Patent ID: 6917774

Claim:
A process cartridge mounting and demounting mechanism for detachably mounting a process cartridge to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge including an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means actable on said electrophotographic photosensitive member, said mechanism comprising: an opening through which said process cartridge is inserted into the main assembly of the apparatus and is removed from the main assembly of the apparatus; an opening and closing member configured and positioned to open and close said opening; a cartridge mounting member configured and positioned to demountably mount said process cartridge; mounting member holding means for movably holding said cartridge mounting member in interrelation with an operation of said opening and closing member at a first position in which said process cartridge is detachably mountable with said opening and closing member being in an open state and at a second position in which said process cartridge is capable of performing an operation for image formation with said opening and closing member being in a closing state; a process cartridge supporting means for supporting said process cartridge at the second position; a guide to be positioned, and wherein said process cartridge supporting means is positioning means engageable with said guide to be positioned; and assisting means for urging a portion to be urged of said process cartridge to position said guide to be positioned relative to said positioning means which is positioned at the second position, wherein said guide to be positioned and said portion to be urged are provided at one end of said process cartridge with respect to a longitudinal direction of said photosensitive member; wherein said assisting means functions to urge said portion to be urged in a closing operation of said opening and closing member, and said assisting means releases said portion to be urged in an opening operation of said opening and closing member.