Abstract:
An image forming apparatus includes a main unit and a process cartridge including: an image holding member rotating about a rotation axis; an image developing device to develop a latent image on the image holding member; and a supporting member formed with a side face spreading in a direction of the rotation axis to support the image holding member and the image developing device and be moved in the direction to be attached/detached to/from the main unit. The main unit includes a main unit connector positioned adjacently to a side face of the supporting member of the process cartridge attached to the main unit such that a face mating with a counterpart connector faces the side face. The process cartridge includes on the side face a cartridge side connector electrically connected to the main unit side connector when the process cartridge is attached to the main unit.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is based on and claims priority under U.S.C. 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-219871, filed on Sep. 25, 2009. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a process cartridge. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to an aspect of the invention, an image forming apparatus includes: 
     a main unit; and 
     a process cartridge that includes:
         an image holding member which rotates about a rotation axis;   a developing device which develops a latent image on the image holding member; and   a supporting member which is formed with a side face spreading in a direction of the rotation axis and supports the image holding member and the developing device, and   a cartridge side connector on the side face of the supporting member, wherein       

     the process cartridge is moved in the direction of the rotation axis so as to be attached and detached to and from the main unit, 
     the main unit includes:
         a main unit connector which is arranged at a position adjacent to a side face of the supporting member of the process cartridge, which is electrically connected to the cartridge side connector when the process cartridge is attached to the main unit; and   an exposure device which scans, in the direction of the rotation axis, by an exposure light beam, the image holding member included in the process cartridge attached to the main unit, and       

     the main unit connector is arranged at a position not only being closer to a side of scanning by the exposure light beam than the process cartridge but also avoiding, with respect to the direction of the rotation axis, an area where the exposure light beam passes through. 
     According to an aspect of the invention, a process cartridge includes: 
     an image holding member which rotates about a rotation axis; 
     a developing device which develops a latent image on the image holding member; and 
     a supporting member which is formed with a side face spreading in a direction of the rotation axis and supports the image holding member and the developing device, and 
     a cartridge side connector on the side face of the supporting member, wherein 
     the process cartridge is moved in the direction of the rotation axis so as to be attached and detached to and from a main unit, and 
     the main unit includes a main unit connector which is arranged at a position adjacent to a side face of the supporting member of the process cartridge, which is electrically connected to the cartridge side connector when the process cartridge is attached to the main unit. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an external appearance of a copy machine as one embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating an internal configuration viewed from the front of the copy machine illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating an external view of a process cartridge and the guide member illustrated in  FIG. 2  viewed from upper front; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram illustrating an external appearance of the process cartridge illustrated in  FIG. 3  when the front is viewed from lower right; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating the guide member illustrated in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a part of the guide member and the process cartridge illustrated in  FIG. 4 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic cross-sectional view to explain a position relation between the process cartridge and a connector in a state where they are attached to each other. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following, exemplary embodiments of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be explained. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an external appearance of a copy machine as one embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. 
     A copy machine  1  illustrated in  FIG. 1  includes an image scanning unit U 1  to scan an image from an original document and an image forming unit U 2  to form an image on a sheet. The image scanning unit U 1  includes an operation panel UI to display various kinds of information and to receive an operation of a user. The copy machine  1  forms an image of an original document read by the image scanning unit U 1  on a sheet by the image forming unit U 2 . In addition, the copy machine  1  also may operate as a scanner or a printer. 
     The copy machine  1  according to the present exemplary embodiment employs a configuration of a so-called in-body discharge type. That is, the image scanning unit U 1  is arranged above the image forming unit U 2  with a space which is formed in between and in which the sheet is discharged. The sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming unit U 2  is outputted and stacked on a output tray B arranged on an upper portion of the image forming unit U 2 . The copy machine  1  which discharges a sheet between the image scanning unit U 1  and the image forming unit U 2  has a small installation area comparing to, for example, a configuration in which a output tray is arranged on a side of an image forming unit and protrudes in a width direction X. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating an internal configuration viewed from the front of the copy machine illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     The image scanning unit U 1  includes a original document sending section  11  to send a original document and a reading section  12  to scan an image from an original document. 
     The reading section  12  includes a light source  121  to emit light toward a original document, mirrors  122 ,  123  to reflect and introduce light reflected on the original document, a lens  124  to focus reflection light from the mirrors to be an image and an image receiving sensor  126  to receive an optical image formed by the light focused by the lens  124  to output image data. The original document sending section  11  is attached openably and closably on the reading section  12 . A platen glass  128  is arranged on an upper face of the reading section  12 . The original document sending section  11  includes an original document table  111  and a transport device (not illustrated) to take out an original document from the original document table  111  to transport the original document in the original document sending section  11 . 
     When an original document put on the original document table  111  is transported in the original document sending section  11  to pass through a scanning position of the reading section  12 , light from a pass-through portion is converted to image data via the mirrors  122 ,  123 , the lens  124  and the image receiving sensor  126 . In addition, when an original document is put on the platen glass  128  by a user, the reading section  12  reads an image from the original document while moving the mirrors  122 ,  123 . The read image data is supplied to the image forming unit U 2 . 
     The image forming unit U 2  functions as a tandem-type color printer in which image forming sections  20 Y,  20 M,  20 C,  20 K are arranged in parallel for respective colors of Yellow (Y), Magenta (M), Cyan (C) and Black (K). The image forming unit U 2  may print a single color image of and may also print a full color image composed of four color toner images. Because the four image forming sections  20 Y,  20 M,  20 C,  20 K include a similar configuration except a kind of toner, the image forming section  20 Y corresponding to Yellow will be explained with reference characters attached, representing those image forming sections. The image forming section  20 Y includes a photoreceptor  21 , a charging device  22  to charge a surface of the photoreceptor  21 , a developing device  24  to develop the surface of the photoreceptor  21  by toner, a primary transfer device  25  to transfer a toner image to an intermediate transfer belt, and a photoreceptor cleaner  26  to clean up the surface of the photoreceptor  21 . The photoreceptor  21  has a cylindrical surface and rotates in a direction of an arrow a around an axis of a cylinder. The developing device  24  includes a developing roll  241  to develop the photoreceptor  21  and a pair of stir and convey members  242 ,  243  to transport toner to be supplied to the developing roll  241  to the photoreceptor  21  while stirring the toner. 
     The photoreceptor  21 , the charging device  22 , the developing device  24  and the photoreceptor cleaner  26  of the image forming section  20 Y are housed in a process cartridge  200 Y which is attachable and detachable to and from the image forming unit U 2 . The remaining image forming sections  20 M,  20 C,  20 K include attachable and detachable process cartridges  200 M,  200 C,  200 K, respectively. The process cartridges  200 Y- 200 K are slidably attached on a guide member  90  fixed to a housing F. Details of the process cartridges  200 Y- 200 K will be explained later. 
     In addition, the image forming unit U 2  further includes an exposure device  30  to emit an exposure beam based on image data supplied from the outside to each of the photoreceptors  21  of the image forming sections  20 Y- 20 K, toner cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K which house toner of respective CMYK colors, an intermediate transfer belt  40  to which toner images are transferred from the photoreceptors of the respective colors, a secondary transfer device  50  to transfer the toner images from the intermediate transfer belt  40  to a sheet, a fixing device  60  to fix the image on a sheet, a sheet transport section  70  to transport a sheet and a control section  1 A to control each section of the image forming unit U 2 . The image forming sections  20 Y- 20 K, the exposure device  30 , the toner cartridges  28 Y- 28 K, the intermediate transfer belt  40 , the secondary transfer device  50 , the fixing device  60  and the sheet transport section  70  are arranged in the housing F. 
     The exposure device  30  includes a light emitting device  31 , a polygon mirror  32  and a light guiding mirror  33 . An exposure beam emitted from the light emitting device  31  according to image data is guided by the polygon mirror  32  and the light guiding mirror  33  to be emitted to the photoreceptors  21  of the image forming sections  20 Y- 20 K. 
     The intermediate transfer belt  40  is an endless-belt-shaped member supported by belt supporting rolls  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44  and moves circularly in a direction b in which the intermediate transfer belt  40  passes through the image forming sections  20 Y,  20 M,  20 C,  20 K and the secondary transfer device  50  in this order. 
     The sheet transport section  70  includes four sheet cassettes  71 ,  72 ,  73 ,  74  to house sheets, a manual-feed sheet supply section  75  to supply a sheet from the outside, sheet take out sections  76 ,  77 ,  78 ,  79  through which a sheet is taken out from the sheet cassettes  71 ,  72 ,  73 ,  74 , a sheet take out section  81  through which a sheet is taken out from the manual-feed sheet supply section  75 , a sheet feed roll  82  to transport a sheet taken out, a registration roll  83  to send a sheet to the secondary transfer device  50 , a sheet transport roll  84  to transport a sheet on which an image is formed, an ejection roll  85  to eject a sheet and reverse transport rolls  86 ,  87  to transport a sheet when images are formed on both sides of a sheet. 
     The sheet cassettes  71 - 74  and the manual-feed sheet supply section  75  are arranged below the image forming sections  20 Y- 20 K and the registration roll  83 . After sheets housed in the sheet cassettes  71 - 74  and the manual-feed sheet supply section  75  are taken out by the sheet take out sections  76 ,  77 ,  78 ,  79 , the sheets are then transported upwardly along a sheet transport path R via the secondary transfer device  50  and the fixing device  60  in the housing F by the sheet feed roll  82 , the registration roll  83  and the sheet transport roll  84 . The sheet transport path R extends in a vertical direction along a wall F 1  included in the housing F. The sheet which is transported on the sheet transport path R and on which an image is formed is ejected by the ejection roll  85  onto the output tray B of the image forming unit U 2 . The sheet take out sections  76 - 79  include pick up rolls  761 ,  771 ,  781 ,  791  to take out a sheet and settlement rolls  762 ,  772 ,  782 ,  792  to settle the taken out sheet. The manual-feed sheet supply section  75  is for supplying a sheet directly from the outside of the housing F. The manual-feed sheet supply section  75  is an approximately plate-shaped member which is rotatably supported by the standing wall F 1  of the housing F, and is housed standing along the standing wall F 1  when not used. The manual-feed sheet supply section  75  is pulled out, as illustrated by a dashed line in  FIG. 2 , to be flat when used. The sheet take out section  81  takes out sheets one by one toward the sheet transport path R in a direction to the inside of the housing F. 
     Here, the image forming unit U 2  corresponds to an example of the main unit according to the aspect of the invention. In addition, the photoreceptor  21  corresponds to an example of the image holding member according to the aspect of the invention. 
     Basic operations of the image forming unit U 2  will be explained. In the image forming section  20 Y, the photoreceptor  21  is driven to rotate in the direction of the arrow a, charge is given to a surface of the photoreceptor  21  by the charging device  21 . The exposure device  30  emits an exposure beam based on image data supplied from the outside to the respective photoreceptors  21  of the image forming sections  20 Y,  20 M,  20 C,  20 K to form an electrostatic latent image. The exposure device  30  emits an exposure beam according to data corresponding to each color in an image to the photoreceptor  21  of each of the image forming sections  20 Y,  20 M,  20 C,  20 K. The explanation will be provided for Yellow (Y) as a representative example. The exposure device  30  emits the exposure beam based on image data corresponding to Yellow of the image data supplied from the outside to the surface of the photoreceptor  21  to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoreceptor  21 . The developing device  24  develops the latent image by toner of Yellow to form a toner image. The developing device  24  is supplied with toner from the toner cartridge  28 . In response to forming of the toner image of Yellow, the photoreceptor  21  holds the toner image. The toner image formed on the surface of the photoreceptor  21  is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt  40  by the primary transfer device  25 . After transferred, the toner remaining on the photoreceptor  21  is collected and removed by the photoreceptor cleaner  26 . 
     The intermediate transfer belt  40  is circularly moved in the direction of the arrow b by the supporting rolls  41 - 44 . The image forming sections  20 M,  20 C,  20 K corresponding to the colors other than Yellow forms toner images corresponding to the respective colors similarly to the image forming section  20 Y and transfers the toner images of the respective colors to the intermediate transfer belt  40  while overlaying the toner images of the respective colors on the toner image transferred by the image forming section  20 Y. The intermediate transfer belt  40  holds the toner images thus formed thereon and moves. 
     Meanwhile, from either one of the sheet cassettes  71 - 74  and the manual-feed sheet supply section  75 , a piece of sheet is taken out by the sheet take out sections  76 - 79 ,  81 . The sheet taken out is transported upwardly on the sheet transport path R by the sheet feed roll  82 . The registration roll  83  sends out the sheet transported along the sheet transport path R such that the timing is adjusted to meet a starting time of image forming in the secondary transfer device  50 . 
     The secondary transfer device  50  transfers the toner image of the intermediate transfer belt  40  to a sheet. By the secondary transfer device  50 , the toner image is finally transferred to the sheet. The sheet is further transported to the fixing device  60 , and the toner image transferred to the sheet is fixed, and thus forming the image on the sheet is completed. The sheet on which the image is formed is further transported by the sheet feed roll  84  and then is outputted by the discharge roll  85  onto the output tray B. 
     When an image is formed on the reverse side of a sheet in double-sided copy and the like, the reverse transport roll  86  once transports the sheet upwardly and then reversely transports the sheet downwardly. The sheet is transported in a state of being upside-down to the registration roll  83  by the reverse transport roll  87  via a reverse transport path R′, and thus an image is formed on the reverse side. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating an external view of the process cartridge and the guide member illustrated in  FIG. 2  viewed from upper front.  FIG. 3  illustrates a state in which the three process cartridges  200 C- 200 K of the four process cartridges  200 Y- 200 K which are independently attachable and detachable are attached and the remaining process cartridge  200 Y is not attached yet. 
     Each of the process cartridges  200 Y- 200 K has a similar configuration. The process cartridge  200 Y corresponding to Yellow will be representatively explained. The process cartridge  200 Y includes a cartridge housing  201 . In the cartridge housing  201 , the photoreceptor  21 , the charging device  22  (see  FIG. 2 ), the developing device  24  and the photoreceptor cleaner  26  (see  FIG. 2 ) are arranged and are supported by the cartridge housing  201 . The process cartridge  200 Y is moved from a front of the image forming unit U 2  (see  FIG. 2 ) in a direction in which a rotation axis  21   a  of the photoreceptor extends to be attached and detached. This rotation axis of the photoreceptor  21  is also a depth direction Y. Hereinafter, the depth direction Y is referred to also as a rotation axis direction Y. 
     The cartridge housing  201  has a cylindrical external shape extending in the rotation axis direction Y, and includes end faces  201   a ,  201   b  at both ends in the rotation axis direction Y and a side face  201   c  which connects the end faces  201   a ,  201   b  of the both ends and extends in the rotation axis direction Y. The end face  201   a  which is to be in a front side when the process cartridge  200 Y is attached is provided with a toner receive section  245  to receive toner to be supplied to the developing device  24 . 
     In the photoreceptor  21 , a top portion contacting the intermediate transfer belt  40  (see  FIG. 2 ) and a bottom portion to be irradiated with the exposure beam from the exposure device  30  (see  FIG. 2 ) are exposed outside the cartridge housing  201 . On the end face  201   a  of the cartridge housing  201 , a connection portion  211  to couple the photoreceptor  21  to a device mechanism (not illustrated) arranged on the main unit side projects. The photoreceptor  21 , the developing roll  241  of the developing device  24  and the stir and convey members  242 ,  243  are arranged in parallel with each other. Incidentally, in  FIG. 3 , a portion of the developing roll  241  and the stir and convey members  242 ,  243  are illustrated by dashed lines. In addition, the end face  201   b  which is to be a rear end side when the process cartridge  200 Y is attached is provided with a discharge section  261  to discharge toner collected through the cleaning by the photoreceptor cleaner  26 . 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram illustrating an external appearance of the process cartridge illustrated in  FIG. 3  when the front is viewed from lower right. 
     The process cartridge  200 Y is provided with a sensor  247  to detect toner density, a memory element  27 , two connectors of a sensor connector  28  and a memory connector  29 . The sensor  247  and the two connectors  28 ,  29  are attached to the side face  201   c  of the cartridge housing  201 . The sensor  247  is attached on an external side of the cartridge housing  201 , and a detect section  247   a  passes through the cartridge housing  201  to be exposed in the developing device  24 . The sensor  247  detects toner density of the developing device  24  and outputs a signal representing the toner density, the sensor  247  is connected to the sensor connector  28  by a leading wire  246  arranged in a cover. 
     The sensor connector  28  and the memory connector  29  are arranged adjacently to each other. The sensor connector  28  and the memory connector  29  are electrically connected to a main unit side connector  96  (see  FIG. 3 ) when the process cartridge  200  is attached. On a connecting face  28   a  of the sensor connector  28 , three connecting terminals  281  are arranged. On a connecting face  29   a  of the memory connector  29 , four connecting terminals  291  are arranged. 
     In the memory element  27 , information representing a state of the process cartridge  200  is stored. For example, a color of toner treated by the process cartridge  200  or a history of a number of images formed are stored. Into the memory element  27 , information stored by the control section  1 A of the image forming unit U 2  is read. In addition, information is written in by a control section  1 A, and information is also written in a production stage of the process cartridge  200  before being connected to the control section  1 A. The memory element  27  is arranged in deep behind the memory connector  29  and is electrically connected to the memory connector  29 . 
     Here, the cartridge housing  201  corresponds to an example of the supporting member according to the aspect of the present invention. In addition, the sensor connector  28  corresponds to an example of the cartridge side connector according to the aspect of the present invention. Further, the memory element  27  corresponds to an example of the storage device according to an aspect of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating the guide member illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
     In the guide member  90  illustrated in  FIG. 5 , four cartridge mount sections  91  where the four process cartridges  200 Y- 200 K (see  FIG. 3 ) are arranged side-by-side in the width direction X. On both sides of each of the cartridge mount sections  91  are provided guide rails  92  extending in the depth direction Y. The process cartridges  200 Y- 200 K are guided to move in the depth direction Y and to be attached to the guide member  90 . In addition, each of the cartridge mount sections  91  is provided also with a light pass-through opening  93  to let the exposure beam from the exposure device  30  pass through and a cleaning window  94  to insert a cleaning tip to clean the exposure device  30 . In addition, the guide member  90  is provided also with a fixing section  95  to fix the guide member  90  to the housing F of the image forming unit U 2  by using a screw and the like. 
     In a deeper side in the depth direction Y than the light pass through opening  93  of each of the cartridge mount sections  91 , four main unit side connectors  96  are arranged. Each of the main unit side connectors  96  is provided with seven terminals  961 . The terminals  961  are formed of thin leaf spring and project in a shape of rising upwardly from the connecting face  29   a . Each of the main unit side connectors  96  is attached such that the connecting face  29   a  provided with the terminals  961  faces upward, that is, each of the main unit side connectors  96  penetrates the guide member  90  toward the process cartridges  200 Y- 200 K in the attached state. Each of the main unit side connectors  96  is connected through a conductive wire (not illustrated) to the control section  1 A (see  FIG. 2 ). 
     In assembling of the copy machine  1 , since the main unit side connectors  96  are attached to the guide member  90 , firstly, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the four main unit side connectors  96  are attached to the guide member  90  for each of the conductive wires, and subsequently, the guide member  90  is fixed to the housing. With this, arranging of the guide member  90  and arranging of the main unit side connectors  96  are performed collectively, and so a work to attach the connectors each as a single unit in the deep side of the inside of the copy machine  1  may be omitted. Thus, the work may be reduced comparing to the case of attaching the connectors each as a single unit. 
       FIG. 6  is a sectional schematic view illustrating a part of the guide member and the process cartridge illustrated in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 6  illustrates a state of the process cartridge before attaching has not been completed. 
     The process cartridge  200 Y is further pushed in the depth direction Y from the state illustrated in  FIG. 6 , and the attachment is completed at a position where the sensor connector  28  and the memory connector  29  are electrically connected to the main unit side connector  96 . In the state where the process cartridge  200 Y is attached, the connecting terminals  281  of the sensor connector  28  and the connecting terminal  291  of the memory connector  29  (see  FIG. 4 ) push downwardly the connecting terminals  961  of the main unit side connectors  96 , thereby contacting the connecting terminal  961 . Therefore, the connecting terminals  961  are pushed to abut on the connecting terminals  281  and the connecting terminals  291  by an elastic force, so that a contact failure is avoided even in a case of receiving a vibration or the like. 
     When the sensor connectors  28  and the main unit side connector  96  are electrically connected, the signal outputted from the sensor  247  is supplied via the sensor connector  28  and the main unit side connector  96  to the control section  1 A (see  FIG. 2 ). In addition, to the main unit side connector  96  of the guide member  90 , the memory connector  29  (see  FIG. 4 ) connected to the memory element  27  is also connected, and the control section  1 A writes information in the memory element  27  or reads information from the memory element  27 . 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic cross-sectional view to explain a position relation between the process cartridge and a connector in an attached state.  FIG. 7  illustrates a position relation of the process cartridge  200 Y, the guide member  90  and the exposure device  30  viewed in the width direction X. 
     The photoreceptor  21  of the process cartridge  200 Y is scanned by the exposure beam from the exposure device  30  in a rotation axis direction, i.e., in the depth direction Y. The exposure beam is reflected by the light guiding mirror  33  in the exposure device  30  and passes through the light pass through opening  93  of the guide member  90  to be emitted to a lower portion of the photoreceptor  21 . A length in which the exposure beam scans on the photoreceptor  21  is determined according to a range in which the copy machine  1  may form an image on a sheet. In addition, a pass through area P of the exposure beam expands as coming closer to the photoreceptor  21  with respect to the depth direction Y, and inversely, narrows as coming downwardly. For this reason, under the photoreceptor  21 , there is a space S through which the exposure beam does not pass. This space S expands as coming closer to the exposure device  30  from the photoreceptor  21 . 
     The main unit side connector  96  is arranged on a side closer to a side of scanning by the exposure beam than the process cartridge  200 Y, i.e., under the process cartridge  200 Y, at a position to avoid the pass through area P of the exposure beam. That is, the space S where the exposure light does not pass is utilized to arrange the main unit side connector  96  on the side of the guide member  90 . 
     In a deeper place than the end face  201   a  of the process cartridge  200 Y are arranged the toner receiving section  245  and the mechanism to drive and thereby rotate the photoreceptor  21 . In addition, over the process cartridge  200 Y, the primary transfer device  25  and the intermediate transfer belt  40  (see  FIG. 2 ) are arranged and there is no space for arranging a connector. Here, if a connector is arranged on a tip of the toner receiving section  245  of the process cartridge  200 Y, a space may be obtained for a connector between the toner receiving section  245  of the process cartridge  200 Y and the housing F. 
     In the copy machine  1  according to the present exemplary embodiment, the main unit side connector  96  is provided at a position adjacent to the end face  201   c  of the process cartridge  200 Y, and the sensor connector  28  and memory connector  29  are provided on the side face  201   c , so that a distance between the process cartridge  200 Y and the housing is reduced comparing to a case where a connector is provided on the tip of the toner receiving section  245 , and a size in the depth direction Y of the copy machine  1  is reduced and an installation area thereof is reduced. In addition, the main unit side connector  96  is arranged at a position on a side closer to a side of scanning by the exposure beam than the process cartridge  200 Y and avoiding the pass through area P of the exposure beam, so that the main unit side connector  96 , the sensor connector  28  and the memory connector  29  may be arranged without leaving a space for arranging a connector between the process cartridge  200 Y and the exposure device  30 . Accordingly, an increase of the height of the copy machine  1  may be avoided. 
     Incidentally, in the above-described exemplary embodiment, the main unit side connector  96  having the seven connecting terminals is described as an example of the main unit side connector accordingly to the aspect of the present invention, the sensor connector  28  having the three connecting terminals is described as an example of the cartridge side connector according to the aspect of present invention, and the memory connector  29  having the four connecting terminals is described as an example of the storage device connector according to the aspect of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to these examples. For example, the respective connecting terminals may be plural other than seven, four and three, or may be single. 
     In addition, in the above-described exemplary embodiment, as an example of the process cartridge according to the aspect of the present invention, the process cartridge  200 Y provided with the photoreceptor  21 , the charging device  22 , the developing device  24  and the photoreceptor cleaner  26  is described. However, the process cartridge according to the aspect of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the process cartridge according to the aspect of the present invention may be one without a charging device or a photoreceptor cleaner, or instead, may be one provided with a transfer device. 
     In addition, in the above-described exemplary embodiment, the sensor connector  28  is described as an example of the cartridge side connector according to the aspect of the present invention. However, the cartridge side connector is not limited to this. For example, the cartridge side connector according to the aspect of the present invention may be one for supplying a control signal or electrical power to a component in the cartridge. 
     In addition, in the above-described present exemplary embodiment, as an example of the storage device according to the aspect of the present invention, the memory element arranged in a deep side of the connector is described. However, the storage device according to the aspect of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the storage device according to the aspect of the present invention may be one arranged away from the connector. 
     In addition, in the above-described exemplary embodiment, the tandem-type color printer is described as an example of the image forming apparatus according to the aspect of the present invention. However, the image forming apparatus according to the aspect of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the image forming apparatus according to the aspect of the present invention may be a printer dedicated for monochrome without an intermediate transfer belt. 
     Further, in the above-described exemplary embodiment, the copy machine is described as the image forming apparatus. However, the image forming apparatus according to the aspect of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the image forming apparatus according to the aspect of the present invention may be a facsimile or a printer without an original document reading function. 
     The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention has been provided for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.