnet are supported on the developing device frame through the engaging member.

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

• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on said photosensitive drum;
• a magnet disposed in said developing roller;
• a drum frame supporting said photosensitive drum;
• a developing device frame which is movable relative to said drum frame;
• an engaging member for enabling an end of said developing roller and an end of said magnet to be supported on said developing device frame, said engaging member being mounted to one longitudinal end of said developing device frame in engagement with one end of said developing device frame and in engagement with one end of said developing roller and with one end of said magnet, wherein said engaging member is provided with a projected portion at an opposite end from the end where it is in engagement with one end of said developing roller and one end of said magnet;
• and
• an elastic member urging said projected portion by its elastic force so as to urge said developing roller to said photosensitive drum,
• wherein the other end of said developing roller and the other end of said magnet are mounted to the other longitudinal end of said developing device frame through a bearing,
• wherein an end cover is provided at one longitudinal end of said developing device frame, and an inner surface of said end cover is provided with an elongated groove, wherein a free end of said projected portion enters the groove, and said elastic member which is in the groove urges the free end of said projected portion, and
• wherein one and the other longitudinal ends of said developing roller are provided with spacer rollers through which said developing roller is urged to said 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 mounting portion for detachably mounting the process cartridge, the process cartridge including:
• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum;
• a magnet disposed in the developing roller;
• a drum frame supporting the photosensitive drum;
• a developing device frame which is movable relative to the drum frame;
• an engaging member for enabling an end of the developing roller and an end of the magnet to be supported on the developing device frame, the engaging member being mounted to one longitudinal end of the developing device frame in engagement with one end of the developing device frame and in engagement with one end of the developing roller and with one end of the magnet, wherein the engaging member is provided with a projected portion at an opposite end from the end where it is in engagement with one end of the developing roller and one end of the magnet;
• and
• an elastic member urging the projected portion by its elastic force so as to urge the developing roller to the photosensitive drum;
• and
• feeding means for feeding the recording material.