DEVELOPING APPARATUS, PROCESS CARTRIDGE AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus The cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, and a developing roller for developing a latent image. A development decoupling portion is provided adjacent to one axial end of the developing roller, with the development coupling portion including an engaging portion configured and positioned (a) to receive a driving force for rotating the developing roller, and (b) to be movable in a direction crossing the axis of the developing roller relative to the developing roller. The cartridge also includes an urging portion configured and positioned to urge the engaging portion in a direction crossing the axis of the developing roller. Also, an abutting portion is configured and positioned so that movement of the engaging portion can be prevented when the engagement portion has not established engagement with a development coupling member of the main assembly.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1-25. -25. (canceled)
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26. A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus that includes a drum coupling member, a development coupling member, and an abutting member, said process cartridge comprising:
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(i) a photosensitive drum; (ii) a drum coupling portion provided adjacent to one axial end of said photosensitive drum, configured and positioned to engage with the drum coupling member to receive a driving force for rotating said photosensitive drum; (iii) a developing roller configured and positioned (a) to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on said photosensitive drum, and (b) to be rotatable about an axis thereof; (iv) a development coupling portion provided adjacent to one axial end of said developing roller, said development coupling portion including; an engaging portion configured and positioned (a) to engage with the development coupling member and to receive a driving force for rotating said developing roller and (b) to be movable in a direction crossing the axis of said developing roller relative to said developing roller; (v) an urging portion configured and positioned to urge said engaging portion in a direction crossing the axis of said developing roller to enable engagement of said engaging portion with the development coupling member with insertion of said process cartridge into the main assembly of the apparatus along an axial direction of said developing roller; and (vi) an abutting portion configured and positioned to abut the abutting member so that a movement, relative to the abutting member, of said engaging portion which has not been established in engagement with the development coupling member in the direction crossing the axis of said developing roller is prevented, when said process cartridge which has been inserted into the main assembly of the apparatus is moved in a direction crossing the axis of said developing roller, so as to enable engagement of said drum coupling portion with the drum coupling member. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus including a main assembly of said apparatus and a process cartridge detachably mountable to said main assembly of said apparatus, comprising:
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(1) said main assembly of said apparatus including; (i) a drum coupling member configured and positioned to apply a driving force; (ii) a development coupling member configured and positioned to apply a driving force; and (iii) an abutting member configured and positioned to abut to said process cartridge; and (2) said process cartridge including; (i) a photosensitive drum; (ii) a drum coupling portion provided adjacent to one axial end of said photosensitive drum, configured and positioned to engage with said drum coupling member to receive a driving force for rotating said photosensitive drum; (iii) a developing roller configured and positioned (a) to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on said photosensitive drum, and (b) to be rotatable about an axis thereof; (iv) a development coupling portion provided adjacent to one axial end of said developing roller, said development coupling portion including; an engaging portion configured and positioned (a) to engage with said development coupling member to receive a driving force for rotating said developing roller and (b) to be movable in a direction crossing the axis of said developing roller relative to said developing roller; (v) an urging portion configured and positioned to urge said engaging portion in a direction crossing the axis of said developing roller to enable engagement of said engaging portion with said development coupling member with insertion of said process cartridge into said main assembly of said apparatus along an axial direction of said developing roller; (vi) an abutting portion configured and positioned to abut said abutting member so that a movement, relative to said abutting member, of said engaging portion which has not been established an engagement with said development coupling member in the direction crossing the axis of said developing roller is prevented, when said process cartridge, which has been inserted into said main assembly of said apparatus, is moved in a direction crossing the axis of said developing roller, so as to enable engagement of said drum coupling portion with said drum coupling member. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A development cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, including a development coupling member and an abutting member, said development cartridge comprising:
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(i) a developing roller rotatable about an axis thereof; (ii) a development coupling portion provided adjacent to one axial end of said developing roller, said development coupling portion including; an engaging portion configured and positioned (a) to engage with the development coupling member to receive a driving force for rotating said developing roller, and (b) to be movable in a direction crossing the axis of said developing roller relative to said developing roller; (iii) an urging portion configured and positioned to urge said engaging portion in a direction crossing the axis of said developing roller to enable engagement of said engaging portion with the development coupling member with insertion of said development cartridge into the main assembly of the apparatus along an axial direction of said developing roller; and (iv) an abutting portion configured and positioned to abut to the abutting member so that a movement, relative to the abutting member, of said engaging portion which has not been established in engagement with the development coupling member in the direction crossing the axis of said developing roller is regulated, when said development cartridge, which has been inserted into the main assembly of the apparatus, is moved in a direction crossing the axis of said developing roller.
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Specification