Process cartridge, electrophotographic image forming apparatus and fixing method of electrical contact part

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

• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a charging member configured and positioned to electrically charge said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a developing member configured and positioned to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum with a developer;
• a drum frame supporting said charging member and said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a developer accommodation frame configured and positioned to accommodate the developer;
• and
• a supporting frame supporting said drum frame and said developer accommodation frame adjacent one longitudinal end of said electrophotographic photosensitive drum,
• wherein said process cartridge is positioned relative to and supported by the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, by said supporting frame, and
• wherein a charging bias contact configured and positioned to supply a charging bias voltage to said charging member and a developing bias contact configured and positioned to supply a developing bias voltage to said developing member are supported on said supporting frame.

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 means for mounting the process cartridge, the process cartridge including:
• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a charging member configured and positioned to electrically charge the electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a developing member configured and positioned to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum with a developer;
• a drum frame supporting the charging member and the electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a developer accommodation frame configured to accommodate the developer;
• a developing frame supporting the developing member, the developing frame being movable relative to the drum frame and the developer accommodation frame;
• a first supporting frame supporting the drum frame and the developer accommodation frame adjacent one longitudinal end of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, wherein the first supporting frame is positioned relative to the main assembly of said apparatus when the process cartridge is mounted to a main assembly of said apparatus;
• a second supporting frame supporting the drum frame and the developer accommodation frame adjacent the other longitudinal end of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a developing bias contact, provided on the first supporting frame, configured and positioned to receive a developing bias voltage applied to the developing member from the main assembly of said apparatus when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said apparatus;
• and
• a charging bias contact, provided on the first supporting frame, configured and positioned to receive a charging bias applied to the charging member from the main assembly of said apparatus when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said apparatus;
• b. a main assembly charging bias contact and a main assembly developing bias contact contactable with the charging bias contact and the developing bias contact, respectively, when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said apparatus;
• c. a voltage source electrically connected with said main assembly charging bias contact and said main assembly developing bias contact;
• and
• d. feeding means for feeding the recording material.

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 means for mounting the process cartridge, the process cartridge including:
• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a charging member configured and positioned to electrically charge the electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a developing member configured and positioned to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum with a developer;
• a drum frame supporting the charging member and the electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a developer accommodation frame configured and positioned to accommodate the developer;
• and
• a supporting frame supporting the drum frame and the developer accommodation frame adjacent one longitudinal end of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum,
• wherein the process cartridge is positioned relative to and supported by the main assembly of said image forming apparatus, by the supporting frame, and
• wherein a charging bias contact configured and positioned to supply a charging bias voltage to the charging member and a developing bias contact configured and positioned to supply a developing bias voltage to the developing member are supported on the supporting frame;
• b. a main assembly charging bias contact and a main assembly developing bias contact contactable with the charging bias contact and the developing bias contact, respectively, when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said apparatus;
• c. a voltage source electrically connected with said main assembly charging bias contact and said main assembly developing bias contact;
• and
• d. feeding means for feeding the recording material.

A connecting method for connecting at least two frames of resin material, comprising:

• (a) a temporary connecting step of temporarily connecting a first resin material frame and a second resin material frame;
• (b) a step of preparing a fixing jig for fixing the first resin material frame after said temporary connecting step;
• (c) a frame positioning step of positioning the frames by engaging portions of the first resin material frame and the second resin material frame with a positioning engaging portion of the fixing jig;
• and
• (d) a resin material injection step of injecting a molten resin material into a location between opposing surfaces of the first resin material frame and the second resin material frame positioned by said frame positioning step to connect the first resin material frame with the second resin material frame;
• wherein an electrical contact part, disposed between the opposing surfaces of the first resin material frame and the second resin material frame, is fixed by the molten resin material.