Patent ID: 6128452
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;a charging member for charging said photosensitive drum;a developing member for developing a latent image formed on said photosensitive drum;an antenna member disposed upstream of said developing member in a mounting direction of said process cartridge in which said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly;a cartridge frame;a charging bias contact for receiving a charging bias voltage from said main assembly to be applied to said charging member by contact with a corresponding contact provided in the main assembly when said process cartridge is mounted to said main assembly;a developing bias contact for receiving a developing bias voltage to be applied to said developing member by contact with a corresponding contact provided in the main assembly when said process cartridge is mounted to said main assembly, wherein said developing bias contact is connected to said developing member;a detection contact for permitting detection of mounting of said process cartridge to said main assembly to provide notification to said main assembly, by contact with a corresponding contact provided in the main assembly, that said process cartridge is mounted to said main assembly, wherein said detection contact is connected to said antenna member; anda guiding member for guiding said process cartridge to a mounting position in the main assembly when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly, wherein said guiding member is disposed coaxially with said photosensitive drum,wherein said charging bias contact, said developing bias contact, and said detection contact are provided on one end, with respect to a direction of an axis of said photosensitive drum, of said cartridge frame in an outwardly exposed state such that said charging bias contact, said developing bias contact and said detection contact contact respective ones of said corresponding contacts of the main assembly at positions upstream of said guiding member with respect to the mounting direction of said process cartridge, and said developing bias contact and said detection contact are disposed in this order from a downstream side toward an upstream side of said process cartridge in the mounting direction thereof,wherein said guiding member is disposed at said one end.