JPH0973260A - Process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reinforce a welded part of a developing frame body and the toner frame body, to reduce a shaft-to-shaft margin between a sleeve gear and an idler gear, and to improve assemblability. SOLUTION: This device is constituted by welding the developing frame body 22 and the toner frame body 21 on the welding part 24, penetrating the positioning pins 34a and 34b of a developing holder 33 into positioning openings 32a and 32b of a sleeve bearing 31 and the developing frame body 22, and fitting the holder part 33 by small screws made penetrating in screw fitting parts 35a and 35b disposed on the both frame body 21 and 22 through the screw putting openings 35a1 and 35b1 of the holder member 33.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a process cartridge attachable to and detachable from an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

The above-mentioned process cartridge is a unit in which a charging unit or a cleaning unit, a developing unit and an electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge, and this cartridge is detachably mountable to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body. It is. Also, at least one of the charging means and the cleaning means, the developing means and the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally made into a cartridge so as to be attachable to and detachable from the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. Further, it means that at least the developing means and the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge so as to be detachable from the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

As the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, for example, an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer, (for example, LE
D printers, laser beam printers, etc.), electrophotographic facsimile machines, and electrophotographic word processors.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a further development of the prior art described below, and provides a process cartridge in which the accuracy and strength of mounting the toner frame and the developing frame are improved. With the goal.

[0005]

The first invention of the present invention is as follows:
In a process cartridge detachable from the main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a developing unit for developing a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a toner used for development by the developing unit are provided. A toner frame body having a toner storage portion for storing therein, a developing frame body having the developing means, a developing unit in which the toner frame body and the developing frame body are combined, and a holder member attached to the developing unit. And the holder member is detachably fixed to both the toner frame and the developing frame.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the developing means includes a developing sleeve having a sleeve gear that rotates coaxially and integrally, and a toner stirring member, and the holder member moves from the sleeve gear to the toner stirring member. The process cartridge according to the first aspect of the invention is characterized in that a gear for transmitting drive to the developing frame is positioned and held, and a sleeve bearing that supports the developing sleeve is positioned with respect to the developing frame.

In a third aspect of the present invention, the process cartridge comprises a charging means or a cleaning means, a developing means, and an electrophotographic photosensitive member, which are integrally formed into a cartridge, and the cartridge is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus. The process cartridge according to the first or second aspect of the invention, which is removable.

In a fourth aspect of the present invention, the process cartridge is a cartridge in which at least one of charging means, cleaning means, developing means and electrophotographic photosensitive member is integrally made into a cartridge and is attached to and detached from an image forming apparatus main body. The process cartridge according to the first or second aspect of the present invention that enables the process cartridge.

In a fifth aspect of the present invention, the process cartridge is one in which at least a developing means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge so that the cartridge can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body. The process cartridge according to the invention.

A sixth aspect of the present invention is an electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which a process cartridge can be attached and detached to form an image on a recording medium. The electrophotographic photosensitive member is formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the electrophotographic photosensitive member. A developing device for developing the latent image, a toner frame having a toner storage unit for storing the toner used in the development by the developing device, a developing frame having the developing device, the toner frame and the developing frame. A developing unit having a body joined thereto and a holder member attached to the developing unit. The holder member is detachably fixed to both the toner frame and the developing frame. The process cartridge can be removed. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising: a mounting unit for mounting the recording medium on b; and a conveying unit for conveying the recording medium.

[0011]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic image forming process, an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge, and this cartridge is used as an image forming apparatus. A process cartridge system detachable from the main body is employed. According to this process cartridge system, the maintenance of the apparatus can be performed by the user himself without resorting to service personnel, so that the operability can be markedly improved. Therefore, this process cartridge system is widely used in image forming apparatuses.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A first embodiment of the present invention relates to an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum in a process cartridge detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus main body. A toner frame having a developing means for developing an image and a frame body supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive drum and the developing means, and containing a part of the toner of the frame body, a developing sleeve and a toner stirring member. And a developing frame, and a holder member is attached to form a developing unit. The holder member is screwed to both the toner frame and the developing frame to be detachably fixed. It is a process cartridge that does.

In a second embodiment of the present invention, the developing means has a developing sleeve having a sleeve gear that rotates coaxially and integrally, and a toner agitating member, and the holder member agitates the toner from the sleeve gear. The process according to the first embodiment of the present invention, characterized in that a shaft bearing for positioning and holding a gear for transmitting drive to a member is provided, and a sleeve bearing for supporting a developing sleeve is positioned with respect to a developing device frame. It is a cartridge.

In the third embodiment of the present invention, the process cartridge is a charging roller, or a cleaning device, a developing device, and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally made into a cartridge, and the cartridge is image-formed. The process cartridge according to the first or second embodiment of the present invention, which is detachable from the main assembly of the apparatus.

According to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, the process cartridge is an image forming apparatus in which at least one of charging means and cleaning means, a developing device and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally formed into a cartridge. The process cartridge according to the first or second embodiment of the present invention, which is detachable from the main body.

In a fifth embodiment of the present invention, the process cartridge is such that at least a developing device and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally formed into a cartridge, which is attachable to and detachable from the apparatus main body. It is the process cartridge according to the embodiment of the first or second invention.

A sixth embodiment of the present invention is an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording paper, wherein a process cartridge is attachable / detachable, wherein a, an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and the electrophotographic photosensitive member. A developing device for developing the latent image formed on the body drum, a toner frame body having a toner storing portion for storing toner used for development in the developing device, a developing frame body having the developing device, A developing unit having a toner frame and a developing frame coupled to each other, and a holder member attached to the developing unit, wherein the holder member is detachably fixed to both the toner frame and the developing frame. An electrophotographic image comprising: a mounting means for removably mounting the existing process cartridge; b, a transport roller and a guide member for transporting the recording paper. It is formed apparatus.

(Detailed Description of Embodiments) Next, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment a) As an embodiment a,
The process cartridge and the electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the process cartridge is attachable / detachable will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 to 8.

Here, as the order of description, first, the overall structure of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which the process cartridge is mounted will be described with reference to FIG. 7, and then the structure of the process cartridge will be described with reference to FIG. 8.

As shown in FIG. 7, the image forming apparatus A includes a drum-shaped electrophotographic photosensitive member (hereinafter, photosensitive drum 8).
(Hereinafter referred to as “charging”) is charged by a charging roller 8 as a charging unit, and then a light image based on image information is irradiated from the optical system 1 to form a latent image. Then, the latent image is developed by the developing means 10.
Is developed on the photosensitive drum 8 using a developer (hereinafter referred to as "toner") to form a toner image. Then, in synchronization with the formation of the toner image, the recording medium 2 is loaded into the cassette 3a.
From the pickup roller 3b, the feeding roller 3j, the guide portion 3g, and the pair of separating rollers 3c1 and 3c2, and is formed on the photosensitive drum in the image forming portion cartridged as the process cartridge B. The toner image thus formed is transferred to a recording medium 2 by applying a voltage to a transfer roller 4 as a transfer unit, and the recording medium 2 is fixed to a fixing rotating body 5b having a heater 5a therein.
Then, the recording medium 2 is conveyed to the fixing means 5 composed of a drive roller 5c which presses and conveys the recording medium 2 to the rotating body 5b, and fixes the transferred toner image on the recording medium 2. Then, the recording medium 2 is discharged from the discharge roller pair 3e1 and 3e2 and discharge rollers 3f1 and 3f.
It is configured so that the sheet is conveyed by 2 and is discharged to the discharging section 7 through the reversing conveying path 6.

On the other hand, the process cartridge B forming the image forming section has the above-mentioned photosensitive drum 8, charging roller 9, developing means 10 and cleaning means 11. Then, as shown in FIG. 8, the photosensitive drum 8 having a photosensitive layer is rotated, and the surface thereof is uniformly charged by applying a voltage to a charging roller 9 as a charging means, and then the image from the optical system 1 is charged. An optical image corresponding to information is exposed on the photosensitive drum 8 through the exposure unit to form a latent image. Then, the latent image is developed by the developing means 10 using toner. The developing means 10 supplies toner to the photosensitive drum 8 by the developing roller 10d to develop the latent image. Specifically, the toner in the toner reservoir 10a is agitated and sent out by the toner agitating member 10b, and the fixed magnet 10
While rotating the developing sleeve 10d containing c,
A toner layer to which a triboelectric charge has been applied by the developing blade 10e is formed on the surface of the developing roller 10d, and the toner is transferred to the photosensitive drum 8 according to the latent image to form a toner image and visualize it. To do. Then, a voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the toner image is applied to the transfer roller 4 to transfer the toner image to the recording medium 2. After that, the cleaning unit 11 removes the residual toner on the photosensitive drum 8. Specifically, the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 8 is scraped off by the elastic cleaning blade 11a, and the scraped toner is scooped by the squeegee sheet 11b and collected in the waste toner reservoir 11c. The parts such as the photosensitive drum 8 are composed of a toner frame 21 (having a toner reservoir 10a) and a developing frame 22 integrally welded to each other.
It is provided in the apparatus main body 14 by being housed in a housing in which the cleaning frame 23 (having the developing means 10) and the cleaning frame 23 (having the photosensitive drum 8, the charging roller 9, and the cleaning means 11) are rotatably coupled and made into a cartridge. The cartridge mounting means is detachably mounted.

The cartridge mounting means is an opening / closing member 1.
4a is opened, a cartridge mounting space S is provided, and the guide portion 15 of the process cartridge B is mounted by being guided by the cartridge mounting guide portion 14b (shown by a dotted line in FIG. 7) on the left and right inner side surfaces of the apparatus main body 14. .

At this time, the process cartridge B is detached by holding the rib 21b provided on the toner frame 21 by hand.

{Structure of Frame Body of Process Cartridge} FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 to 6 show the structure of the frame body.

As shown in FIG. 4, the process cartridge B has a toner frame 21 which is a first frame having a toner reservoir and the like, a developing frame 22 which is a second frame having a developing sleeve 10d and the like, and a photoconductor. Drum 8 and cleaning means 11
And a cleaning frame 23 which is a third frame having the above. These frame bodies 21 and 22 and a holder member 33 described later are synthetic resin molded products. Toner frame 2
1 and the developing device frame 22 are welded at the welded portion 24 (in this embodiment,
They are joined together by ultrasonic welding to form an integral developing unit 25 as shown in FIG. In the developing unit 25 and the cleaning frame 23, the coupling convex portion 26 provided on the developing frame body 22 and the coupling concave portion 27 provided on the cleaning frame body 23 are fitted to each other, and the coupling member 28 is fastened to the fastening portion 27a.
A small screw 27b is screwed into and fastened to each other so as to be rotatably connected to each other to form an integral process cartridge B.

The locking projection 28a of the coupling member 28 prevents the coupling convex portion 26 from separating from the coupling concave portion 27 and allows the coupling convex portion 26 to rotate, and the compression coil spring 28b having one end locked to the coupling member 28 is developed. The unit 25 is pressed to rotate about the coupling convex portion 26, and the spacer rings at both ends of the developing sleeve 10d are pressed against the photosensitive drum 8 to form a developing gap.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning frame 23 is provided with the process cartridge B and the main body 14 of the image forming apparatus.
There is provided a guide portion 15 for loading the sheet. When the process cartridge B is loaded into the apparatus body 14, the guide section 15 is provided on the inner wall surface of the apparatus body 14.
4b is guided and loaded.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the developing device frame 22 of the developing unit 25, the developing sleeve 10d has a sleeve bearing 31.
Is installed through. The sleeve bearing 31 and the developing device frame 22 are provided with positioning holes 32a and 32b, respectively, and the positioning pins 34a and 34b projecting toward the developing device frame 22 of the holder member 33 are provided in these holes 32a and 32b, respectively.
And the small screw insertion hole 3 of the holder member 33 into the screw-fastening portions 35a and 35b which are used as pilot holes for the female screw or the tapping screw.
5a1 and 35b1 are inserted and the machine screws 47a and 47b (see FIG. 2) are screwed in and fixed, whereby the sleeve bearing 3
1, and the developing sleeve 10d is attached to the developing device frame 22, and the holder member 33 is fixed to the toner frame member 21 and the developing holder 22 together.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, a driving means for driving the toner stirring member 10b mounted on the toner frame 21, that is, the developing sleeve 10d is mounted on the other side surface of the developing frame 22. Development sleeve 1
0d, a sleeve gear 36 that rotates with 0d, a stirring gear 37 that engages with the toner stirring member 10b and drives the toner stirring member 10b, and idler gears 38a and 38 that are stepped gears that transmit drive from the sleeve gear 36 to the stirring gear 37, respectively.
b is attached. Idler gears 38a, 38b
Is a shaft portion 3 provided integrally with a gear support portion 22a extending so as to cover the side surface of the toner frame body 21 on one side of the developing frame body 22.
9a and 39b, the stirring gear 37 is connected to a stirring member 10b that is mounted in a hole of a gear support portion 22a provided in the toner frame 21 and is rotatably supported by the toner frame 21.

The developing sleeve 10d is attached to the above-mentioned side surface using the sleeve bearing 40 and the holder member 41 in the same manner as the opposite side surface, and the holder member 41 is fixed by the screwing portion 42.
a and 42b, small screw insertion holes 42a1 of the holder member 41,
A small screw inserted through 42b1 is screwed in and fixed.

The screwing portion 4 provided on the toner frame 21.
2a is located at the same position as the screwing portion 42a on the opposite side of the toner frame 21, and the screwing portion 42b is below the developing frame 22.

In the present embodiment, the holder member 33 and one screwing portion 35a of the developing unit 25 are connected to the developing device frame 22.
And the other screw fastening portion 35b is attached to the toner frame 21.
And the screw fastening portions 35a and 35b are provided on the toner frame 2
1 and the developing device frame 22 are provided. Therefore, the holder member 33 also serves as a reinforcing member for the connection between the toner frame body 21 and the developing frame body 22, and the strength of the welding portion 24 of the toner frame body 21 and the developing frame body 22 can be supplemented. The strength of the welded portion 24 can be reduced. Therefore,
When the user holds the toner frame 21 and attaches / detaches the process cartridge B to / from the apparatus main body 14, it is possible to reduce the load applied to the welding portion 24 in the direction of separating the welding portion 24.

The screwing portion 3 of the developing device frame 22 described above
5a is a positioning hole 32 located directly above the developing sleeve 10d.
In FIG. 1A, it is located diagonally above and slightly above the center of the developing device frame 22. Screwed portion 35b of the toner frame 21
In FIG. 1, it is located at the center of the left and right sides, and is slightly closer to the upper side. Accordingly, the machine screws 43a and 43b share the load in the direction in which the welded portion 24 is pulled up and down with respect to the load in the vertical direction.

(Embodiment B) Next, Embodiment B of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 3 shows the process cartridge B shown in FIG.
2 is a view showing a side surface opposite to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, a toner stirring member 10b is attached to the side surface of the toner frame 21. The developing sleeve 10d is mounted by the bearing 40 and the holder member 41 as in the case of the embodiment A, and the holder member 41 is small in size by inserting the small screw insertion holes 42a1 and 42b1 of the holder member 41 into the screwing portions 42a and 42b. It is fixed by screwing in the screws. A sleeve gear 36 is attached to the developing sleeve 10d. The holder member 41
Includes an idler gear 38 which is a drive unit for transmitting drive from the sleeve gear 36 to the toner stirring member 10b.
a, 38b, and shaft portions 44a, 44b, 44c for mounting the stirring gear 37 that engages with the toner stirring member 10b are integrally provided. Incidentally, as a matter of course, in this embodiment, the idler gears 38a, 38
b, the attachment portion of the stirring member 37 is not provided.

In this embodiment, at the time of assembly, the idler gears 38a, 38b and the stirring gear 37 are attached to the shaft portions 44a, 44b, 44c of the holder member 41 to form an integral gear unit 45, and the gear unit 45 is assembled. It is attached to the developing unit 25.

In the above structure, since the holder member 41 positions the sleeve bearing 40 and the idler gear 38a, the holder member 41 and the developing device frame 22 are caused by an error factor in the axial distance between the sleeve gear 36 and the idler gear 38a.
Since the fitting error can be eliminated, the accuracy of the distance between the shafts can be increased, and the driving force can be transmitted in a state where the gears are properly meshed.

Further, the holder member 41 has a gear unit 45.
Therefore, the assembling workability can be improved, and the rotation check of the gear can be easily performed in the state of the gear unit.

The electrophotographic photoconductor in the embodiment is not limited to the photoconductor drum, but includes the following, for example. First, a photoconductor is used as the photoconductor, and as the photoconductor, for example, amorphous silicon,
Amorphous selenium, zinc oxide, titanium oxide, organic photoconductor (OPC), etc. are included. The shape on which the photoconductor is mounted includes, for example, a rotating body such as a drum or a belt, and a sheet. In general, a drum-shaped or belt-shaped one is used. For example, in the case of a drum-type photoconductor, a photoconductor is deposited or coated on a cylinder of an aluminum alloy or the like. It is.

As the developing method, various known developing methods such as a two-component magnetic brush developing method, a cascade developing method, a touchdown developing method and a cloud developing method can be used.

As for the structure of the charging means, the so-called contact charging method is used in the above-described embodiment, but as another structure, a tungsten wire conventionally used as another structure is provided with a metal shield such as aluminum around the three sides, It goes without saying that a configuration may be used in which positive or negative ions generated by applying a high voltage to the tungsten wire are moved to the surface of the photosensitive drum to uniformly charge the surface of the drum.

The charging means may be of blade type, (charging blade), pad type, block type, rod type, wire type or the like other than the roller type.

Further, as a method for cleaning the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum, the cleaning means may be constituted by using a blade, a fur brush, a magnetic brush or the like.

Further, although the laser beam printer is exemplified as the image forming apparatus in the above-mentioned embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and other image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a facsimile machine, a word processor, etc. It is also possible to use for.

[0047]

[Embodiments] These are described together with the embodiments.

[0048]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By detachably fixing the holder member to both the toner frame and the developing frame, the strength of welding between the toner frame and the developing frame can be supplemented, and the strength of welding can be reduced.

Further, since the holder member is configured to position the sleeve bearing and position and hold the gear, it is possible to reduce the error in the distance between the shafts of the gears and to realize proper gear engagement. it can. Further, since the holder member is the gear unit, the assembling workability is improved, and the rotation check of the gear can be easily performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

 The drawings show the embodiments,

FIG. 1 is a side view of a process cartridge to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a process cartridge to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating an embodiment B of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view illustrating a configuration of a process cartridge.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a method of connecting a process cartridge.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing the opposite side of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a process cartridge.

[Explanation of symbols]

A ... Image forming apparatus B ... Process cartridge S ... Process cartridge mounting space 1 ... Optical system 2 ... Recording medium 3 ... Transfer agent conveying means 3a ... Cassette 3b ... Pickup rollers 3c1, 3c2 ... Separation roller pair 3d
1, 3d2 ... Registration roller pair 3e1, 3e2 ... Ejection roller pair 3f1, 3f2 ... Ejection roller pair 3g ... Guide 4 ... Transfer roller 5 ... Fixing means 5a ... Heater 5b ... Fixing rotator 5c
Drive roller 6 Reverse transport path 7 Ejection section 8 Photoreceptor drum 9 Charging roller 10 Developing means 10a Toner reservoir 10b Toner stirring member 10c Magnet 10d Developing sleeve 10
e ... Development blade 11 ... Cleaning means 11a ... Cleaning blade 11b ... Squisheet 11c ... Waste toner reservoir 14 ... Device body 14a ... Opening / closing member 14b ... Cartridge mounting guide 15 ... Guide part 21 ... Toner frame 21a ... Hole 21b ... Rib 22 ... Developing frame 22a ... Gear support 23 ... Cleaning frame 24 ... Welding part 25 ... Developing unit 26 ... Coupling convex part 27 ... Coupling recess 27a ... Fastening part 27b ... Machine screw 28 ... Coupling member 28a ... Locking protrusion 28b ... Compression Coil spring 29 ... Guide portion 31 ... Sleeve bearing 32a, 32b ... Positioning hole 33 ... Holder member 34a, 34b ... Positioning pin 35a, 35b ... Screw fixing portion 35a1, 35b1 ... Small screw insertion hole 36 ... Sleeve gear 37 ... Stirring gear 38a , 38b ... Idler gears 39a, 39b ... Shaft part 40 ... Sleeve bearing 41 ... Holder member 42a, 42b ... Screw fastening part 42a1, 42b1 ... Small screw insertion hole 44a, 44b, 44c ... Shaft part 45 ... Gear unit 46 ... Fastening part 47a, 47b ... Small screw

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a developing unit for developing a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a developing unit for developing the latent image. A toner frame having a toner storage portion for storing the toner used for, a developing frame body having the developing means, a developing unit in which the toner frame body and the developing frame body are combined, and a developing unit attached to the developing unit. And a holder member, wherein the holder member is detachably fixed to both the toner frame and the developing frame. 2. The developing means includes a developing sleeve having a sleeve gear that rotates coaxially and integrally, and a toner stirring member, wherein the holder member is a gear that transmits drive from the sleeve gear to the toner stirring member. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the process cartridge is positioned and held, and the sleeve bearing that supports the developing sleeve is positioned with respect to the developing device frame. 3. The process cartridge is a cartridge in which a charging unit or a cleaning unit, a developing unit, and an electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed, and the cartridge can be attached to and detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus. The process cartridge according to claim 1 or 2. 4. The process cartridge is a cartridge in which at least one of a charging unit, a cleaning unit, a developing unit, and an electrophotographic photosensitive member is integrally made into a cartridge and is attachable to and detachable from the main body of the image forming apparatus. Item 1
Or the process cartridge described in 2. 5. The process cartridge is a cartridge in which at least a developing means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally made into a cartridge which can be attached to and detached from an apparatus main body.
Or the process cartridge described in 2. 6. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein a process cartridge is attachable / detachable and forms an image on a recording medium, comprising: a, an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member. A developing unit, a toner frame having a toner storage unit that stores toner used for development by the developing unit, a developing frame having the developing unit, and a developing unit in which the toner frame and the developing frame are combined. And a holder member attached to the developing unit, wherein the holder member is detachably attached to both the toner frame and the developing frame, and a mounting unit for detachably mounting the process cartridge. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising: b, a transporting unit for transporting the recording medium.