Patent ID: 7062192
Filing Date: 2006-06-13
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus on which a process cartridge is detachably mountable and for forming an image on a recording medium, comprising: a main body electrical contact electrically connected to a cartridge electrical contact of the process cartridge when the process cartridge is mounted on an apparatus main body of said electrophotographic image forming apparatus; a grounded electrically conductive discharge preventing member configured and positioned to effect discharge between said discharge preventing member and a charged foreign substance when the charged foreign substance has entered the apparatus main body on which the process cartridge is not mounted, thereby preventing discharge from occurring between the charged foreign substance and said main body electrical contact, said discharge preventing member being movable between a first position located in an entry route of the process cartridge and a second position retracted from the first position and located outside the entry route; and an actuating member configured and positioned to move said discharge preventing member from the first position to the second position, and to abut against the process cartridge to thereby actuate moving of said discharge preventing member from the first position to the second position when the process cartridge is mounted in the apparatus main body.