IP Library Granted Patent US 11,150,591
Granted Patent B2
US 11,150,591 · App. 17/036,376 · Granted Oct 19, 2021

Drum unit, cartridge, electrophotographic image forming apparatus and coupling member

Inventors: Tomonori Mori (Numazu, JP); Tetsuo Uesugi (Suntou-gun, JP)
Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
G03G15/751G03G15/757G03G21/1647G03G21/186G03G21/16G03G21/18
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,150,591
App. No.
17/036,376
Granted
Oct 19, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A drum unit includes a photosensitive drum in a coupling member. The coupling member includes an engageable member having a driving force receiving portion which is capable of entering a recess of a driving shaft to receive a driving force for rotating photosensitive drum. The coupling member includes a holding member configured to hold said engageable member so as to be slidable at least in a radial direction of said drum unit.

Claims (25)

1. A cartridge comprising:

a frame;

a rotatable member supported by the frame such that the rotatable member is rotatable while carrying developer on an outer surface thereof; and

a coupling operatively connected to the rotatable member, the coupling including a projection configured to receive a driving force for rotating the rotatable member from outside of the cartridge, the projection having a substantially circular cross section,

wherein the projection is movable between a first position and a second position such that the projection is positioned closer to an axis of the coupling when the projection is positioned in the first position than when the projection is positioned in the second position, and

wherein a distance measured in a radial direction of the coupling by which the projection is movable is larger than a radius of the cross section.

2. A cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the rotatable member is a photosensitive drum.

3. A cartridge according to claim 2 , wherein at least a part of the projection is positioned inside of the photosensitive drum.

4. A cartridge according to claim 2 , wherein the coupling is positioned adjacent to an end of the photosensitive drum.

5. A cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the rotatable member is a developing roller.

6. A cartridge according to claim 5 , further comprising a supplying roller configured to supply developer to the developing roller.

7. A cartridge according to claim 6 , wherein the coupling is operatively connected to the developing roller via the supplying roller.

8. A cartridge according to claim 6 , wherein the supplying roller includes a shaft, and the coupling is attached to the shaft of the supplying roller.

9. A cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein, when the projection is positioned in the second position, an open space is formed in the coupling between the axis of the coupling and the projection.

10. A cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the distance is not less than a diameter of the cross section.

11. A cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the substantially circular cross section is perpendicular to the axis of the coupling.

12. A drum unit for a cartridge, the drum unit comprising:

a photosensitive drum; and

a coupling positioned adjacent to an end of the photosensitive drum and operatively connected to the photosensitive drum, the coupling including a projection configured to receive a driving force for rotating the photosensitive drum from outside of the photosensitive drum, the projection having a substantially circular cross section,

wherein the projection is movable between a first position and a second position such that the projection is positioned closer to an axis of the coupling when the projection is positioned in the first position than when the projection is positioned in the second position,

wherein a distance measured in a radial direction of the coupling by which the projection is movable is larger than a radius of the cross section.

13. A drum unit according to claim 12 , wherein at least a part of the projection is positioned inside of the photosensitive drum.

14. A drum unit according to claim 12 , wherein, when the projection is positioned in the second position, an open space is formed in the coupling between the axis of the coupling and the projection.

15. A drum unit according to claim 12 , wherein the distance is not less than a diameter of the cross section.

16. A drum unit according to claim 12 , wherein the substantially circular cross section is perpendicular to the axis of the coupling.

Continuity (4)
Division 16733560 · Jan 3, 2020
Division 16275692 · Feb 14, 2019
Continuation PCTJP2016075735 · Aug 26, 2016
Related Publication 20210011419A1 · Jan 14, 2021
Cited By (2)
US 12,210,311 US 12,510,845