Developing cartridge capable of reducing size of image forming apparatus

• US 10,025,225 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2016
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Itabashi, Nao, Yokoi, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Aydin, Sevan A
• Application Number:
  US15/280,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20170185001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0863 provided with identifying means or means for storing process- or use parameters, e.g. an electronic memory
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0867 cylindrical developer cartridges, e.g. toner bottles for the developer replenishing opening
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1647 Mechanical connection means
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1896 mechanical or optical identification means, e.g. protrusions, bar codes

Abstract

A developing cartridge may include: a casing configured to accommodate developer therein, the casing extending in the first direction; a coupling rotatable about a first axis extending in the first direction, the coupling being positioned at one side of the casing in the first direction; a detection gear rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction, the detection gear being positioned at another side of the casing in the first direction; and a storage medium including an electric contact surface, the electric contact surface being positioned at the one side of the casing in the first direction.

Claims

1. A developing cartridge comprising:

a casing configured to accommodate developer therein, and extending in a first direction;

a coupling rotatable about a first axis extending in the first direction, and being positioned at one side of the casing in the first direction;

a detection gear rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction, and being positioned at another side of the casing in the first direction; and

a storage medium including an electric contact surface, the electric contact surface being positioned at the one side of the casing in the first direction.

2. The developing cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the storage medium is positioned at the one side of the casing in the first direction.

3. The developing cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the detection gear is rotatable according to rotation of the coupling.

4. The developing cartridge according to claim 3, further comprising:

a first shaft extending in the first direction, and being rotatable according to rotation of the coupling,

wherein the detection gear is rotatable according to rotation of the first shaft.

5. The developing cartridge according to claim 4, further comprising:

an agitator including the first shaft, and being rotatable with the first shaft according to rotation of the coupling,

wherein the detection gear is rotatable according to rotation of the agitator.

6. The developing cartridge according to claim 5,

wherein the detection gear is positioned at one side of the first shaft in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and

wherein the coupling is positioned at the one side of the first shaft in the second direction.

7. The developing cartridge according to claim 5,

wherein the coupling further includes:

a coupling gear rotatable with the coupling,

wherein the agitator further includes;

a first agitator gear mounted to the first shaft, and being rotatable with the first shaft and positioned at the one side of the casing in the first direction, and

wherein the coupling gear meshes with the first agitator gear.

8. The developing cartridge according to claim 5, further comprising:

a first idle gear positioned at the one side of the casing in the first direction,

wherein the coupling further includes;

a coupling gear rotatable with the coupling, and the coupling gear meshing with the first idle gear, and

wherein the agitator further includes;

a first agitator gear mounted to the first shaft, and being rotatable with the first shaft, positioned at the one side of the casing in the first direction, and meshing with the first idle gear.

9. The developing cartridge according to claim 5,

wherein the agitator further includes:

a second agitator gear mounted to the first shaft, and being rotatable with the first shaft and positioned at the other side of the casing in the first direction, and

wherein the second agitator gear meshes with the detection gear.

10. The developing cartridge according to claim 5, further comprising:

a second idle gear positioned at the other side of the casing in the first direction, and the second idle gear meshing with the detection gear,

wherein the agitator further includes;

a second agitator gear mounted to the first shaft, being rotatable with the first shaft and being positioned at the other side of the casing in the first direction and meshing with the second idle gear.

11. The developing cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising:

a developing roller rotatable about a rotational axis extending in the first direction, the developing roller including a roller shaft extending in the first direction; and

an electrode being electrically connected to the roller shaft, and being positioned to the other side of the casing in the first direction.

12. The developing cartridge according to claim 11,

wherein the electrode further includes:

a second shaft extending in the first direction,

wherein the detection gear is rotatable about the second shaft, and

wherein the detection gear covers a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the second shaft.

13. The developing cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising:

a gear cover covering a portion of the detection gear, the gear cover being positioned at the other side of the casing in the first direction.

14. The developing cartridge according to claim 1,

wherein the casing includes:

a first outer surface positioned at the one side of the casing in the first direction; and

a second outer surface positioned at the other side of the casing in the first direction, and

wherein the electric contact surface is positioned at the first outer surface.

15. The developing cartridge according to claim 14, wherein the storage medium is positioned at the first outer surface.

16. The developing cartridge according to claim 14, wherein the detection gear is positioned at the second outer surface.

17. The developing cartridge according to claim 16, further comprising:

a second shaft positioned at the second outer surface, the second shaft extending in the first direction along the second axis,

wherein the detection gear is rotatable about the second shaft.

18. The developing cartridge according to claim 17, wherein the second shaft extends from the second outer surface of the casing.

19. The developing cartridge according to claim 17,

wherein the casing further includes:

a through-hole penetrating the second outer surface; and

a cap attached to the through-hole, and

wherein the second shaft extends from the cap.

20. The developing cartridge according to claim 17, further comprising:

a developing roller rotatable about a rotational axis extending in the first direction, the developing roller including a roller shaft extending in the first direction; and

an electrode electrically connected to the roller shaft, and being positioned at the other side of the casing in the first direction.

21. The developing cartridge according to claim 20,

wherein the electrode further includes:

a gear shaft extending in the first direction,

wherein the gear shaft is the second shaft,

wherein the detection gear is rotatable about the gear shaft, and

wherein the detection gear covers a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the gear shaft.

22. The developing cartridge according to claim 16, further comprising:

a gear cover covering a portion of the detection gear, the gear cover being positioned at the second outer surface.

23. The developing cartridge according to claim 14, wherein the coupling is positioned at the first outer surface.

24. The developing cartridge according to claim 23, further comprising:

a first shaft extending in the first direction, the first shaft being rotatable according to rotation of the coupling; and

an agitator including the first shaft, and being rotatable with the first shaft according to rotation of the coupling,

wherein the detection gear is rotatable according to rotation of the first shaft and the agitator.

25. The developing cartridge according to claim 24,

wherein the coupling further includes:

a coupling gear rotatable with the coupling,

wherein the agitator further includes;

a first agitator gear mounted to the first shaft, and being rotatable with the first shaft and positioned at the first outer surface, and

wherein the coupling gear meshes with the first agitator gear.

26. The developing cartridge according to claim 24, further comprising:

a first idle gear positioned at the first outer surface,

wherein the coupling further includes;

a coupling gear rotatable with the coupling, and meshing with the first idle gear, and

wherein the agitator further includes;

a first agitator gear mounted to the first shaft, being rotatable with the first shaft, being positioned at the first outer surface, and meshing with the first idle gear.

27. The developing cartridge according to claim 24,

wherein the agitator further includes:

a second agitator gear mounted to the first shaft, being rotatable with the first shaft and being positioned at the second outer surface, and

wherein the second agitator gear meshes with the detection gear.

28. The developing cartridge according to claim 24, further comprising:

a second idle gear positioned at the second outer surface, and meshing with the detection gear,

wherein the agitator further includes;

a second agitator gear mounted to the first shaft, being rotatable with the first shaft positioned at the second outer surface, and meshing with the second idle gear.

29. The developing cartridge according to claim 25,

wherein the first shaft includes:

a first end portion in the first direction; and

a second end portion separated from the first end portion in the first direction,

wherein the first end portion penetrates through the first outer surface, and

wherein the first agitator gear is mounted to the first end portion.

30. The developing cartridge according to claim 27,

wherein the first shaft includes:

a first end portion in the first direction; and

a second end portion separated from the first end portion in the first direction,

wherein the second end portion penetrates through the second outer surface, and

wherein the second agitator gear is mounted to the second end portion.

31. The developing cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the detection gear has a shape representing information regarding a specification of the developing cartridge.

32. The developing cartridge according to claim 31, wherein the specification represents a number of pages printable by the developing cartridge.

33. The developing cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the coupling includes a recessed portion or a concave portion configured to receive driving force.

34. The developing cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the detection gear is rotatable between a first position representing the developing cartridge in an unused state and a second position representing the developing cartridge in a used state.

35. The developing cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the detection gear includes a plurality of gear teeth provided on a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the detection gear.

36. The developing cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the detection gear includes a protrusion extending in the first direction.

37. The developing cartridge according to claim 36, wherein the detection gear includes a plurality of the protrusions.

38. The developing cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the storage medium stores information regarding the developing cartridge.

39. The developing cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the storage medium is positioned at the one side of the casing in the first direction, and includes the electric contact surface.