Granted Patent B2

US 12,314,002 · App. 18/754,929 · Granted May 27, 2025

Inventors: Koji Abe (Okazaki, JP); Naoya Kamimura (Ichinomiya, JP)

Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA

G03G21/1885G03G21/1867G03G21/1878G03G2221/1823

Abstract

Claims (51)

1. A process cartridge comprising:

a drum cartridge including:

a drum frame having a first end portion and a second end portion spaced apart from the first end portion in a first direction, the drum frame having a third end portion and a fourth end portion spaced apart from the third end portion in a second direction;

a photosensitive drum rotatable about a first axis extending in the second direction, the photosensitive drum being positioned at the first end portion of the drum frame; and

a first storage medium including a first electrical contact surface; and

a developing cartridge detachably attachable to the drum frame, the developing cartridge including:

a casing configured to store toner; and

a second storage medium including a second electrical contact surface,

wherein the first electrical contact surface is positioned at the first end portion, the first electrical contact surface facing outward in the first direction.

2. The process cartridge according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first electrical contact surface is positioned closer to the third end portion of the drum frame than to the fourth end portion of the drum frame in the second direction, and

wherein, in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum cartridge, the second electrical contact surface is positioned closer to the third end portion of the drum frame than to the fourth end portion of the drum frame in the second direction.

3. The process cartridge according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first electrical contact surface is positioned farther from the second end portion of the drum frame than the photosensitive drum is from the second end portion of the drum frame in the first direction.

4. The process cartridge according to claim 1 ,

wherein the drum cartridge further includes a drum handle positioned at the second end portion of the drum frame in the first direction.

5. The process cartridge according to claim 1 ,

wherein the casing has one end portion and another end portion spaced apart from the one end portion in the first direction, and

wherein the casing includes a developing cartridge handle positioned at the another end portion of the casing in the first direction.

6. The process cartridge according to claim 1 ,

wherein the drum cartridge further includes a pressing member positioned at the second end portion of the drum frame in the first direction, the pressing member pressing the developing cartridge toward the first end portion of the drum frame in the first direction in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum cartridge.

7. The process cartridge according to claim 6 ,

wherein the first electrical contact surface is positioned farther away from the pressing member than the photosensitive drum is from the pressing member in the first direction, and

wherein, in the state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum cartridge, the second electrical contact surface is positioned closer to the pressing member than the photosensitive drum is to the pressing member in the first direction.

8. The process cartridge according to claim 1 ,

wherein the developing cartridge further includes a developing roller.

9. The process cartridge according to claim 1 ,

wherein, in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum cartridge, the second electrical contact surface faces a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction.

10. The process cartridge according to claim 1 ,

wherein the casing includes a plurality of ribs protruding from an outer surface of the casing, and

wherein the plurality of ribs is arranged in line in the second direction.

11. The process cartridge according to claim 10 ,

wherein the plurality of ribs protrudes in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction.

12. The process cartridge according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first storage medium includes a plurality of the first electrical contact surfaces.

13. The process cartridge according to claim 12 ,

wherein the plurality of the first electrical contact surfaces is arranged in line in the second direction.

14. The process cartridge according to claim 2 ,

wherein the drum cartridge further includes:

a charging device configured to charge a peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum; and

a charging electrode configured to supply power to the charging device, the charging electrode having a charging contact surface.

15. The process cartridge according to claim 14 ,

wherein the charging contact surface is positioned closer to the fourth end portion of the drum frame than to the third end portion of the drum frame in the second direction.

16. The process cartridge according to claim 2 ,

wherein the drum cartridge further includes a drum gear rotatable with the photosensitive drum, and

wherein the drum gear is rotatable about the first axis.

17. The process cartridge according to claim 16 ,

wherein the drum gear is positioned closer to the third end portion of the drum frame than to the fourth end portion of the drum frame in the second direction.

18. The process cartridge according to claim 1 ,

wherein the drum frame further has a notch, and

wherein the developing cartridge further includes a protrusion that fits in the notch in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum cartridge.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (6)

References Cited (86)

Cited By (1)

US 12,717,273