Electrophotographic image forming apparatus, process cartridge and discharge preventing mechanism

摘要

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus on which a process cartridge is detachably mountable and for forming an image on a recording medium, having a main body electrical contact electrically connected to a cartridge electrical contact the process cartridge has when the process cartridge is mounted on an apparatus main body, an electrically earthed electrically conductive discharge preventing member for effecting discharge between it and a charged foreign substance to thereby prevent discharge from occurring between the foreign substance and the main body electrical contact when the foreign substance has entered the apparatus main body on which the process cartridge is not mounted, the discharge preventing member being movable between a first position located in the entry route of the process cartridge and a second position retracted from the first position and located outside the entry route, and an actuating member for moving the discharge preventing member from the first position to the second position, and abutting against the process cartridge to thereby actuate and move the discharge preventing member from the first position to the second position when the process cartridge is mounted in the apparatus main body.