JP2005173335A - Process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively perform cooling of toner, a development roller and a photoreceptor drum for image stabilization, in addition, to accurately and stably operate a development alienation mechanism and to prevent falling crack of a supporting part of a charging roller bearing. <P>SOLUTION: This process cartridge has an electrophotographic photoreceptor drum, a cleaning member which scratches off developer residue on the photoreceptor drum, an elastic part to be brought into contact with the photoreceptor drum constituting the cleaning member, a metal part fixed to the elastic part, a charging roller to be brought into contact with the surface of the photoreceptor drum and charges it, a bearing member which pivotally supports the charging roller, a pressurization member which pressurizes the bearing member to the side of the photoreceptor drum and a supporting part which slidably supports the bearing member in a radial direction of the photoreceptor drum. Both longitudinal ends of the metal part of the cleaning member forms the supporting part of the bearing member and the supporting part is exposed to a wind path of a cooling fan installed to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and a process cartridge that can be attached to and detached from the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

  Here, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording medium using an electrophotographic image forming system. Examples of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus include an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (for example, a laser beam printer, an LED printer, etc.), a facsimile apparatus, a word processor, and the like.

  The process cartridge is a cartridge in which a charging unit, a developing unit or a cleaning unit and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally formed, and the cartridge can be attached to and detached from the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. In addition, at least one of the charging unit, the developing unit, and the cleaning unit and the electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally formed into a cartridge that can be attached to and detached from the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. Further, it means that at least the developing means and the electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrated into a cartridge so that it can be attached to and detached from the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

  1. The process speed has been increased along with the increase in the speed of image forming apparatuses such as copying machines and printers, and the melting point of toner has been lowered. On the other hand, the process cartridge has been lifted by frictional heat between image forming members due to the increased process speed. Due to the deterioration of the low-melting-point toner at higher temperatures and higher temperatures, the tolerance for the deterioration of the printed image is reduced. In general, in order to lower the temperature rise, means for taking outside air into the process cartridge by a fan provided in the image forming apparatus and cooling it is used. There are two conventional examples of how the wind from the fan is applied to the process cartridge.

  A fan for blowing an air flow inside the photosensitive drum is provided inside the photosensitive drum. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  In order to prevent heat generated by the fixing device in the image forming apparatus from reaching the process cartridge, the shutter that protects the photosensitive drum is a hollow portion, and when the process cartridge is mounted in the image forming apparatus, the shutter Opens and closes, opens and closes between the fixing device and the process cartridge, and shuts off heat by sending air to the hollow portion. (For example, refer to Patent Document 2).

  2. As one form of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, there is an inline type color electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which a plurality of process cartridges are arranged in a line. Further, as the developing means used here, there is a contact developing system in which development is performed in a state where the developing roller is in contact with the electrophotographic photosensitive drum.

  In this developing method, the developing roller and the photosensitive drum maintain a predetermined contact pressure during the image forming operation, and the developing roller is urged against the photosensitive drum, while the image forming operation is performed. If not, an image forming apparatus provided with a mechanism for separating the photosensitive drum and the developing roller is proposed in order to prevent the elastic layer of the developing roller from being permanently deformed and deteriorating the image quality due to being left for a long time. ing. FIG. 3 shows the configuration of a conventional separation mechanism. The cleaning unit 8 of the process cartridge 7 is always mounted in a stationary state with respect to the image forming apparatus main body. On the other hand, the developing unit 51 is held in a state of being suspended from the cleaning unit 8 by a swinging central axis C42. The developing roller 5 is pressed by the pressure spring 35 integrally with the developing unit 51 and is urged toward the photosensitive drum 1. The separation mechanism operates in such a manner that a separation plate (not shown) that is provided on the image forming apparatus and that can move up and down acts on the working point 48 of the developing unit to push up the developing unit 51 and resist the pressure applied by the pressure spring 35. The developing unit 51 is rotated. At this time, the developing roller 5 is separated from the photosensitive drum 1 integrally with the developing unit 51.

3. The charging roller 2 that charges the photosensitive drum 1 is urged by a certain contact pressure and comes into contact with the photosensitive drum 1. As this urging configuration, as shown in FIG. 4, a groove-shaped portion 53 is provided in the cleaning container 52 that supports the photosensitive drum, and the bearing of the charging roller 2 is slidably supported. As a support structure of the charging roller, proposals have been made to make the sliding amount of the bearing of the charging roller different between one end and the other end. (For example, refer to Patent Document 3).
JP 04-199081 (page 3-4, Fig. 4) JP 2000-330456 (page 4-6, Fig. 10) Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 06-317975 (Page 7, Figure 17)

  In order to cool the toner or the developing roller and the photosensitive drum, it is most effective to cool them directly by blowing air, but the developing roller and the exposed part of the photosensitive drum, that is, on the surface of the developing roller and the photosensitive drum When the air is directly applied to the portion where the toner is placed, the toner is scattered.

  In the conventional separation mechanism, two frames, a frame body 1 that supports the photosensitive drum and a frame body 2 that supports the developing roller, are supported in a swingable manner. The photosensitive drum and the developing roller were separated from each other by applying force and swinging. In order to operate this separation mechanism with high accuracy, the developing roller must be reliably separated by a predetermined amount of movement of the action point, which requires ensuring the strength of the frame 2. .

  Since the groove-shaped portion for supporting the charging roller bearing is made of resin, there is often a problem that cracking occurs when an impact such as dropping the process cartridge is applied.

  The present invention solves the problems in the previous period, and the object of the present invention is to effectively cool the toner, the developing roller, and the photosensitive drum in order to stabilize the image, and to stabilize the developing separation mechanism with high accuracy. It is intended to operate and to prevent falling cracks at the support portion of the charging roller bearing.

  In order to achieve the above object, a typical configuration according to the present invention includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a cleaning member for scraping off developer residue on the photosensitive drum, and a photosensitive member constituting the cleaning member. An elastic portion that contacts the drum; a metal portion fixed to the elastic portion; a charging roller that contacts and charges the surface of the photosensitive drum; a bearing member that supports the charging roller; and the bearing member that is the photosensitive member. A pressure member that pressurizes the drum, and a support portion that supports the bearing member so as to be slidable in the radial direction of the photosensitive drum, and both longitudinal ends of the metal portion of the cleaning member are formed on the bearing member. A support portion is formed, and the support portion is exposed to an air path of a cooling fan installed in the electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the toner or the developing roller and the photosensitive drum are effectively cooled in order to stabilize the image, and the developing separation mechanism is operated with high accuracy and stability. It is possible to provide a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus that prevent the supporting portion from falling.

  Hereinafter, a multicolor image forming apparatus will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as an embodiment of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

[Overall configuration of multicolor image forming apparatus]
First, the overall configuration of the multicolor image forming apparatus will be schematically described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the overall configuration of a full-color laser beam printer which is an embodiment of a multicolor image forming apparatus.

  The multi-color image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as apparatus main body 100) shown in FIG. 1 includes four photosensitive drums 1 (1a, 1b, 1c, 1d) arranged in parallel in the vertical direction. The photosensitive drums 1a to 1d are driven to rotate counterclockwise in the drawing by driving means (not shown). The periphery of the photosensitive drum 1 is irradiated with a laser beam in order according to the rotation direction, and a charging device 2 (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) for uniformly charging the surface of the photosensitive drum 1, and a laser beam based on image information, A scanner unit 3 (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) which is an exposure means for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 1, and a developing device 4 for developing a toner image by attaching a developer to the electrostatic latent image. (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d), an electrostatic transfer device 50 that transfers the toner image on the photosensitive drum 1 to the transfer material S, and a cleaning device that removes transfer residual toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 after transfer. 6 (6a, 6b, 6c, 6d) and the like are arranged.

  The photosensitive drum 1, the charging device 2, the developing device 4, and the cleaning device 6 are each integrally formed as a cartridge to form a process cartridge 7.

  Hereinafter, the photosensitive drum 1 will be described in detail.

  The photoconductor drum 1 is configured by applying an organic photoconductive layer (OPC photoconductor) to the outer peripheral surface of an aluminum cylinder having a diameter of 30 mm, for example. Both ends of the photosensitive drum 1 are rotatably supported by a support member (not shown), and a driving force from a drive motor (not shown) provided in the apparatus main body 100 is transmitted to one end. Thus, it is rotationally driven counterclockwise in FIG.

  As the charging device 2, a contact charging type can be used. The charging member is a conductive charging roller formed in a roller shape. The charging member is brought into contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 and a charging bias voltage is applied to the charging roller to It is charged uniformly.

  The scanner unit 3 is provided in the apparatus main body 100, and is arranged in a substantially horizontal direction of the photosensitive drum 1, and image light corresponding to an image signal is rotated at high speed by a scanner motor (not shown) by a laser diode (not shown). The polygon mirror 9 (9a, 9b, 9c, 9d) is irradiated. The image light reflected by the polygon mirror 9 selectively exposes the surface of the charged photosensitive drum 1 through the imaging lens 10 (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) to form an electrostatic latent image. It is configured as follows.

  Each of the developing devices 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d is composed of a developing unit that stores toner of each color of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. The developing device 4 is a device in which a developing roller 5 having a rotation shaft arranged substantially parallel to the rotation shaft of the photosensitive drum 1 is rotatably supported by the developing device, and the developer contained in the developing device is developed. The roller 5 supplies the photosensitive drum 1. Then, a visible toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 1.

The apparatus main body 100 is provided with an electrostatic transfer belt 11 that circulates and moves so as to face and be in contact with all the photosensitive drums 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d. The electrostatic transfer belt 11 is composed of a film-like member having a volume resistivity of 10 ¹¹ to 10 ¹⁴ Ω · cm and a thickness of about 150 μm. The electrostatic transfer belt 11 is supported by four rollers in the vertical direction, and circulates so that the transfer material S is electrostatically attracted to the outer peripheral surface on the left side in FIG. Moving. As a result, the transfer material S is conveyed to the transfer position by the electrostatic transfer belt 11 and the toner image on the photosensitive drum 1 is transferred.

  The transfer roller 12 (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) is arranged in parallel at a position in contact with the inside of the electrostatic transfer belt 11 and facing the four photosensitive drums 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d. A positive charge is applied from the transfer roller 12 to the transfer material S that is a recording medium via the electrostatic transfer belt 11, and the electric field due to the charge causes the transfer material S in contact with the photosensitive drum 1 to be transferred to the photosensitive drum. The negative polarity toner image on 1 is transferred.

  The electrostatic transfer belt 11 is a belt having a circumferential length of about 700 mm and a thickness of 150 μm. The belt is stretched by four rollers of a driving roller 13, driven rollers 14 a and 14 b and a tension roller 15. Rotate to. As a result, the above-described electrostatic transfer belt 11 circulates and the toner image is transferred while the transfer material S is conveyed from the driven roller 14a side to the drive roller 13 side.

  The paper feeding unit 16 feeds and conveys the transfer material S to the image forming unit such as the electrostatic transfer belt 11. A plurality of transfer materials S are stored in the paper feed cassette 17. At the time of image formation, the paper feed roller 18 (half-moon roller) is driven according to the image forming operation to separate and feed the transfer material S in the paper feed cassette 17 one by one. The leading edge of the transfer material S hits the registration roller pair 19 and stops temporarily. Thereafter, the transfer material S is fed to the electrostatic transfer belt 11 by the registration roller pair 19 in synchronization with the rotation of the electrostatic transfer belt 11 and the image writing position.

  The fixing unit 20 fixes a plurality of color toner images transferred to the transfer material S, and includes a heating roller 21a that rotates, and a pressure roller 21b that presses and applies heat and pressure to the transfer material S. Consists of. The transfer material S on which the toner image on the photosensitive drum 1 is transferred is conveyed by the heating roller 21a and the pressure roller 21b when passing through the fixing unit 20, and is heated and heated by the heating roller 21a and the pressure roller 21b. Given pressure. As a result, the toner images of a plurality of colors are fixed on the surface of the transfer material S.

  As an image forming operation, the process cartridges 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d are sequentially driven in accordance with the print timing, and the photosensitive drums 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d rotate counterclockwise in accordance with the drive. Driven. Then, the scanner units 3a to 3d corresponding to the process cartridges 7a to 7d are sequentially driven. By this driving, the charging roller provided in the charging device 2 applies a uniform charge to the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1, and the scanner unit 3 exposes the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 according to the image signal. Then, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1. The developing roller 5 in the developing device 4 transfers (develops) a toner image on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 by transferring the developer to the low potential portion of the electrostatic latent image.

  At the timing when the leading edge of the toner image on the circumferential surface of the uppermost photosensitive drum 1 is rotated and conveyed to a point facing the electrostatic transfer belt 11, the printing start position of the transfer material S coincides with that point. The transfer material S is fed to the electrostatic transfer belt 11 by controlling the feeding of the transfer material by the rotation of the registration roller pair 19.

  The transfer material S is pressed against the outer periphery of the electrostatic transfer belt 11 so as to be sandwiched between the electrostatic adsorption roller 22 and the electrostatic transfer belt 11, and a voltage is applied between the electrostatic transfer belt 11 and the electrostatic adsorption roller 22. By applying the charge, a charge is induced in the transfer material S which is a dielectric and the dielectric layer of the electrostatic transfer belt 11, and the transfer material S is electrostatically attracted to the outer periphery of the electrostatic transfer belt 11. . As a result, the transfer material S is stably adsorbed to the electrostatic transfer belt 11 and conveyed to the most downstream transfer unit.

  While being conveyed in this manner, the toner images on the photosensitive drums 1a to 1d are sequentially transferred onto the transfer material S by an electric field formed between the photosensitive drums 1a to 1d and the transfer rollers 12a to 12d.

  The transfer material S on which the toner images of four colors are transferred is separated from the electrostatic transfer belt 11 by the curvature of the belt driving roller 13 and is carried into the fixing unit 20. After the toner image is thermally fixed by the fixing unit 20, the transfer material S is discharged from the apparatus main body 100 by the paper discharge roller pair 23 with the image surface facing down.

  Next, the process cartridge will be described in detail.

(Cleaning unit)
FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the process cartridge 7 in the present embodiment. The photosensitive drum 1 is attached to the cleaning unit 8 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis. The cleaning unit 8 is also provided with a cleaning blade 6 that contacts the photosensitive drum 1 and removes toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 1 and a charging roller 2 for uniformly charging the surface of the photosensitive drum 1. It has been. In the container of the cleaning unit 8, a transport member 29 that transports the removed toner to the back of the container is provided.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the cleaning blade 6. The cleaning blade 6 is configured by adhering urethane rubber 37 to a steel plate 36. Both longitudinal ends of the steel plate 36 are bent to form a groove shape 38 that supports the charging roller bearing.

  FIG. 6 shows a state where the charging roller 2 and the charging roller bearing 39 are attached to the cleaning blade 6 and how they are incorporated into the cleaning container 52.

  FIG. 7 shows a state where the cleaning blade 6 and the charging roller 2 are incorporated in the cleaning container 52. The charging roller 2 is made of a member obtained by molding rubber around a metal shaft. When the cleaning unit 8 receives a strong impact such as dropping, a great load is applied to the charging roller bearing 39 or the groove-shaped portion 38 that supports the charging roller bearing by the weight of the charging roller 2. In this patent, since the first groove-shaped portion 38 is made of a steel plate integrally with the cleaning blade 6, even if a load occurs, a fatal defect such as a crack or a breakage is unlikely to occur.

  As shown in FIG. 7, holes 40 are formed at both longitudinal ends of the cleaning container 52 so that the groove-shaped portion 38 of the cleaning blade is exposed to the outside. The cleaning unit 8 is coupled to the developing unit 51 after the photosensitive drum 1 is attached. FIG. 8 shows the state of coupling. The coupling pin 42 is fitted into the hole 54 of the cleaning unit so as to pass through the swing center hole 41 provided in the developing unit 51. 9 and 10 are side views of the cleaning unit 8 and the developing unit 51 in a combined state. Even when both units are coupled, the groove-shaped portion 38 of the cleaning blade is exposed through the hole 40 of the cleaning container 52. The air from the fan from the image forming apparatus main body blows into this portion, the cleaning blade steel plate having high thermal conductivity is cooled, and the image forming portion such as the photosensitive drum in contact therewith can be effectively cooled.

(Development unit)
In FIG. 2, the developing unit 51 is shown below the cleaning unit 8. In the developing unit 51, a developer container 30 for containing a developer, a developing roller 5 as a developer carrying member, a developing blade 31 for regulating the amount of developer on the developing roller 5, a developer supplying roller 32, and agitating the developer A stirring member 33 is provided. In the developing unit 51, the developer is sent from the developer container 30 to the developer supply roller 32 by the stirring member 33, and the developer is supplied to the developing roller 5 by the developer supply roller 32. The developing blade 31 pressed against the outer periphery of the developing roller 5 regulates the toner layer thickness on the developing roller 5, applies a thin layer of developer to the outer periphery of the developing roller 5 that rotates in the clockwise direction in the figure, and develops Charges the agent. The stirring member 33 has an elastic sheet-like stirring blade 34 attached to a shaft provided to be rotationally driven by the developing container 30 and rotates counterclockwise.

  A perspective view of the developing blade 31 is shown in the figure. The developing blade is constituted by joining a phosphor bronze thin plate 56 having a thickness of about t0.1 to a steel plate 55 by spot welding or the like. Both longitudinal end portions of the steel plate portion of the developing blade have an extended shape 57 as shown in the figure.

  FIG. 12 shows a state where the developing blade 31 is attached to the developing unit 51. A hole or relief portion 60 is formed in the bearing member 58 that supports the developing roller and the cover member 59 that covers this so that both end portions 57 of the developing blade are exposed to the outside of the developing unit 51. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the developing unit 51 with the developing blade 31 and other members attached thereto.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the developing unit 51 and the cleaning unit 8 are rotatably coupled by a coupling pin 42 and then press the photosensitive drum 1 and the developing roller 5 by a pressure spring 35 as shown in FIG. To do. In FIG. 2, C <b> 42 is the position of the coupling pin 42.

  FIG. 14 shows a separation mechanism between the photosensitive drum 1 and the developing roller 5 of this patent. When the cam 61 provided on the image forming apparatus main body side rotates and reaches the position indicated by the alternate long and short dash line, if a force is applied to the opposite ends 57 of the developing blade in the direction shown in the figure, the developing unit 51 moves against the cleaning unit 8. To rotate about the swing center axis C42. The developing roller 5 is biased toward the photosensitive drum 1 by a pressure spring, but the developing roller 5 can be separated from the photosensitive drum 1 by the rotation of the developing unit 51 by the force of the cam 61.

  In order to stabilize the amount of separation between the developing roller 5 and the photosensitive drum 1 with respect to the amount by which the working point 48 (both ends of the developing blade) of the developing unit 51 moves by receiving force from the cam 61, the developing unit 51, in particular, it is necessary to increase the strength from the previous swing center C42 to the action point 48. This is because, when the strength of the developing unit 51 is weak, the developing unit 51 receives a load with respect to the movement of the action point 48 and a deflection occurs, and the amount of separation between the developing roller 5 and the photosensitive drum 1 decreases or cannot be separated at all. Because there is. In the case of this patent, the working point 48 of the developing unit is composed of a steel plate of a high strength developing blade, and the distance from the swing center C42 to the working point 48 is short when viewed in cross section. The distance between the developing roller 5 and the photosensitive drum 1 can be stably maintained with respect to the amount of movement.

  FIG. 15 shows a state in which the process cartridge 7 is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body 100. The process cartridge 7 receives a drive input from a drive gear 27 provided in the image forming apparatus main body 100. Cams 61 for the separation mechanism are provided on both side surfaces of the image forming apparatus main body.

  Both end portions 57 of the developing blade are exposed from the side surface of the process cartridge 7 as shown in FIG. 15, and the developing blade 31 can be cooled by sending wind from the image forming apparatus main body to this portion. The developing blade 31 is a steel plate having a high thermal conductivity and contacts the developing roller 5 and the toner inside the developing unit, so that the image forming unit can be cooled effectively.

  FIG. 16 shows an installed state of the fan 62 of the image forming apparatus main body. Air is taken in from the front side on the side of the image forming apparatus main body, and air is released from the rear side (dashed line). Thus, by providing an air passage on the side surface of the process cartridge 7 inside the image forming apparatus, both ends of the cleaning blade and the developing blade exposed from the side surface of the previous process cartridge 7 can be cooled.

1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the process cartridge of this invention. It is the side view which showed the conventional separation mechanism. It is a conventional charging roller bearing support groove shape portion. It is a perspective view of a cleaning blade. It is a perspective view which attaches a cleaning blade to a cleaning unit. It is a perspective view of a cleaning unit. It is a combined perspective view of a cleaning unit and a developing unit. It is a left view of a process cartridge. It is a right view of a process cartridge. It is a perspective view of a developing blade. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of attaching the developing blade to the developing unit. It is a perspective view of a developing unit. It is a side view which shows a separation mechanism. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of mounting a process cartridge on the image forming apparatus main body. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a fan air path of the image forming apparatus main body.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Photosensitive drum 2a-2d Charging device 2f Charging roller 3a-3d Scanner unit 4a-4d Developing device 5 Developing roller 6a-6d Cleaning device 6f Cleaning blade 7 Process cartridge 8 Cleaning unit 8a End plate 8b Outer plate 9 Polygon mirror 10 Connection Image lens 11 Electrostatic transfer belt 12 Transfer roller 13 Drive roller 14a, 14b Follower roller 15 Tension roller 16 Paper feed unit 17 Paper feed cassette 18 Paper feed roller 19 Registration roller 20 Fixing unit 21a Heating roller 21b Pressure roller 22 Electrostatic adsorption Roller 23 Paper discharge roller pair 24 Paper discharge unit 29 Conveying member 30 Developer container 31 Developing blade 32 Developer supply roller 33 Stirring member 34 Stirring blade 35 Pressure spring 36 Cleaning blade steel plate 37 Cleanie Grubber rubber part 38 Groove shape 39 Charging roller bearing 40 Cleaning container hole part 41 Development unit rocking center hole 42 Connecting pin C42 Swing center 48 Developing unit action point 51 Developing unit 52 Cleaning container 53 Groove shape part 54 Cleaning unit rocking center hole 55 Development Blade Steel Plate 56 Development Blade Thin Plate 57 Development Blade Steel Plate Extension Shape 58 Development Roller Bearing Member 59 Cover Member 60 Development Blade Escape Hole 61 Separation Mechanism Cam 62 Fan 100 Device Main Body

Claims (3)

In a process cartridge that can be attached to and detached from the electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body,
An electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
A cleaning member for scraping off developer residue on the photosensitive drum;
An elastic part that contacts the photosensitive drum, and a metal part that is fixed to the elastic part, constituting the cleaning member;
A charging roller that contacts and charges the surface of the photosensitive drum;
A bearing member for supporting the charging roller;
A pressure member that pressurizes the bearing member toward the photosensitive drum;
A support portion for slidably supporting the bearing member in the radial direction of the photosensitive drum;
Have
The longitudinal ends of the metal part of the cleaning member form a support part of the bearing member,
The process cartridge is characterized in that the support portion is exposed to an air path of a cooling fan installed in the electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body. In a process cartridge that can be attached to and detached from the electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body,
An electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
A first frame for holding the electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
Developing means for developing a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
A second frame that holds the developing means and is swingably coupled to the first frame;
A developing blade for applying a thin layer of developer to the developing means;
Have
Both end portions of the developing blade are in contact with a movable portion provided in the electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body, and an action portion that swings the second frame body with respect to the first frame body is formed.
The process cartridge is exposed to an air path of a cooling fan installed in the electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body. In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which a process cartridge is detachable and forms an image on a recording medium.
a. A mounting means for detachably mounting the process cartridge according to claim 1 or 2,
b. Conveying means for conveying the recording medium;
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising:

Images