IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,748,372
Granted Patent B2
US 12,748,372 · App. 18/987,335 · Granted Sep 29, 2026

Cartridge, attachment and mounting kit

Inventor: Goshi Ozaki (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
G03G21/1647F16D3/04G03G15/757G03G21/1671G03G21/186G03G21/1864G03G2221/1654G03G2221/1657
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,748,372
App. No.
18/987,335
Granted
Sep 29, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

To further develop a drive transmission method from a main assembly of an apparatus toward a cartridge. The cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus including a drive output member configured to output a driving force, and a main assembly side pushing member configured to incline the drive output member by pushing the drive output member. The cartridge includes a photosensitive drum and a cartridge side pushing member. The cartridge side pushing member is configured such that an inclination angle of the drive output member is changed by pushing the main assembly side pushing member.

Claims (21)

1 . A mountable kit comprising:

an attachment detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, the attachment including a body and a gear that is rotatable about a rotational axis, with the gear being movable relative to the body of the attachment such that the rotational axis of the gear is movable relative to the body of the attachment; and

a cartridge separate from the attachment, the cartridge being detachably mountable to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus and including a photosensitive drum.

2 . A mountable kit according to claim 1 , wherein the attachment further includes a spring urging the gear.

3 . A mountable kit according to claim 1 , wherein the attachment further includes a lever that is movable relative to the body of the attachment, and

wherein the lever is configured to move the gear such that the rotational axis of the gear moves relative to the body of the attachment with movement of the lever.

4 . A mountable kit according to claim 3 , wherein the attachment further includes a spring urging the gear via the lever.

5 . A mountable kit according to claim 1 , wherein the cartridge further includes a coupling operatively connected to the photosensitive drum.

6 . A mountable kit according to claim 5 , wherein the cartridge further includes a protrusion protruding in an axial direction of the photosensitive drum and is provided on the side same as the side where the coupling is provided in the axial direction, wherein the rotational axis of the gear is movable between a first position and a second position, and

wherein, when viewed along the axial direction, a distance between the rotational axis of the gear and the protrusion when the rotational axis of the gear is in the first position is less than the distance when the rotational axis of the gear is in the second position in a state where the attachment and the cartridge are mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus.

7 . A mountable kit according to claim 5 , wherein the cartridge further includes a protrusion protruding in an axial direction of the photosensitive drum and is provided on a side same as a side where the coupling is provided in the axial direction, and

wherein, in a state where the attachment and the cartridge are mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus and when viewed along the axial direction, the coupling is positioned between the attachment and the protrusion.

8 . A mountable kit according to claim 1 , wherein the cartridge further includes a developing roller configured to develop a latent image on the photosensitive drum.

9 . A mountable kit according to claim 1 , wherein the rotational axis of the gear is movable between a first position and a second position, a distance between the rotational axis of the gear and an axis of the photosensitive drum when the rotational axis of the gear is in the first position being smaller than the distance when the rotational axis of the gear is in the second position in a state where the attachment and the cartridge are mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus.

10 . A mountable kit according to claim 1 , wherein the rotational axis of the gear is movable between a first position and a second position, a distance between the rotational axis of the gear and an axis of the photosensitive drum when the rotational axis of the gear is in the first position being smaller than the distance when the rotational axis of the gear is in the second position in a state where the attachment and the cartridge are mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus.

11 . A mountable kit according to claim 1 , wherein the gear is configured to be engageable with a gear provided at a drive transmission member included in the main assembly of the image forming apparatus.

12 . An image forming apparatus comprising:

a main assembly including an inclinable drive transmission member;

an attachment detachably mountable to the main assembly, the attachment including a body and a gear that is rotatable about a rotational axis, with the gear being movable relative to the body of the attachment such that the rotational axis of the gear is movable relative to the body of the attachment; and

a cartridge separate from the attachment, the cartridge being detachably mountable to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus and including a photosensitive drum,

wherein the drive transmission member includes a gear configured to engage the gear of the attachment.

Priority Claims (2)
JP 2019-109672 · Jun 12, 2019 · national
JP 2019-180284 · Sep 30, 2019 · national
Continuity (4)
Division 18372781 · Sep 26, 2023
Division 17527309 · Nov 16, 2021
Continuation PCTJP2020023320 · Jun 9, 2020
Related Publication 20250116960A1 · Apr 10, 2025
References Cited (216)
US 6671477B2 · Komatsu et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 7003247B2 · Koishi et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7024131B2 · Komatsu et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7072601B2 · Kakitani · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7110703B2 · Uratani et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7139502B2 · Koishi et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7156797B2 · Komatsu et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7158749B2 · Ueno et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7184690B2 · Ueno et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7266326B2 · Karakama et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7283765B2 · Uratani et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7315710B2 · Ueno et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7457566B2 · Koishi et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7813671B2 · Nittani et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7856192B2 · Koishi et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7890012B2 · Koishi et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8121517B2 · Asanuma · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8139979B2 · Koishi et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8208830B2 · Uratani et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8369744B2 · Asanuma · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8526841B2 · Koishi et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8565639B2 · Nittani et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8571445B2 · Komatsu et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8583001B2 · Kubo et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8688004B2 · Asanuma · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8781355B2 · Koishi · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8787794B2 · Miyazaki et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8862015B2 · Koishi et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8942592B2 · Uratani et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9063464B2 · Furutani et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9146500B2 · Uesugi et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9176467B2 · Gu et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9207581B2 · Wada et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9302801B2 · Matsumura et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9304440B2 · Yoshida et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9304483B2 · Komatsu et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9310717B2 · Matsunaga et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9354553B2 · Yoshida et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9395679B2 · Kawakami et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9417604B2 · Matsumaru et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9423767B2 · Fujino et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9429906B2 · Yoshimura et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9442457B2 · Maeda et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9471031B2 · Kusano et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9483016B2 · Kashiide et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9494890B2 · Komatsu et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9501031B2 · Hayashi et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9529304B2 · Uesugi et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9665040B2 · Matsuzaki et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9772598B2 · Komatsu et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9778613B2 · Komatsu et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9791825B2 · Kamoshida et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9823619B2 · Kawakami et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9836020B2 · Yoshimura et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9885978B2 · Matsuzaki et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10168664B2 · Yoshimura et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10175609B2 · Matsuzaki et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10197967B2 · Komatsu et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10203652B2 · Kamoshida et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10353339B2 · Koishi et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10386751B2 · Hayashi et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10386786B2 · Sato et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10401788B2 · Yoshimura et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10427867B2 · Koishi et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10452016B2 · Kamoshida et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10539915B2 · Mori et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10551790B2 · Komatsu et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10591868B2 · Yoshimura et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10620567B2 · Matsuzaki et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10635045B2 · Kawakami et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10635047B2 · Kamoshida et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10671013B2 · Uesugi et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10671015B2 · Kamoshida et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10795311B2 · Kamoshida et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10824106B2 · Mori et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10915055B2 · Kamoshida et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 10948871B2 · Uesugi et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 10948872B2 · Ogawa et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 10955796B2 · Uesugi et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 10969730B2 · Sueshige et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 10996620B2 · Komatsu et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11016438B2 · Kamoshida et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11048207B2 · Kimura et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11061364B2 · Uesugi et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11061366B2 · Uesugi et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11061367B2 · Uesugi et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11061368B2 · Uesugi et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11067942B2 · Uesugi et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11067947B2 · Uesugi et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11067948B2 · Uesugi et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11073790B2 · Uesugi et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11073791B2 · Uesugi et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11099518B2 · Komatsu et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11112753B2 · Kawakami et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11131960B2 · Sato et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11150591B2 · Mori et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11156954B2 · Yoshimura et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11163259B2 · Kawakami et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11199807B2 · Kamoshida et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11619905B2 · Kawakami · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 11703794B2 · Matsumaru · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20060193658A1 · Sato · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20060245794A1 · Honda et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20090317132A1 · Asanuma · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20100329747A1 · Kouda · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20110182623A1 · Tomatsu · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20120121290A1 · Asanuma · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120275824A1 · Gu et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20130177335A1 · Asanuma · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130287448A1 · Baker et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130308978A1 · Nittani et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20140112686A1 · Asanuma · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140126930A1 · Kashiide et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140144759A1 · Kawanami · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140270845A1 · Kawakami et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20150177683A1 · Gu et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150277370A1 · Maeshima · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20160091815A1 · Morgan · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160246250A1 · Kamoshida et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160252847A1 · Sato · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170139172A1 · Kashiide et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170261927A1 · Sato et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170329279A1 · Hirayama et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170351214A1 · Uesugi et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180017933A1 · Zhou · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180253057A1 · Koishi et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180341215A1 · Munetsugu et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190129356A1 · Murakami et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190179257A1 · Murakami et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190179258A1 · Kashiide et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190188430A1 · Cao et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200033792A1 · Uesugi et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200033795A1 · Uesugi et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200033798A1 · Uesugi et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200033799A1 · Uesugi et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200073325A1 · Zeng et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200142353A1 · Sato et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200249623A1 · Sato et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200301352A1 · Matsumaru et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210088958A1 · Kamoshida et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210109479A1 · Kubo et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210181672A1 · Ogawa et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210216036A1 · Komatsu et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210263467A1 · Sato et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210271203A1 · Kimura et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210286312A1 · Uesugi et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210341870A1 · Mori et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210341873A1 · Komatsu et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210364983A1 · Kawakami et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210389720A1 · Kawakami et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210405583A1 · Yoshimura et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20220035307A1 · Munetsugu et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220043389A1 · Kamoshida et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220066385A1 · Uesugi et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220137551A1 · Kimura et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20230229108A1 · Matsumaru · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20230400809A1 · Matsumaru · 2023 [cited by applicant]
AU 2009261109A1 · 2009 [cited by applicant]
AU 2018384358A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CL 201600526A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
CL 201702160A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CL 201702162A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 104081291A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
CN 109212940A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CO 16088043 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
CO 2017001950A2 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
EP 2362274A · 2011 [cited by applicant]
EP 3470931A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
EP 3726298A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
JP 2007206596A · 2007 [cited by applicant]
JP 2009109877A · 2009 [cited by applicant]
JP 2011154326A · 2011 [cited by applicant]
JP 2013122537A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019020542A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
JP 2016040625A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018116305A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018136580A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019015978A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019109877A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020190017048A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
TW 201337477A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
TW 201546579A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
TW 201621483A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
TW 201621484A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
TW 201809923A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
Feb. 8, 2024 Australian Official Action in Australian Patent Appln. No. 2020294030. [cited by applicant]
Jan. 26, 2024 Chinese Official Action in Chinese Patent Appln. No. 202080042403.6. [cited by applicant]
Jan. 30, 2024 Office Action in Chilean Patent Application No. 202103302 (with English translation). [cited by applicant]
Mar. 13, 2024 Office Action in Singapore Patent Application No. 11202113339X. [cited by applicant]
Jun. 11, 2024 Office Action in Brazilian Patent Application No. 112021023671-6 (with English translation). [cited by applicant]
Mar. 7, 2025 Office Action in Columbian Patent Application No. NC2021/0017382 (with English translation). [cited by applicant]
Jan. 27, 2025 Office Action in United Arab Emirates Patent Application No. P6002248/2021. [cited by applicant]
Apr. 2, 2025 Notice of Acceptance in Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-7000837. [cited by applicant]
Oct. 1, 2020 Notice of Allowance in Korean Patent Application No. 10-2025-7021378. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for International Patent Application No. PCT/JP2020/023320. [cited by applicant]
Jun. 8, 2022 Office Action in Indian Patent Application No. 202147056084. [cited by applicant]
Jun. 30, 2022 Office Action in Taiwanese Patent Application No. 109119870. [cited by applicant]
Feb. 18, 2023 Office Action in Australian Patent Application No. 2020294030. [cited by applicant]
May 2, 2023 Office Action in Chilean Patent Application No. 2021-03302. [cited by applicant]
Jun. 23, 2023 Office Action in Indonesian Patent Application No. P00202111870. [cited by applicant]
May 25, 2023 Extended Search Report in European Patent Application No. 20 821 673.9. [cited by applicant]
English translation of Japanese Patent Application Pub. No. 2019-020542. [cited by applicant]
English translation of Japanese Patent Application Pub. No. 2018-116305. [cited by applicant]
English translation of Japanese Patent Application Pub. No. 2019-109877. [cited by applicant]
English translation of Japanese Patent Application Pub. No. 2013-122537. [cited by applicant]
English translation of Japanese Patent Application Pub. No. 2007-206596. [cited by applicant]
Dec. 14, 2023 Office Action in Taiwanese Patent Application Pub. No. 112110364. [cited by applicant]
Jan. 23, 2025 Examination Report in Australian Patent Application Pub. No. 2024200755. [cited by applicant]
May 23, 2025 Office Action in Malaysian Patent Application No. PI2021007355. [cited by applicant]
Jun. 25, 2025 Communication in European Patent Application No. 20 821 673.9. [cited by applicant]
Jul. 28, 2025 Notice of Allowance in Philippines Patent Application No. 1/2021/553085. [cited by applicant]
Aug. 15, 2025 Notice of Allowance in Colombian Patent Application No. NC2021/0017382. [cited by applicant]
Jan. 29, 2026 Notice of Allowance in Philippines Patent Application No. 1/2021/553085. [cited by applicant]
Jan. 9, 2026 Notice of Acceptance in Australian Patent Application No. 2024200755. [cited by applicant]
Jul. 1, 2025 Office Action in Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-072588 (with English translation). [cited by applicant]
English translation of Japanese Patent Application Pub. No. 2018-136580 A. [cited by applicant]