IP Library Granted Patent US 11,693,334
Granted Patent B2
US 11,693,334 · App. 17/174,500 · Granted Jul 4, 2023

Developing cartridge having coupling and developing roller

Inventors: Nao Itabashi (Nagoya, JP); Naoya Kamimura (Ichinomiya, JP)
Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G03G15/0889G03G15/065G03G15/0865G03G21/1676G03G21/1864G03G21/1896
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,693,334
App. No.
17/174,500
Granted
Jul 4, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a cartridge, a housing has a developer accommodating portion and includes a first side wall and a second side wall. A coupling member is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the first side wall. A detection body is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the second side wall. A first driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the coupling member with respect to the first side wall, and transmits driving force from the coupling member to a rotating member. A second driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the detection body with respect to the second side wall, and transmits driving force from the rotating member to the detection body.

Claims (78)

1. A cartridge comprising:

a developing roller rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction;

a housing configured to accommodate developing material therein, the housing having a first end portion and a second end portion separated from the first end portion in the first direction;

a coupling rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction, the coupling being positioned at the first end portion of the housing;

an electrode electrically connected to the developing roller, the electrode being positioned at the second end portion of the housing;

a shaft moveable according to rotation of the coupling; and

a detection protrusion movable according to movement of the shaft, the detection protrusion being positioned at the second end portion of the housing.

2. The cartridge according to claim 1 ,

wherein the detection protrusion extends in the first direction.

3. The cartridge according to claim 1 ,

wherein a portion of the electrode extends in the first direction.

4. The cartridge according to claim 1 ,

wherein the electrode is made of conductive resin material.

5. The cartridge according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first gear rotatable about a gear axis extending in the first direction, the first gear rotatable with the shaft, the first gear being mounted to one end portion of the shaft in the first direction, the gear being positioned at the first end portion of the housing.

6. The cartridge according to claim 5 , further comprising:

a second gear rotatable about the gear axis, the second gear rotatable with the second shaft, the second gear being mounted to another end portion of the shaft in the first direction, the second gear being positioned at the second end portion of the housing.

7. The cartridge according to claim 6 ,

wherein the second gear includes a plurality of gear teeth on one portion of a circumference of the second gear.

8. The cartridge according to claim 7 ,

wherein the second gear includes a tooth-missing portion on another portion of the circumference of the second gear.

9. The cartridge according to claim 1 ,

wherein the developing roller has a developing roller shaft.

10. The cartridge according to claim 9 ,

wherein the developing roller shaft is electrically connected to the electrode.

11. The cartridge according to claim 10 ,

wherein the developing roller shaft is inserted through the electrode.

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

a developing gear rotatable about the first axis, the developing gear rotatable with the developing roller, the developing roller gear being mounted to one end portion of the developing roller shaft in the first direction, the developing gear being positioned at the first end portion of the housing.

13. The cartridge according to claim 12 , further comprising:

a coupling gear rotatable with the coupling, the coupling gear meshing the developing roller gear.

14. The cartridge according to claim 13 ,

wherein the coupling gear is integrally with the coupling.

15. The cartridge according to claim 13 ,

wherein the coupling gear includes a large-diameter gear and a small-diameter gear, and

wherein a diameter of the large-diameter gear is larger than a diameter of the small-diameter gear.

16. The cartridge according to claim 15 ,

wherein the large-diameter gear is integrally with the small-diameter gear.

17. The cartridge according to claim 15 ,

wherein the small-diameter gear meshes the developing roller gear.

18. The cartridge according to claim 15 ,

wherein the large-diameter gear is positioned between the one end portion of the casing and the small-diameter gear in the first direction.

19. The cartridge according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an agitator rotatable in association with rotation of the coupling, the agitator having the first shaft.

20. The cartridge according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a supply roller rotatable in association with rotation of the coupling,

wherein the electrode is electrically connected to the supply roller.

21. The cartridge according to claim 20 ,

wherein the shaft is positioned further away from the developing roller than the supply roller is from the developing roller in a second direction.

22. The cartridge according to claim 1 ,

wherein a portion of the shaft is positioned inside the housing.

23. The cartridge according to claim 1 ,

wherein the detection protrusion is movable relative to the electrode.

24. The cartridge according to claim 23 ,

wherein the detection protrusion is movable relative to the housing.

25. The cartridge according to claim 24 ,

wherein the detection protrusion is movable relative to the shaft.

26. The cartridge according to claim 1 ,

wherein the detection protrusion is positioned at a portion of a circumference of the electrode.

27. The cartridge according to claim 1 ,

wherein the detection protrusion is movable from a first position to a second position, and

wherein the detection protrusion is positioned further away from the developing roller than the electrode is from the developing roller in a second direction in a case where the detection protrusion is at the second position.

28. The cartridge according to claim 27 ,

wherein the developing roller is spaced apart from the shaft in the second direction.

29. The cartridge according to claim 27 ,

wherein the second direction is crossing the first direction.

30. The cartridge according to claim 21 ,

wherein the developing roller is spaced apart from the shaft in the second direction.

31. The cartridge according to claim 21 ,

wherein the second direction is crossing the first direction.

32. The cartridge according to claim 27 ,

wherein the detection protrusion is positioned closer to the developing roller than the electrode is to the developing roller in the second direction in a case where the detection protrusion is at the first position.

33. The cartridge according to claim 1 ,

wherein the shaft is rotatable about a third axis extending in the first direction.

34. The cartridge according to claim 33 ,

wherein the detection protrusion is movable according to rotation of the shaft.

35. The cartridge according to claim 1 ,

wherein an entirety of the electrode is positioned at the second end portion of the housing.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 12, 2021
From: ITABASHI, NAO; KAMIMURA, NAOYA
To: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 055242/0150 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2011-190035 · Aug 31, 2011 · national
Continuity (9)
Continuation 16930865 · Jul 16, 2020
Continuation 16723160 · Dec 20, 2019
Continuation 16263224 · Jan 31, 2019
Continuation 15820203 · Nov 21, 2017
Continuation 15363985 · Nov 29, 2016
Continuation 15061551 · Mar 4, 2016
Continuation 14665763 · Mar 23, 2015
Continuation 13598708 · Aug 30, 2012
Related Publication 20210232065A1 · Jul 29, 2021