IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,048,207
Granted Patent B2
US 11,048,207 · App. 16/728,191 · Granted Jun 29, 2021

Image forming apparatus having a movable member and cartridge having a pressing portion for pressing the movable member

Inventors: Takashi Kimura (Tokyo, JP); Isao Koishi (Yokohama, JP); Daisuke Yamamoto (Kawasaki, JP)
Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
G03G21/1842G03G21/1853G03G21/1896G03G2221/1884
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,048,207
App. No.
16/728,191
Granted
Jun 29, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus body of an image forming apparatus has a first guide portion having an inlet shape corresponding to an outer shape of an engagement portion provided in a cartridge when seen in an attachment direction of the cartridge to the apparatus body and guiding the engagement portion, a second guide portion for guiding a positioning target portion which is provided on the cartridge for positioning an attachment completion position of the cartridge with respect to the apparatus body, and a movable member being at a regulation position at which a guiding path of the positioning target portion by the second guide portion is blocked is immovable from the regulation position unless being pressed by the engagement portion.

Claims (20)

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an apparatus body; and

a cartridge detachably attachable to the apparatus body in an attaching direction,

wherein the cartridge includes a portion-to-be-positioned protruding in a direction orthogonal to the attaching direction and a pressing portion,

wherein the apparatus body includes:

a positioning portion configured to position the cartridge with respect to the apparatus body in the attaching direction by abutting on the portion-to-be-positioned of the cartridge;

a guide portion configured to guide the portion-to-be-positioned of the cartridge toward the positioning portion when the cartridge is moved in the attaching direction; and

a movable member having a portion-to-be-pressed and configured to rotate about a rotational axis from a first position to a second position, the rotational axis extending in a direction in which the portion-to-be-positioned of the cartridge protrudes, the first position being a position where a part of the movable member is inside a moving path of the portion-to-be-positioned of the cartridge in the guide portion, and the second position being a position where the part of the movable member is outside the moving path, and

wherein when the cartridge is moved in the attaching direction, the pressing portion of the cartridge presses the portion-to-be-pressed of the movable member to move the movable member from the first position to the second position, and while the movable member is in the second position due to pressing of the pressing portion, the portion-to-be-positioned of the cartridge passes by the part of the movable member, and then abuts on the positioning portion.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus body includes an inlet portion having a shape corresponding to an outer shape of the pressing portion of the cartridge, the inlet portion being positioned in a position in which the inlet portion overlaps with the pressing portion of the cartridge when seen in the attachment direction, and

wherein after the pressing portion of the cartridge passes through the inlet portion, the pressing portion of the cartridge presses the portion-to-be-pressed of the movable member to move the movable member from the first position to the second position.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when the cartridge is a first cartridge, the movable member at the first position is configured not to rotate from the first position to the second position in a case where a second cartridge is moved in the attaching direction in the guide portion and presses the part of the movable member, the second cartridge having a portion corresponding to the portion-to-be-positioned of the first cartridge and have no portion corresponding to the pressing portion of the first cartridge.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cartridge includes:

a drum unit including a photosensitive drum rotatable about a drum rotational axis; and

a developing unit having a developing roller and connected to the drum unit so as to be rotatable with respect to the drum unit, and

wherein the drum unit includes the portion-to-be-positioned and the pressing portion, and the portion-to-be-positioned extends in a direction of the drum rotational axis.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the part of the movable member is farther from the rotational axis of the movable member than the portion-to-be-pressed of the movable member.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the cartridge includes a frame supporting the photosensitive drum, and

wherein the portion-to-be-pressed is a rib protruding from the frame in a direction orthogonal to the drum rotational axis.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the portion-to-be-positioned and the pressing portion of the cartridge are provided on a non-driving side of the drum unit in the direction of the drum rotational axis, the non-driving side being opposite to a driving side in the direction of the drum rotational axis on which the drum unit receives a driving force for rotating the photosensitive drum from the apparatus body.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 12, 2020
From: KIMURA, TAKASHI; KOISHI, ISAO; YAMAMOTO, DAISUKE
To: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 052374/0359 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP JP2018-246942 · Dec 28, 2018 · national
JP JP2018-246952 · Dec 28, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200209803A1 · Jul 2, 2020
Cited By (3)
US 12,210,311 US 12,602,006 US 12,748,372