Patent ID: 7006776

Claim:
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, the process cartridge including an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; process means actable on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a cartridge frame supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive drum and the process means; a cartridge guide projecting from the cartridge frame; and a cartridge coupling member provided at one end of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, said electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising: an opening through which the process cartridge is mounted and demounted; an opening and closing member configured and positioned to open and close said opening; a main assembly side guide configured and positioned to support the cartridge guide and movable in interrelation with opening and closing of said opening and closing member; a main assembly coupling member, movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to a process cartridge mounting direction in which the process cartridge is mounted to a main assembly of said apparatus, configured and positioned to connect to the cartridge coupling member to transmit a driving force from a driving source in said electrophotographic image forming apparatus to the cartridge coupling member; and driving connection means for effecting connection and disconnection between said main assembly coupling member and the cartridge coupling member by moving said main assembly coupling member in the direction substantially perpendicular to the process cartridge mounting direction in interrelation with opening and closing of said opening and closing member, wherein in a closing operation of said opening and closing member, said main assembly side guide first moves, and said main assembly coupling member is connected with the cartridge coupling member only after start of operation of said driving connection means at the time when the movement of said main assembly side guide is ending, and wherein in a full opening operation of said opening and closing member, said driving connection means first disconnects said main assembly coupling member and the cartridge coupling member from each other, and only then, said main assembly side guide is moved.