CARTRIDGE, MOUNTING METHOD FOR COUPLING MEMBER, AND DISASSEMBLING METHOD FOR COUPLING MEMBER

• US 20090317135A1
• Filed: 06/17/2009
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ueno, Takahito, Miyabe, Shigeo, Takasaka, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 8,433,219 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/119
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/08 using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0806 on a donor element, e.g. belt, roller complete developer unit G03G15/0896
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1647 Mechanical connection means
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1814 Details of parts of process cartridge, e.g. for charging, transfer, cleaning, developing G03G21/1835 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/186 Axial couplings

Abstract

A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer; a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive drum with the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating portion; a coupling member for receiving a rotational force for rotating the developing roller from the main assembly, in a state in which the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly; a cylindrical member movably supporting one end portion of the coupling member inside of the cylindrical member; a cylindrical member side force receiving portion, provided inside the cylindrical member, for receiving the rotational force received from the main assembly by the coupling member; a gear, provided on an outer periphery of the cylindrical member, for transmitting the rotational force received by the cylindrical member side force receiving portion to the developing roller; a first regulating portion, provided inside of the cylindrical member and deformable in a radial direction of the cylindrical member, for preventing one end portion of the coupling member from disengaging in an axial direction of the cylindrical member; and a second regulating portion for regulating deformation of the first regulating portion in a state in which one end portion of the coupling is mounted to an inside of the cylindrical member with deformation of the first regulating portion.

Claims

1. A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said cartridge comprising:

a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer;

a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive drum with the developer accommodated in said developer accommodating portion;

a coupling member for receiving a rotational force for rotating said developing roller from the main assembly, in a state in which said cartridge is mounted to the main assembly;

a cylindrical member movably supporting one end portion of said coupling member inside of said cylindrical member;

a cylindrical member side force receiving portion, provided inside said cylindrical member, for receiving the rotational force received from the main assembly by said coupling member.

a gear, provided on an outer periphery of said cylindrical member, for transmitting the rotational force received by said cylindrical member side force receiving portion to said developing roller;

a first regulating portion, provided inside of said cylindrical member and deformable in a radial direction of said cylindrical member, for preventing one end portion of said coupling member from disengaging in an axial direction of said cylindrical member; and

a second regulating portion for regulating deformation of said first regulating portion in a state in which one end portion of said coupling is mounted to an inside of said cylindrical member with deformation of said first regulating portion.

2. A cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said first regulating portion is provided at each of a plurality of positions along a circumferential direction of said cylindrical member with intervals in the circumferential direction.

3. A cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a gap is provided between said first regulating portion and an inner surface of said cylindrical member, and said second regulating portion enters at least a part of the gap to regulate deformation of said first regulating portion outward of said cylindrical member in the radial direction.

4. A cartridge according to claim 3, wherein said cylindrical member, said cylindrical member side force receiving portion and said first regulating portion are made of resin material, and are integrally molded.

5. A cartridge according to claim 4, wherein said one end portion of said coupling member is a spherical portion, and said first regulating portion including a projected portion projecting inwardly of said cylindrical member in the radial direction to prevent said spherical portion from disengaging from said cylindrical member in an axial direction of said cylindrical member, thus preventing said coupling member disengaging from said cylindrical member.

6. A cartridge according to claim 5, further comprising a bearing member supporting a developing roller shaft portion of said developing roller at one longitudinal end portion of said developing roller, and a side cover covering said cylindrical member so as to permit rotation of said cylindrical member in a state of being connected with said bearing member, wherein said side cover includes a second regulating portion, and said second regulating portion enters at least one gaps between the inner surface of said cylindrical member and said first regulating portion to regulate deformation of said first regulating portion.

7. A cartridge according to claim 6, wherein said side cover is provided with an elastic member and an inclination regulating portion for regulating an inclination of said coupling member as said rotational force receiving member, and said coupling member is inclinable by an elastic force of said elastic member, wherein when said side cover is mounted to said cartridge frame by a screw, said coupling member is mounted to said cartridge frame integrally with said side cover.

8. A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said cartridge comprising:

a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer;

a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive drum with the developer accommodated in said developer accommodating portion;

a developer supplying roller for supplying the developer to said developing roller;

a coupling member for receiving a rotational force for rotating said developing roller from the main assembly, in a state in which said cartridge is mounted to the main assembly;

a cylindrical member of resin material movably supporting one end portion of said coupling member inside of said cylindrical member;

a cylindrical member side force receiving portion of resin material, provided inside said cylindrical member, for receiving the rotational force from the main assembly by said coupling member;

a first gear, provided on outer periphery of said cylindrical member, for transmitting the rotational force received by said cylindrical member side force receiving portion to said developing roller;

a second gear, provided on an outer periphery of said cylindrical member, for transmitting the rotational force received by said cylindrical member side force receiving portion to said developer supplying roller.

a first regulating portion, provided inside of said cylindrical member and deformable in a radial direction of said cylindrical member, for preventing one end portion of said coupling member from disengaging in an axial direction of said cylindrical member, wherein said first regulating portion is provided at each of a plurality of positions along a circumferential direction of said cylindrical member with intervals in the circumferential direction.

a first bearing member supporting a developing roller shaft portion of said developing roller at one longitudinal end portion of said developing roller and supporting a developer supplying roller shaft portion of said developer supplying roller at one longitudinal end portion of said developer supplying roller;

a second bearing member supporting a developing roller shaft portion of said developing roller at the other longitudinal end portion of said developing roller and supporting a developer supplying roller shaft portion of said developer supplying roller at the other longitudinal end portion of said developer supplying roller; and

a side cover covering said cylindrical member so as to permit rotation of said cylindrical member in a state of being connected with said bearing member, wherein said side cover includes a second regulating portion, and said second regulating portion enters at least one gaps between the inner surface of said cylindrical member and said first regulating portion to regulate deformation of said first regulating portion.

9. A mounting method for mounting a coupling member to a cartridge frame usable with a cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said cartridge including a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer, a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive drum with the developer accommodated in said developer accommodating portion, wherein said coupling member is effective to receive a rotational force for rotating said developing roller from the main assembly in a state in which cartridge is mounted to the main assembly, said method comprising:

a coupling member mounting step of rotatably mounting one end portion of said coupling to an inside of said cylindrical member while deforming a first regulating portion of resin material outwardly in a radial direction of said cylindrical member, wherein said first regulating portion is provided at each of a plurality of positions along a circumferential direction of said cylindrical member with intervals in the circumferential direction, and is deformable in the radial direction;

a side cover mounting step of mounting said side cover to said cartridge frame wherein said cylindrical member to which said one end portion of said coupling is mounted by said coupling member mounting step is interposed between said side cover and a bearing member supporting developing roller shaft portion of said developing roller at one longitudinal end portion of said developing roller, and wherein in a state in which the other end portion of said coupling is projected through an opening of said side cover and in which a second regulating portion of said side cover is inserted into at least one gap between an inner surface of said cylindrical member and said first regulating portion to regulate deformation of said first regulating portion.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein in said side cover mounting step, said cylindrical member is interposed between said bearing member and said side cover, and in mounting said side cover to said cartridge frame, said side cover is mounted to said cartridge frame by a screw in a state in which coupling member is abutted to an inclination regulating portion by an elastic force of an elastic member of said side cover.

11. A dismounting method for dismounting a coupling member from a cartridge frame usable with a cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said cartridge including a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer, a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive drum with the developer accommodated in said developer accommodating portion, wherein said coupling member is effective to receive a rotational force for rotating said developing roller from the main assembly in a state in which cartridge is mounted to the main assembly, said method comprising:

a side cover dismounting step of dismounting said side cover from said cartridge frame, wherein said cartridge includes a cylindrical member having a first regulating portion of resin material outwardly in a radial direction of said cylindrical member, wherein said first regulating portion is provided at each of a plurality of positions along a circumferential direction of said cylindrical member with intervals in the circumferential direction, and a bearing member supporting developing roller shaft portion of said developing roller at one longitudinal end portion of said developing roller, wherein in said side cover dismounting, said cylindrical member is interposed between said bearing member and said side cover, and wherein in a state in which the other end portion of said coupling member is projected through an opening of said side cover and in which a second regulating portion of said side cover is inserted into at least one gap between an inner surface of said cylindrical member and said first regulating portion to regulate deformation of said first regulating portion; and

a coupling member dismounting step of dismounting, after said side cover is dismounted from said cartridge frame by said side cover dismounting step, said coupling member from said cylindrical member having said coupling member mounted to an inside thereof while deforming said first regulating portion outwardly in a radial direction of said cylindrical.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein in said side cover dismounting step, said side cover is dismounted from said cartridge frame integrally with said coupling member in a state in which coupling member is abutted to an inclination regulating portion by an elastic force of an elastic member of said side cover.