A replaceable imaging unit according to one example embodiment includes a photoconductor unit positioned at the front of a housing of the imaging unit. First and second alignment guides extend outward at the same height from first and second sides of the housing, respectively, on the photoconductor unit and run parallel to each other along a front-to-rear dimension of the housing. Each of the first and second alignment guides includes a front contact member at a front end thereof and a rear contact member at a rear end thereof. The front contact members are positioned further outward sideways than the rear contact members. Bottom surfaces of the front and rear contact members are unobstructed to permit the bottom surfaces of the front and rear contact members to sit on top of corresponding guide rails in the image forming device to control a vertical position of the imaging unit.

A drawer unit moves in a moving direction between an internal position inside a main housing and an external position outside the main housing. The drawer unit includes: a drawer frame configured such that a drum cartridge and a developing cartridge are mounted thereon; and an exposure head that exposes a photosensitive drum. In a state where the drawer frame is located at the external position and where the drum cartridge is mounted on the drawer frame, the drum cartridge rotatably moves between: a first position at which the exposure head is located at a particular position relative to the photosensitive drum and the drum cartridge is prevented from being removed from the drawer frame; and a second position at which the exposure head is deviated from the particular position relative to the photosensitive drum and the drum cartridge is allowed to be removed from the drawer frame.

An image forming apparatus including a rotatable image bearing drum; a cartridge mountable to a main assembly and including a rotatable developer carrying sleeve; first and second bearings provided in the cartridge, supporting the sleeve at one axial and the other ends end of the sleeve, and having first and second regulated portions, respectively; third and fourth bearings, supporting the drum at one and the other axial ends of the drum, and having first and second regulating portions, respectively; first and second swingable members provided in the main assembly and fixed with one and the other ends and swingable integrally with the cartridge between a first position in which the sleeve contacts the drum and a second position in which the sleeve is spaced from the drum. When the cartridge is in the first position, the first and second regulated portions contact the first and second regulating portions respectively.

A remanufactured toner cartridge and related method includes a modified driven gear that is associated with an internal seal removal mechanism. The driven gear is modified so that driving rotational force from a printer is not transmitted to the seal removal mechanism during a post test of the remanufactured cartridge. When the post test is complete a fixing member, which may include a pin, is used to return the modified driven gear to an operational configuration so that when the cartridge is subsequently installed in a printer, driving rotational force from the printer is transmitted to the removal mechanism to remove the internal toner seal, thereby permitting cartridge operation.

The separation holding member 36 includes a grip portion 36h for detaching the separation holding member 36 from the cartridge B, the grip portion 36h being configured so as to assume a first shape of protruding in a direction of separation from a surface of the cartridge B when the cartridge B mounted with the separation holding member 36 is detached from the apparatus main body A and to assume a second shape in which a gap with the surface of the cartridge B is smaller than in the first shape when the cartridge B mounted with the separation holding member 36 is mounted to the apparatus main body A.

A technique enabling downsizing of an image forming apparatus is provided. A cleaning unit 13 attachable to and detachable from an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus 100 that forms an image on a recording material 12 is provided, with this cleaning unit 13 including: a photosensitive drum 1; and a cleaning frame body 14 that supports the photosensitive drum 1 and that includes an opening 14c through which laser light 3c for exposing the photosensitive drum 1 can pass, wherein the opening 14c is configured such that a width of the opening 14c in a scanning direction in an irradiation range of the light for exposing the photosensitive drum 1 becomes greater toward a side of the photosensitive drum 1 from a side of a light source of light for exposing the photosensitive drum 1.

An image forming apparatus includes a mounting portion for mounting a process cartridge, the process cartridge including a first unit having an image bearing drum, and a second unit having a developing roller, the second unit being movable between a contact position in which the roller contacts the drum and a spaced position in which they are mutually spaced; an engageable member engageable with a force receiving portion provided on the second unit; wherein the engageable member is movable between a first position for maintaining the second unit in the spaced position by engaging with the force receiving portion, a second position for permitting movement of the second unit from the spaced position to the contact position; and a third position for permitting the process cartridge to be mounted, by being pressed by the process cartridge to retract, when the process cartridge is mounted to the mounting portion.

An attachment that is detachably mounted to a cartridge mounting unit of a printing apparatus, the cartridge mounting unit including a liquid introduction portion that receives a liquid, and a restricting mechanism that restricts a rotation movement of an incompatible cartridge in a rotation mounting direction to be mounted by interfering with the incompatible cartridge, the attachment including a release portion that releases restriction by the restricting mechanism by pushing a part of the restricting mechanism in a pre-determined insertion direction, and a maintaining portion that maintains a mounted state of the attachment in cooperation with the cartridge mounting unit.

A remanufactured toner cartridge and related method includes a modified driven gear that is associated with an internal seal removal mechanism. The driven gear is modified so that driving rotational force from a printer is not transmitted to the seal removal mechanism during a post test of the remanufactured cartridge. When the post test is complete a fixing member, which may include a pin, is used to return the modified driven gear to an operational configuration so that when the cartridge is subsequently installed in a printer, driving rotational force from the printer is transmitted to the removal mechanism to remove the internal toner seal, thereby permitting cartridge operation.

An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly, a rotatable image bearing member, and a cartridge detachably mountable to the main assembly, the cartridge including a rotatable developer carrying member. A first swingable member is provided in the main assembly, engages with one end of the cartridge in an axial direction of the developer carrying member when the cartridge is mounted in the main assembly, and swings integrally with the cartridge, and a second swingable member is provided in the main assembly, engages with the other end of the cartridge in the axial direction of the developer carrying member when the cartridge is mounted in the main assembly, and swings integrally with the cartridge.