IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,119,442
Granted Patent B2
US 11,119,442 · App. 16/925,154 · Granted Sep 14, 2021

Photosensitive member unit and development unit

Inventors: Masao Uyama (Mishima, JP); Kenji Matsuda (Numazu, JP); Ken Kikuchi (Mishima, JP)
Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
G03G21/1814G03G15/0806G03G15/0896G03G21/1652G03G21/1817G03G21/1821G03G21/1825G03G21/1864G03G2221/166G03G2221/1853
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,119,442
App. No.
16/925,154
Granted
Sep 14, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A photosensitive member unit includes a photosensitive member, a transfer roller, a mounting portion capable of mounting a development unit including a development roller, a first gear and a second gear each provided at one end of the photosensitive member in an axial direction of the photosensitive member, and a third gear provided at one end of the transfer roller in an axial direction of the photosensitive member and configured to engage with the second gear. The first gear, the second gear, and the third gear are helical gears. A direction in which helical teeth of the first gear are inclined is opposite to a direction in which helical teeth of the second gear are inclined, and the direction in which the helical teeth of the first gear are inclined matches a direction in which helical teeth of the third gear are inclined.

Claims (62)

1. A cartridge comprising:

a first unit including a first frame, a photosensitive drum, a transfer roller contacting the photosensitive drum, and a corona charger for charging the photosensitive drum, the photosensitive drum being rotatable about a rotation axis which extends in a first direction;

a second unit separatably attached to the first frame, the second unit including a development roller, a supply roller configured to supply developer to the development roller, a driving force receiving member configured to receive a driving force for rotating the development roller, a first electrical contact electrically connected with the development roller, a second electrical contact electrically connected with the supply roller,

a rotatable unit including a moving member and an urging portion, the moving member being configured to be rotatable and the moving member being urged by the urging portion toward a rotation direction of the moving member,

wherein the first electrical contact, the second electrical contact, and the rotatable unit are located in one end side with respect to the center of the first frame in the first direction, and the driving force receiving member is located in the other end side with respect to the center of the first frame in the first direction,

wherein the first electrical contact includes a first surface which is an outermost end of the first electrical contact in the first direction, the second electrical contact includes a second surface which is an outermost end of the second electrical contact in the first direction, the moving member includes an end portion which is an outermost end of the moving member in the first direction,

wherein the end portion is further from the center of the first frame than the first surface and the second surface in the first direction.

2. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the driving force receiving member is configured to transmit the diving force to the development roller and the supply roller.

3. The cartridge according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a development gear attached to the development roller; and

a supply gear attached to the supply roller,

wherein driving force receiving member includes a coupling portion and a gear portion, the coupling portion is configured to receive the driving force, and the gear portion configured to directly mesh with the development gear and the supply gear.

4. The cartridge according to claim 2 , wherein at least part of the moving member is exposed to outside of the cartridge.

5. The cartridge according to claim 4 , wherein the urging portion is a spring.

6. The cartridge according to claim 5 , wherein when viewed along the first direction, at least part of the first electrical contact and at least part of the second electrical contact are located between the photosensitive drum and the moving member.

7. The cartridge according to claim 6 , wherein the cartridge is configured to detachably attached to a main body of an image forming apparatus in an attachment direction, and

wherein the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are located in a downstream side of the rotatable unit with respect to the attachment direction.

8. The cartridge according to claim 7 , wherein the moving member is rotatable about a rotation axis which extends in a second direction, and

wherein the cartridge is configured to detachably attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus in a direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

9. The cartridge according to claim 8 , further comprising:

a development gear attached to the development roller; and

a supply gear attached to the supply roller,

wherein driving force receiving member includes a coupling portion and a gear portion, the coupling portion being configured to receive the driving force, and the gear portion being configured to directly mesh with the development gear and the supply gear.

10. The cartridge according to claim 9 , wherein when the second unit placed on a horizontal plane is viewed along a rotation axis direction of the development roller, a position of the first surface and a position of the second surface do not overlap with respect to a vertical direction.

11. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein at least part of the moving member is exposed to outside of the cartridge.

12. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the moving member is rotatable about a rotation axis which extends in a second direction,

wherein the second direction is parallel to the first direction.

13. The cartridge according to claim 1 wherein the urging portion is a spring.

14. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the second unit includes an agitator for agitating the developer, an agitator gear connected to the agitator, a second frame for accommodating the developer and the agitator, a cover attached to the second frame so as to cover the agitator gear,

wherein the cover is provided with an opening at which the driving force receiving member is inserted to.

15. The cartridge according to claim 7 , wherein the second unit includes a development gear attached to the development roller, a supply gear attached to the supply roller,

wherein driving force receiving member includes a force receiving portion and a gear portion, the force receiving portion is configured to receive the driving force, and the gear portion directly mesh with the development gear and the supply gear, and

wherein the cover is attached the second frame so as to cover the development gear and the supply gear.

16. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein when the second unit placed on a horizontal plane is viewed along a rotation axis direction of the development roller, a position of the first surface and a position of the second surface do not overlap with respect to a vertical direction.

17. The cartridge according to claim 16 , wherein the second unit includes an agitator for agitating the developer,

wherein when the second unit placed on the horizontal plane is viewed along the rotational axis direction of the development roller, the supply roller is located in a lower side of the development roller with respect to the vertical direction, and the supply roller is located between the development roller and the agitator with respect to the horizontal direction.

18. The cartridge according to claim 17 , wherein when the second unit placed on the horizontal plane is viewed along the rotational axis direction of the development roller, the supply roller is located in a lower side of the agitator.

19. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein when viewed along the first direction, at least part of the first electrical contact and at least part of the second electrical contact are located between the photosensitive drum and the moving member.

20. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the cartridge is configured to detachably attached to a main body of an image forming apparatus in an attachment direction, and

wherein the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are located in a downstream side of the rotatable unit with respect to the attachment direction.

21. A cartridge comprising:

a first unit including a first frame, a photosensitive drum, a transfer roller contacting the photosensitive drum, and a corona charger for charging the photosensitive drum, the photosensitive drum being rotatable about a rotation axis that extends in a first direction;

a second unit separatably attached to the first frame, the second unit including a development roller, a supply roller configured to supply developer to the development roller, a driving force receiving member configured to receive a driving force for rotating the development roller, a first electrical contact electrically connected with the development roller, and a second electrical contact electrically connected with the supply roller; and

a rotatable unit including a moving member and an urging portion, the moving member being configured to be rotatable and the moving member being urged by the urging portion toward a rotation direction of the moving member,

wherein the first electrical contact, the second electrical contact, and the rotatable unit are located in one end side with respect to the center of the first frame in the first direction, and the driving force receiving member is located in the other end side with respect to the center of the first frame in the first direction.

22. The cartridge according to claim 21 , wherein the driving force receiving member is configured to transmit the driving force to the development roller and the supply roller.

23. The cartridge according to claim 22 , wherein at least part of the moving member is exposed to outside of the cartridge.

24. The cartridge according to claim 23 , wherein the urging portion is a spring.

25. The cartridge according to claim 24 , wherein when viewed along the first direction, at least part of the first electrical contact and at least part of the second electrical contact are located between the photosensitive drum and the moving member.

26. The cartridge according to claim 25 , wherein the cartridge is configured to detachably attached to a main body of an image forming apparatus in an attachment direction, and

wherein the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are located in a downstream side of the rotatable unit with respect to the attachment direction.

27. The cartridge according to claim 26 , wherein the moving member is rotatable about a rotation axis which extends in a second direction, and

wherein the cartridge is configured to detachably attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus in a direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

28. The cartridge according to claim 27 , further comprising:

a development gear attached to the development roller; and

a supply gear attached to the supply roller,

wherein driving force receiving member includes a coupling portion and a gear portion, the coupling portion being configured to receive the driving force, and the gear portion being configured to directly mesh with the development gear and the supply gear.

29. The cartridge according to claim 28 , further comprising:

a development gear attached to the development roller; and

a supply gear attached to the supply roller,

wherein driving force receiving member includes a coupling portion and a gear portion, the coupling portion being configured to receive the driving force, and the gear portion being configured to directly mesh with the development gear and the supply gear.

30. The cartridge according to claim 29 , wherein when the second unit placed on a horizontal plane is viewed along a rotation axis direction of the development roller, a position of the first surface and a position of the second surface do not overlap with respect to a vertical direction.

Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2017-081619 · Apr 17, 2017 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16453683 · Jun 26, 2019
Division 15953732 · Apr 16, 2018
Related Publication 20200341429A1 · Oct 29, 2020