Patent ID: 7184686
Filing Date: 2007-02-27
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said main assembly including a cam member movable between a first position and a second position which is retracted from the first position, said process cartridge comprising: an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a developing roller contactable to said electrophotographic photosensitive drum at a development position to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a first frame configured and positioned to support said electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a second frame configured and positioned to support said developing roller, said second frame being connected with said first frame for rotation about a rotational axis so that said developing roller and said electrophotographic photosensitive drum contact or are spaced from each other; a cam engaging portion configured and positioned to receive from the cam member which is located at the first position a force effective to space said developing roller and said electrophotographic photosensitive drum from each other in a state in which upward movement of said first frame is limited when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly, said cam engaging portion being provided on said second frame at a position downstream of the development position with respect to a process-cartridge mounting direction, in which said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus, at a side of said process cartridge across the rotational axis from the development position with respect to the process-cartridge mounting direction; a portion to be guided engagable and guidable by a guide surface provided in the main assembly when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly, wherein said portion to be guided is guided by the guide surface such that said cam engaging portion moves above a tangent line, parallel to the mounting direction, of a cam surface of the cam member to permit said cam engaging portion to be brought into contact with the cam surface from above the tangent line; and a first cam engaging portion which functions as said cam engaging portion adjacent an end which is at a leading end with respect to the mounting direction and which is at one end with respect to a longitudinal direction of said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and a cartridge helical gear for meshing engagement with a main assembly helical gear provided in the main assembly to receive a driving force for rotating said developing roller from the main assembly, when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly, wherein said first cam engaging portion is disposed below a position of said cartridge helical gear.