IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND DRIVE-SWITCHING METHOD

• US 20090047040A1
• Filed: 02/20/2008
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: NIEDA, Hiroaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,995,951 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/167
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0121 for developing
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0194 primary transfer to the final recording medium G03G15/0184 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/186 Axial couplings
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1657 transmitting mechanical drive power
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1869 Cartridge holders, e.g. intermediate frames for placing cartridge parts therein

Abstract

The image forming apparatus is provided with: plural rotating members that are arranged rotatably; plural rotation side coupling members that are provided corresponding to the respective rotating members and transmit drive force to the respective rotating members; plural drive side coupling members that are connected to the respective rotation side coupling members and rotate and drive the respective rotating members via the rotation side coupling members; and an interconnecting unit that connects a predetermined number of the drive side coupling members among the plural drive side coupling members to the corresponding rotation side coupling members.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a plurality of rotating members that are arranged rotatably;

a plurality of rotation side coupling members that are provided corresponding to the respective rotating members and transmit drive force to the respective rotating members;

a plurality of drive side coupling members that are connected to the respective rotation side coupling members and rotate and drive the respective rotating members via the rotation side coupling members; and

an interconnecting unit that connects a predetermined number of the drive side coupling members among the plurality of drive side coupling members to the corresponding rotation side coupling members.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of drive side coupling members are rotated and driven by a single motor.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the image forming apparatus further comprises:

an apparatus main body portion; and

a cover member that is attached to the apparatus main body portion so as to be openable and closable and that covers a part of the apparatus main body portion,

the plurality of rotating members are arranged to be exchangeable in the apparatus main body portion, and

an interconnection of the rotation side coupling members and the drive side coupling members is released when the cover member is opened.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a transportation belt that is arranged to be brought in contact with the rotating members and that transports a recording medium between the transportation belt and the rotating members; and

a separating unit that separates the transportation belt from the rotating members.

5. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a Y-color image forming unit that has a Y-color image carrier holding a yellow toner image, and a Y-color coupling member being arranged corresponding to the Y-color image carrier and transmitting drive force to the Y-color image carrier;

a M-color image forming unit that has a M-color image carrier holding a magenta toner image, and a M-color coupling member being arranged corresponding to the M-color image carrier and transmitting drive force to the M-color image carrier;

a C-color image forming unit that has a C-color image carrier holding a cyan toner image, and a C-color coupling member being arranged corresponding to the C-color image carrier and transmitting drive force to the C-color image carrier;

a K-color image forming unit that has a K-color image carrier holding a black toner image, and a K-color coupling member being arranged corresponding to the K-color image carrier and transmitting drive force to the K-color image carrier;

a Y-color drive coupling member that is connected to the Y-color coupling member and drives the Y-color coupling member;

a M-color drive coupling member that is connected to the M-color coupling member and drives the M-color coupling member;

a C-color drive coupling member that is connected to the C-color coupling member and drives the C-color coupling member;

a K-color drive coupling member that is connected to the K-color coupling member and drives the K-color coupling member; and

an interconnecting mechanism (a first interconnecting mechanism) that drives the Y-color drive coupling member, the M-color drive coupling member and the C-color drive coupling member to perform an interconnection and release of the interconnection collectively while the K-color drive coupling member is not driven.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a second interconnecting mechanism that drives the K-color drive coupling member to perform an interconnection of the K-color coupling member and the K-color drive coupling member and release of the interconnection.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising an interlocking portion that interlocks or uninterlocks the first interconnecting mechanism and the second interconnecting mechanism.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the interlocking portion makes the second interconnecting mechanism interlock with the first interconnecting mechanism to perform the interconnection when the first interconnecting mechanism performs the interconnection.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the interlocking portion makes the first interconnecting mechanism and the second interconnecting mechanism into an uninterlocked state and makes the second interconnecting mechanism maintain the interconnection of the K-color drive coupling member and the K-color coupling member when the first interconnecting mechanism releases the interconnection.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the image forming apparatus further comprises:

an apparatus main body portion; and

a cover member that is attached to the apparatus main body portion so as to be openable and closable,

the second interconnecting mechanism releases the interconnection interlocking with the opening of the cover member, and

the interlocking portion makes the first interconnecting mechanism interlock with the second interconnecting mechanism and makes the first interconnecting mechanism release the interconnection when the second interconnecting mechanism releases the interconnection.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the image forming apparatus further comprises a drive member that is arranged rotatably and drives the first interconnecting mechanism, and

the interlocking portion makes the first interconnecting mechanism and the second interconnecting mechanism into an uninterlocked state when the drive member rotates and drives in one direction, and interlocks the first interconnecting mechanism and the second interconnecting mechanism when the drive member rotates and drives in the other direction.

12. A drive-switching method of an image forming apparatus having:

a plurality of rotating members that are arranged rotatably;

a plurality of rotation side coupling members that are provided corresponding to the respective rotating members and transmit drive force to the respective rotating members; and

a plurality of drive side coupling members that are connected to the respective rotation side coupling members and rotate and drive the respective rotating members via the rotation side coupling members, the drive-switching method comprising;

performing an interconnection of a predetermined number of the drive side coupling numbers among the plurality of drive side coupling members and the corresponding rotation side coupling members, and releasing of the interconnection.