JPH08339148A - Process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To minimize deformation of a developer containing part at the time of loading/unloading a cartridge, and to prevent the developer from blowing off accompanying the deformation at a low cost, by erecting a separation member inside part of the developer containing part. CONSTITUTION: This toner container 11 is provided with grip parts 17 in a shape of recessed part formed in two position in the longitudinal direction, on a cap member 11b thereof, and moreover deformation preventive ribs 11e as the separation member is erected in three position in the longitudinal direction. When an operator holds the process cartridge by gripping two positions in the longitudinal direction with use of the two positions of grip part 17 of the toner container 11 with both hands, force in the respective direction of arrows (a) and (b) is applied to the toner container 11. Since the deformation preventive ribs 11e is elected in the three positions in the longitudinal direction inside the toner container 11 so as to resist the pressing force, the deformation of toner container 11 by the pressing force can be minimized, and the blowing off of toner by the change of air pressure inside the container 11 can be prevented.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, for example, a process cartridge detachable from a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a laser beam printer, an electrophotographic copying machine, a facsimile machine and the like. And an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine or a laser beam printer forms a latent image by selectively exposing an electrophotographic photoconductor uniformly charged by a charging means. Image recording is performed by developing the latent image with toner by developing means and transferring and fixing the toner image on a recording medium. The toner remaining on the electrophotographic photosensitive member after the transfer is cleaned and removed by the cleaning means.

In recent years, in such an image forming apparatus, an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means such as a charging means, a developing means, and a cleaning means which act on the electrophotographic photosensitive body are integrated in order to reduce the size and facilitate maintenance. It has been put to practical use by adopting a process cartridge system that is made into a unit and detachable from the main body of the device.

This process cartridge is constructed by combining two units, a cleaning unit holding an electrophotographic photosensitive member, cleaning means and the like, and a developing unit holding a developing means. The process cartridge is incorporated in the main body of the apparatus. In the case of attachment / detachment, in the cartridge insertion direction, a method is generally used in which the developing unit side which is the rear side is grasped and the cleaning unit side which is the front side is inserted into the apparatus main body.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a further development of the above-mentioned structure. An object of the present invention is to minimize the deformation of the developer accommodating portion when the cartridge is attached and detached, and to accompany the deformation. It is to prevent the developer from blowing out at a low cost.

[0006]

A typical constitution of the present invention for achieving the above object is to provide an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a developer accommodating container in a process cartridge detachably mountable to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body. And a developing means for supplying the developer stored in the developing section to the developing member to develop the latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and arranging a partition member inside the developer storing section. Further, the partition member is erected so as to resist the pressing force applied to the developer accommodating portion when the cartridge is attached and detached.

[0007]

According to the above construction, the partition member provided upright inside the developer accommodating portion can minimize the deformation caused by gripping the developer accommodating portion when the cartridge is attached and detached, and the development accompanying the deformation can be minimized. It is possible to prevent the agent from blowing out at low cost.

[0008]

【Example】

[First Embodiment] Next, an embodiment of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, a laser beam printer is illustrated as one mode of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. As will be described later, this laser beam printer has a removable process cartridge.

First, a process cartridge and a laser beam printer according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
Will be described with reference to. 1 is a schematic explanatory view of the configuration of the laser beam printer, FIG. 2 is an external perspective view thereof, FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory view of the configuration of the process cartridge, FIGS. 4 and 5 are external perspective views of the process cartridge, and FIG. FIG. 7 is an external perspective view of the unit and the developing unit, FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a coupling member that couples the cleaning unit and the developing unit, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are explanatory diagrams of a process cartridge mounting configuration.

Here, as an order of description, the overall configuration of the laser beam printer and the process cartridge will be described, and then the configuration of the toner container in the process cartridge will be described.

{Overall Configuration} As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, this laser beam printer A scans light from a laser light source emitted in accordance with image information with a rotating polygon mirror 1a, and a lens 1b and Reflection mirror 1c
The optical means 1 for irradiating the light via the optical means 1 irradiates the photoconductor drum 7 as an electrophotographic photoconductor with the optical image based on the image information to form a toner image.

Then, in synchronization with the formation of the toner image, the recording medium 2 is transferred from the cassette 3a to the pickup roller 3b.
The toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 7 is used as a transfer unit in the image forming unit which is reversely conveyed by the conveying unit 3 including the pair of conveying rollers 3c and 3d and the pair of registration rollers 3e, and which is formed into a cartridge as the process cartridge B. By applying a voltage to the transfer roller 4, the image is transferred to the recording medium 2.

Further, while the recording medium 2 after the toner image transfer is being guided by the guide member 3f, a fixing roller 5b having a heater 5a built therein and a driving roller 5c for pressing the recording medium 2 against the roller 5b to convey it. Then, the transferred toner image is fixed on the recording medium 2. Then, the recording medium 2 is conveyed by the pair of discharge rollers 3g, 3h, 3i, and is discharged to the discharge portion 6 through the reverse transport path 3j. Regarding the ejection, it is also possible to operate the swingable flapper 3k and linearly eject by the ejection roller pair 3m without passing through the reverse conveyance path 3j.

On the other hand, in the process cartridge B constituting the image forming section, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the photosensitive drum 7 having a photosensitive layer is rotated, and the surface thereof is transferred to the charging roller 8 as a charging means. Is uniformly charged by the application of a voltage, the light image from the optical means 1 is exposed to the photosensitive drum 7 through the exposure opening 26 to form a latent image, and the latent image is developed by the developing means 9 which is a developing device. Is configured.

The developing means 9 feeds the toner in the toner storage portion 9a by the toner feeding member 9b, rotates the developing roller 9c containing a fixed magnet, and at the same time, causes the developing blade 9d to apply a toner layer to which a triboelectric charge is applied. The toner image is formed on the surface of the developing roller 9c and is transferred to the photosensitive drum 7 according to the latent image to form a toner image and visualize it.

Then, after 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, the cleaning blade 10a scrapes off the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 7, and Waste toner reservoir 10
The photosensitive drum 7 by the cleaning means 10 collected in b
The upper residual toner is removed.

Each component such as the photosensitive drum 7 is housed in a housing constituted by connecting a toner container 11 and a developing frame 12, and a cleaning frame 13 to form a cartridge. The process cartridge B is detachably attached to the cartridge attaching means provided in the apparatus main body 14.

The cartridge mounting means comprises an opening / closing member 15
When opened, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a cartridge mounting space is provided, and a cartridge mounting guide member 16 is mounted on the left and right inner side surfaces of the apparatus main body 14. Two guide portions 16a, 16b for guiding the dowel 13a, the long guide 12a, and the short guide 13b of the process cartridge B are provided on the left and right guide members 16 so as to face each other. The process cartridge B is inserted along the guide portions 16a and 16b, the dowel 13a is fitted into the positioning portion 16f, and the rotation receiving portion 13c is supported by the rotation stopping portion 16g, and then the opening / closing member 15 is closed. This completes the positioning and mounting of the process cartridge B in the image forming apparatus A.

By this positioning attachment, the photosensitive drum 7
A drum gear (helical gear) 7b, which is attached to one end of the device by press fitting, caulking, etc., meshes with the drive gear 33 on the apparatus main body side, and is attached to the other end of the transmission gear (spur gear).
7c meshes with the gear (not shown) of the transfer roller 4. Further, the sleeve gear (helical gear) 9g of the developing roller 9c meshes with the drum gear 7b of the photosensitive drum 7.

Therefore, the rotational driving force of the drive gear 33 on the apparatus main body side is transmitted to the drum gear 7b to rotate the photosensitive drum 7, and at the same time, the driving force is transmitted to the sleeve gear 9g via the drum gear 7b. The roller 9c rotates. Further, the driving force is transmitted to the transfer roller gear via the transmission gear 7c of the photosensitive drum 7, and the transfer roller 4 rotates.

A grip 17 and ribs 23 and 24 are provided as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 so that the process cartridge B can be easily held when attaching and detaching. Further, the process cartridge B is provided with a drum shutter 18 (see FIG. 3) which is opened / closed in association with attachment / detachment to / from the image forming apparatus A,
When detached from the image forming apparatus A, the shutter 18
Is closed to protect the photosensitive drum 7.

{Construction of Housing} In the process cartridge B according to this embodiment, as described above, the toner container 11, the developing frame 12 and the cleaning frame 13 are combined to form a housing. The configuration will be described.

As shown in FIG. 6, the toner container 11 has a toner accommodating portion 9a and a toner feeding member 9b attached thereto. Further, a developing roller 9c and a developing blade 9d are attached to the developing frame 12, and the developing roller 9c is further attached.
A stirring member 9e for circulating toner in the developing chamber
Is rotatably attached. And the toner container 11
And the developing frame body 12 are welded together to form a developing unit (see FIG. 6B) as an integral second frame body. The structure of the toner container 11 will be described in detail later.

Further, each member of the photosensitive drum 7, the charging roller 8 and the cleaning means 10 is attached to the cleaning frame 13, and when the process cartridge B is removed from the apparatus main body 14, the photosensitive drum 7 is covered. A drum shutter member 18 for protecting the above is attached to form a cleaning unit (see FIG. 6A) as a first frame.

Then, the process cartridge B is constructed by connecting the developing unit and the cleaning unit with a connecting member. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, a rotary shaft 20 is provided at the tip of the arm portion 19 formed on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the developing frame body 12 (see FIG. 6B), while the cleaning frame body 13 is provided. Two recesses 21 for positioning and locking the rotary shaft 20 are provided on both sides in the longitudinal direction (see FIG. 6A). The rotary shaft 20 is inserted into the concave portion 21, and the convex portion 22a, the compression spring 22b, and the locking claw 22 shown in FIG.
The developing unit and the cleaning unit are rotatably connected to each other about the rotation shaft 20 by snap-fitting the coupling member 22 integrally having c to the cleaning frame body 13, and the developing roller 9c is urged by the weight of the developing unit. It is pressed against the photosensitive drum 7. At this time, the developing roller 9c is reliably pressed against the photosensitive drum 7 by urging the developing frame body 12 downward by the compression spring 22b attached to the coupling member 22. Therefore, by attaching spacer rings 9f to both ends of the developing roller 9c in the longitudinal direction, the rings 9f are pressed against the photosensitive drum 7, and the photosensitive drum 7 and the developing roller 9c are opposed to each other at a constant interval (about 300 μm). .

{Construction of Toner Container} Next, the above-mentioned toner container
The configuration of 11 will be described more specifically. Toner container
As shown in FIG. 3, 11 is a container body 11a which is a lower frame.
And a lid member 11b which is an upper frame body are welded and integrated.

As shown in FIG. 10, the lid member 11b includes
The above-mentioned recessed grip portion 17 is formed at two locations in the longitudinal direction, and further, deformation preventing ribs 11e as partition members are provided upright at three locations in the longitudinal direction. This deformation prevention rib 11e
Is erected so as to resist the pressing force applied to the toner container 11 by the operator gripping the toner container 11 when the cartridge is attached or detached.

For example, when the operator uses the process cartridge B
When holding the toner container 11, the two grips 17 of the toner container 11 are used to grip the two positions in the longitudinal direction with both hands, and the thumb is used.
The other finger enters the handle portion 17 by hitting the bottom surface of the. At this time, a force is applied to the toner container 11 in the directions of arrows a and b shown in FIG. Further, by grasping the central portion of the toner container 11 in the longitudinal direction with one hand, the thumb contacts the upper surface of the toner container 11, and the other fingers contact the bottom surface of the toner container 11. At this time, a force is applied to the toner container 11 in the directions of arrows a and c shown in FIG. However, inside the toner container 11, the deformation preventing ribs 11e are provided at three locations in the longitudinal direction, and the pressing force (arrow a,
Since it is erected so as to resist the (b, c directions), deformation of the toner container 11 due to the pressing force is minimized,
It is possible to prevent the toner from blowing out due to a change in the air pressure in the container 11.

Further, the toner container 11 is provided with an opening 11d for filling the toner, and the deformation preventing rib 11e.
Are erected so as not to reach the opening 11d.
Accordingly, when the toner is filled in the toner container 11 through the opening 11d, the deformation preventing rib 11e does not hinder the toner filling work and can be smoothly performed.

Further, the standing position of the deformation preventing rib 11e is a position where a pressing force is applied to the toner container 11 in consideration of the positional relationship with the grip portion 17, that is, the operator places the process cartridge B
It is erected at the position where you grab (especially where your thumb hits). As a result, the deformation of the toner container 11 can be suppressed more reliably.

When the lid member 11b on which the deformation preventing rib 11e is erected and the container body 11a are weld-bonded to each other, the end of the deformation preventing rib 11e and the container body 11a should be prevented so as not to hinder this work. A minute gap x (see FIG. 3) is provided between and. Incidentally, this minute interval is a value that is minimized so that the toner is not blown out due to the change in the internal pressure due to the deformation of the toner container 11, and in this embodiment, it is about 0.1-.
It is set to about 1.0 mm. As a result, the deformation preventing rib 11e does not hinder the welding and joining work between the lid member 11b and the container body 11a, and at the same time, the deformation of the toner container 11 when the cartridge is attached and detached is minimized.
Therefore, it is possible to prevent the toner from being blown out due to the change in the air pressure in the toner container 11.

Further, as a means for preventing the deformation of the toner container 11, the deformation preventing rib 11e is merely provided upright, and in the present embodiment, the deformation preventing rib 11e is provided.
Since it is formed integrally with b, the above effects can be obtained at low cost.

[Other Embodiments] In the above-described embodiments, the deformation preventing ribs 11e are provided upright at three locations inside the toner container 11 in the longitudinal direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. Instead, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, a deformation preventing rib 11f may be provided upright along the longitudinal direction inside the toner container 11. Also with this configuration, when the toner container 11 is gripped by using the grip portion 17, the deformation due to the pressing force applied to the container 11 can be minimized, and the same effect as that of the above-described embodiment can be obtained. At this time, the upper portion of the deformation preventing rib 11f can be used as a toner container so that the deformation preventing rib 11f can be used.
An opening 11f1 is appropriately provided in the longitudinal direction of 11f.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the structure in which the deformation preventing ribs as the partitioning member are provided upright at three positions in the longitudinal direction in the toner container has been exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, It may have a configuration in which it is provided at two or three or more places, and may be provided as appropriate according to the size and strength of the cartridge. With this, the same effect as that of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

Further, the process cartridge B shown in the above-mentioned embodiment has exemplified the case of forming a monochromatic image.
The process cartridge according to the present invention can be suitably applied to a cartridge that is provided with a plurality of developing means and forms an image of a plurality of colors (for example, a two-color image, a three-color image, a full color, etc.).

Further, the electrophotographic photosensitive member is not limited to the photosensitive drum 7, but includes, for example, the following. First, a photoconductor is used as the photoconductor, and as the photoconductor, for example, amorphous silicon, amorphous selenium, zinc oxide, titanium oxide, and an organic photoconductor (OP
C) etc. are included. As the shape for mounting the photoconductor, for example, a drum-shaped or belt-shaped one is used. It is something that has been done.

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 was used in the above-mentioned first embodiment, but a tungsten wire which has been conventionally used as another structure is provided with metal shields 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 a blade type (charging blade), a pad type, a block type, a rod type, a 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.

The above-mentioned process cartridge is
It is provided with an electrophotographic photosensitive member and at least one of process means. Therefore, as the mode of the process cartridge, in addition to the embodiment described above, for example, the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the charging unit are integrally made into a cartridge, which can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body. A cartridge in which the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the developing means are integrally formed so that the cartridge can be attached to and detached from the main body of the apparatus. The electrophotographic photosensitive member and the cleaning means are integrally made into a cartridge, which can be attached to and detached from the main body of the apparatus. Further, there is one in which an electrophotographic photosensitive member and two or more of the above-mentioned process means are combined into an integrated cartridge, which can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body.

That is, the above-mentioned process cartridge is one in which the charging means, the developing means or the cleaning means and the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge, and the cartridge can be attached to and detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus. . Further, at least one of the charging means, the developing means, and the cleaning means and the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally made into a cartridge so that it can be attached to and detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus. Further, it means that at least the developing means and the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally made into a cartridge so as to be attachable to and detachable from the apparatus main body.

Further, although the laser beam printer is exemplified as the electrophotographic image forming apparatus in the above-mentioned embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and other electronic devices such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a facsimile machine, or a word processor can be used. Of course, it can be used in a photographic image forming apparatus.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since a partition member is erected inside the developer accommodating portion and the partition member is erected so as to resist the pressing force applied to the developer accommodating portion when the cartridge is attached or detached, the developer accommodating portion is gripped when the cartridge is attached or detached. Deformation due to this can be suppressed to a minimum, and blowing of the developer due to the deformation can be prevented at low cost.

Further, since the developer accommodating portion has an opening for filling the developer, and the partition member is erected so as not to cover the opening, the inside of the developer accommodating portion is opened from the opening. When the developer is filled with the developer, the partition member does not hinder the developer filling work and can be performed smoothly.

Further, since the developer accommodating portion has a grip portion for attaching / detaching the cartridge, and the partition member is erected in accordance with a position where a pressing force is applied when the grip portion is gripped, it is more reliable. Further, it is possible to suppress the deformation of the developer accommodating portion, and it is possible to prevent the toner from being blown out due to the change in the internal pressure of the developer accommodating portion.

Further, the developer accommodating portion is formed by connecting an upper frame body and a lower frame body, and the partition member is provided on the upper frame body, and between the end portion of the partition member and the lower frame body. Since the partition is provided with a minute interval, the partition member does not hinder the work of connecting the upper frame body and the lower frame body, and at the same time, the deformation of the developer accommodating portion when the cartridge is attached and detached is minimized. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the developer from being blown out due to the change in the air pressure in the developer accommodating portion.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a laser beam printer.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of a laser beam printer.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a process cartridge.

FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of a process cartridge.

FIG. 5 is an external perspective view of a process cartridge.

FIG. 6 is an external perspective view of a cleaning unit and a developing unit.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a connecting member that connects the cleaning unit and the developing unit.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a mounting configuration of a process cartridge.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a mounting configuration of a process cartridge.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a lid member forming a toner container.

FIG. 11 is a side sectional view of a process cartridge.

[Explanation of symbols]

A ... Image forming apparatus B ... Process cartridge 1 ... Optical means 1a ... Polygon mirror 1b ... Lens 1c ...
Reflection mirror 2 ... Recording medium 3 ... Conveying means 3a ... Cassette 3b ... Pickup rollers 3c, 3d ... Conveying roller pair 3e ... Registration roller pair 3f ... Guide member
3g, 3h, 3i ... Ejection roller pair 3j ... Reverse conveyance path 3k ... Flapper 3m ... Ejection roller pair 4 ... Transfer roller 5 ... Fixing means 5a ... Heater 5b ... Fixing roller
5c ... driving roller 6 ... discharging part 7 ... photosensitive drum 7b ... drum gear (lotus gear)
7c ... Transmission gear (spur tooth gear) 8 ... Charging roller 9 ... Developing means 9a ... Toner storage section 9b ... Toner feeding member
9c ... Developing roller 9d ... Developing blade 9e ... Stirring member 9f ... Spacer ring 9g ... Sleeve gear (lotus gear) 10 ... Cleaning means 10a ... Cleaning blade 10b ... Waste toner reservoir 11 ... Toner container 11a ...
Container body 11b ... Lid member 11c ... Toner discharge opening 11e, 11f ... Deformation preventing rib 11f1 ... Opening 12 ... Development frame 12a ... Longitudinal guide 13 ... Cleaning frame 13a ... Dowel 13b ... Short guide 13c ... Rotation receiving part
14 ... Device body 15 ... Opening / closing member 16 ... Mounting guide member
16a, 16b ... Guide part 16f ... Positioning part 16g ... Rotation stop part 17 ... Handle part 18 ... Drum shutter 19 ... Arm part 20 ... Rotating shaft 21 ... Recess 22 ... Coupling member 22a ... Convex part
22b ... compression spring 22c ... locking claws 23, 24 ... ribs 26 ...
Exposure opening 33 ... Drive gear

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A process cartridge detachably mountable to the main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a developer accommodated in a developer accommodating portion are supplied to a developing member to form on the electrophotographic photosensitive member. And a developing means for developing the latent image, wherein a partition member is provided upright inside the developer accommodating portion. 2. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the partition member is erected so as to resist a pressing force applied to the developer accommodating portion when the cartridge is attached and detached. 3. The developer accommodating portion has an opening for filling the developer, and the partition member is erected so as not to cover the opening.
The process cartridge described in 1. 4. The developer accommodating portion has a grip portion for mounting and demounting a cartridge, and the partition member is erected in accordance with a position to which a pressing force is applied when the grip portion is gripped. The process cartridge according to claim 1. 5. The developer accommodating portion is formed by connecting an upper frame body and a lower frame body, and the partition member is provided on the upper frame body, and between the end portion of the partition member and the lower frame body. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a minute interval is provided in the process cartridge. 6. The process cartridge, wherein the developing means, the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a charging means or a cleaning means as the process means are integrally formed into a cartridge, and the cartridge is the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the process cartridge is removable. 7. The process cartridge is a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which the developing unit, the electrophotographic photosensitive member, at least one of a charging unit and a cleaning unit as the process unit are integrally formed into a cartridge. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the process cartridge is removable. 8. The process cartridge is a cartridge in which at least a developing unit as the process unit and the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally made into a cartridge and can be attached to and detached from the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. 1. The process cartridge according to 1. 9. A process cartridge is removable,
In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium, for supplying an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a developer contained in a developer accommodating portion to a developing member to develop the latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member. Mounting means for mounting a process cartridge in which a partition member is erected inside the developer accommodating portion, and for transferring an image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member to a recording medium. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising: a transfer unit; and a transport unit for transporting the recording medium. 10. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the electrophotographic image forming apparatus is an electrophotographic copying machine, a laser beam printer, or a facsimile machine.