Patent ID: 8417152

Claim:
A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising: an image bearing member; a cleaning member for removing a developer from said image bearing member; a frame provided with an opening; a developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer which was removed by said cleaning member and passed through the opening; a sheet member, contacting said image bearing member, for preventing the developer from leaking out of said developer accommodating portion; a supporting portion, provided to said frame, for supporting said sheet member; and a reinforcing portion, provided to said frame, connecting one end side portion of said frame located upstream of the opening with the other end side portion of said frame located downstream of the opening, with respect to a rotational direction of said image bearing member, wherein a space is provided downstream of said reinforcing portion with respect to a direction from the opening toward said developer accommodating portion, for permitting movement of the developer in an axial direction of said image bearing member, and wherein said reinforcing portion is provided with a buffer portion that is bent with respect to a straight line connecting with one end-side portion with the other end-side portion.