Patent ID: 7941069

Claim:
A process cartridge for an image forming apparatus, comprising: a photoconductor; a charging roller; a cleaning device; a developing device; an agitator; a plurality of agitating rollers; a toner supply roller; a plurality of gears including, a first gear configured to drive the photoconductor; a second gear configured to drive the charging roller, a third gear configured to drive the developing device, a fourth gear configured to drive the agitator, a fifth gear configured to drive the toner supply roller; and a gearbox configured to house the plurality of gears, wherein the gear box is provided with, an air inlet located on a first surface facing a second adjacent process cartridge; an air outlet, wherein the plurality of gears are disposed between the air inlet and the air outlet, wherein the air flows along the plurality of gears in the gearbox to cool down the plurality of gears; and a groove that extends along a substantially entire longitudinal length of the process cartridge, the groove being located on a second surface opposite to the first surface, part of the groove being communicated with an air inlet of a the second adjacent process cartridge, wherein the process cartridge is configured to be closely arranged in parallel with another process cartridge in the image forming apparatus.