IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,934,143
Granted Patent B2
US 11,934,143 · App. 18/184,013 · Granted Mar 19, 2024

Drum cartridge including movable electrical contact surface, and image-forming apparatus using the same

Inventor: Nao Itabashi (Nagoya, JP)
Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G03G21/1867G03G15/0865G03G15/0867G03G21/1676G03G21/1814G03G21/1821G03G21/1885
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,934,143
App. No.
18/184,013
Granted
Mar 19, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A drum cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction; a first drum frame to which a developing cartridge is attachable; and a second drum frame having an outer surface; and a memory having an electrical contact surface. The first drum frame is at one end portion of the drum cartridge in a second direction and the second drum frame is at another end portion of the drum cartridge in the second direction. The electrical contact surface is positioned at the outer surface of the second drum frame and is movable in a predetermined direction relative to the second drum frame.

Claims (18)

1. A drum cartridge comprising:

a photosensitive drum rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction;

a first drum frame to which a developing cartridge is attachable; and

a second drum frame having an outer surface, the first drum frame being at one end portion of the drum cartridge in a second direction and the second drum frame being at another end portion of the drum cartridge in the second direction; and

a memory having an electrical contact surface, the electrical contact surface being positioned at the outer surface and movable in a predetermined direction relative to the second drum frame.

2. The drum cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the second direction crosses the first direction.

3. The drum cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined direction is the first direction.

4. The drum cartridge according to claim 3 , wherein the memory comprises a plurality of the electrical contact surfaces arrayed with one another in the first direction.

5. The drum cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical contact surface is positioned at one end portion of the outer surface in the first direction.

6. The drum cartridge according to claim 5 , further comprising a lock lever configured to fix the developing cartridge to the first drum frame, the lock lever being positioned at one end portion of the first drum frame in the first direction.

7. The drum cartridge according to claim 6 ,

wherein the second direction crosses the first direction, and

wherein a distance between the photosensitive drum and the lock lever is greater than a distance between the photosensitive drum and the electrical contact surface in the second direction.

8. The drum cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical contact surface is positioned at one end portion of the outer surface in a third direction crossing the second direction.

9. The drum cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical contact surface is sloped toward another side in a third direction crossing the second direction as extending toward another side in the second direction.

10. An image-forming apparatus comprising:

the drum cartridge according to claim 1 ; and

a main body to which the drum cartridge is attachable, the main body comprising an electrical terminal configured to contact the electrical contact surface in an attached state of the drum cartridge to the main body.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 15, 2023
From: ITABASHI, NAO
To: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 062985/0163 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-158772 · Aug 30, 2019 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17464347 · Sep 1, 2021
Continuation 17002037 · Aug 25, 2020
Related Publication 20230213888A1 · Jul 6, 2023
Cited By (1)
US 12,242,223