Cartridge, photosensitive member unit and electrophotographic image forming apparatus
The present invention provides a cartridge which is dismountable from the main assembly without deteriorating usability performance in a predetermined direction substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis of an image bearing member, the main assembly being not provided with the mechanism for moving the main assembly side engaging portion in the rotational axis direction in response to the opening and closing operation of the main assembly cover of the main assembly. With the movement of the cartridge in such a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis of the image bearing member in the dismounting of the cartridge from the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the coupling member movable in a direction parallel with the rotational axis of the image bearing member enters a inside of a recess of the main assembly side engaging portion provided in the main assembly of the apparatus to receive a rotational force from the main assembly side engaging portion.
1. A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the cartridge comprising:
i) a rotatable member capable of carrying developer, the rotatable member being rotatable about a rotational axis thereof; and
ii) a coupling member provided at one end portion of the cartridge with respect to a rotational axis direction of the rotatable member, the coupling member being configured to transmit a rotational force to the rotatable member; and
iii) a rotational force transmission member for transmitting the rotational force from the coupling member toward the rotatable member, the rotational force transmission member including a hollow portion,
wherein the coupling member is movable between a first position in which a rotational axis of the coupling member is substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the rotatable member, and a second position in which the coupling member is displaced from the first position in a direction of the rotational axis of the rotatable member toward an other end portion of the cartridge,
wherein, in the second position, the rotational axis of the coupling member is substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the rotatable member and the coupling member is displaced, inside of the hollow portion as seen along the rotational axis of the coupling member, from the first position in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis of the rotatable member,
wherein the rotational force transmitting member is provided with a guide portion configured to guide the coupling member, and the coupling member is provided with a portion-to-be-guided configured to be guided by the rotational force transmission member,
wherein at least one of the guide portion and the portion-to-be-guided is an inclined portion inclined with respect to the rotational axis of the rotatable member and with respect to the direction perpendicular to the rotational axis of the rotatable member, and
wherein the guide portion guides the coupling member to move between the first position and the second position in a direction inclined with respect to the rotational axis of the rotatable member and inclined with respect to the direction perpendicular to the rotational axis of the rotatable member.
2. A cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein with movement of the coupling member from the first position to the second position, the coupling member moves toward the other end portion of the cartridge in the direction of the rotational axis of the rotatable member.
3. A cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the rotational force transmission member is provided at the one end portion of the cartridge with respect to the direction of the rotational axis of the rotatable member.
4. A cartridge according to according to claim 3 , further comprising a holding member movably provided on the rotational force transmission member, the holding member being configured to movably hold the coupling member.
5. A cartridge according to claim 4 , wherein the coupling member is movable relative to the holding member substantially in the direction of the rotational axis of the rotational force transmission member.
6. A cartridge according to claim 5 , wherein the holding member is movable relative to the rotational force transmission member in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the rotational axis of the rotational force transmission member.
7. A cartridge according to claim 4 , further comprising an urging member provided between the holding member and the coupling member, the urging member being configured to urge the coupling member.
8. A cartridge according to claim 7 , wherein the urging member includes an elastic member.
9. A cartridge according to claim 8 , wherein the elastic member is a spring.
10. A cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the guide portion is the inclined portion.
11. A cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the portion-to-be-guided is the inclined portion.
12. A cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the guide portion and the portion-to-be-guided are the inclined portion.
13. A cartridge according to claim 1 , further comprising an urging member configured to urge the coupling member toward outside of the cartridge.
14. A cartridge according to claim 13 , wherein the urging member includes an elastic member.
15. A cartridge according to claim 14 , wherein the elastic member is a spring.
16. A cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the rotatable member is a photosensitive member capable of forming a latent image thereon.
17. A cartridge according to claim 16 , wherein the rotational force transmission member is a flange mounted to the photosensitive member.
18. A cartridge according to claim 17 , further comprising a developing roller for developing the latent image,
wherein the flange is provided with a gear for transmitting the rotational force to the developing roller.
19. A cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the rotatable member is a developing roller.
20. A cartridge according to claim 19 , wherein the rotational force transmission member is provided with a gear for transmitting the rotational force to the developing roller.
21. A cartridge according to claim 20 , further comprising an additional rotational force transmission member mounted to the developing roller,
wherein the rotational force is transmitted to the developing roller from the rotational force transmission member to the additional rotational force transmission member.
22. A cartridge according to according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling member includes one end portion provided with a rotational force receiving portion for receiving the rotational force, an opposite end portion, and a connecting portion connecting the one end portion and the opposite end portion with each other.
23. A cartridge according to claim 22 , wherein a predetermined section of the connecting portion taken along a plane perpendicular to the rotational axis of the coupling member has a maximum radius that is less than a distance between the rotational force receiving portion and the rotational axis of the coupling member.
24. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising a cartridge according to claim 1 , and a main assembly from which the cartridge is dismountable, with the main assembly including a main assembly side engaging portion.