Patent ID: 7035569
Filing Date: 2006-04-25
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A process cartridge, which is mounted in a main body of an image forming apparatus to supply a toner to a developing roller to develop an electrostatic latent image which is formed on a photoconductive drum, comprising: a drum cartridge in which the photoconductive drum is disposed in an exposed manner, the drum cartridge being mounted in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the photoconductive drum with respect to the main body; a toner cartridge in which the developing roller rotating in contact with the photoconductive drum is mounted in an exposed manner, the toner cartridge being mounted in the main body to be disposed opposite to the drum cartridge; and supporting members mounted on both sides of the toner cartridge, and supporting and guiding the toner cartridge so that the developing roller moves linearly with respect to the photoconductive drum, wherein the supporting members are stationary at predetermined positions of the main body, and a developing nip between the photoconductive drum and the developing roller is controlled as the toner cartridge is moved toward the photoconductive drum linearly with respect to the supporting members within a predetermined distance range.