Patent ID: 7162189

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a process cartridge which comprises: an image bearing member configured to have formed on a surface thereof an electrostatic latent image; a developer container having a toner inlet mounted on a top surface thereof; a developer bearing member arranged in a vicinity of and in parallel with the image bearing member and configured to carry the developer to a toner image developing area formed between the image bearing member and the developer bearing member; and a pair of side plates arranged parallel to and separated from each other by a distance defining a longitudinal width of the process cartridge, the pair of side plates being configured to support the image bearing member, the developer container, and the developer bearing member; a detachable toner storage; and a toner supplying unit configured to convey toner from the detachable toner storage to the developer container through the toner inlet, wherein the toner supplying unit further comprises: a tubular engager mounted to a lower-end portion of the toner supplying unit and configured to slide in a direction parallel to a direction in which the process cartridge is inserted to engage the toner supplying unit; and a toner outlet arranged at a position in the lower-end portion of the toner supplying unit facing the toner inlet of the developer container of the process cartridge.