Process cartridge remanufacturing method and process cartridge

摘要

A process cartridge and a remanufacturing method for the process cartridge (P), wherein the process cartridge (P) is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and the process cartridge (P) including an electrophotographic photosensitive drum having, at one longitudinal end, a drive receiving portion for receiving came driving force from the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus; a drum frame (13) rotatably supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a developing frame for supporting a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a developer frame (30) accommodating a developer to be used for a developing operation of the developing roller; a first side cover (20) fixed to the one longitudinal ends of the drum frame and the developer frame; and a second side cover (19) fixed to the other ends of the drum frame and the developer frame (30); an image transfer opening formed along a longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum for permitting transfer of a visualized image provided by the developing roller onto a recording material; a drum supporting shaft having a first shaft portion inserted through a flange portion fixed to the drum frame and the electrophotographic photosensitive drum at the other of the drum frame, and a second shaft portion rejected out of the second side cover (19) through an opening formed therein and extended oppositely from the first shaft portion with the flange portion there between, the method comprising: (a) a first holing step of holing the second side cover (19) around the second shaft portion of the drum supporting shaft to form a first hole (19t); (b) a drum shaft removing step of removing the drum supporting shaft from the drum frame by operation through the first hole (19t) formed by the first holing step; (c) a photosensitive drum removing step of removing the electrophotographic photosensitive drum from the drum frame through the transfer opening; (d) a photosensitive drum insertion step of inserting the electrophotographic photosensitive drum into the drum frame through the transfer opening; (e) a drum shaft mounting step of mounting the drum supporting shaft on the drum frame; and (f) a refilling step of filling developer in the developer frame.