Cartridge Mountable on Image-Forming Apparatus

• US 20130051814A1
• Filed: 08/30/2012
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Itabashi, Nao, Kamimura, Naoya, Mushika, Motoaki, Fukamachi, Yasuo, Ukai, Masamitsu
• Granted Patent: US 8,995,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/12
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0865 Arrangements for supplying new developer
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1676 for the developer unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1857 for transmitting mechanical drive power to the process cartridge, drive mechanisms, gears, couplings, braking mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1875 provided with identifying means or means for storing process- or use parameters, e.g. lifetime of the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1896 mechanical or optical identification means, e.g. protrusions, bar codes

Abstract

A receiving member is configured to receive a driving force from outside, is mounted on a first side wall on an opposite side from a developer accommodating portion, and is rotatable around a first axis line parallel to the longitudinal direction. A rotating member is rotatably provided between the first and second side walls, and configured to be rotated by the driving force received by the receiving member. A detection body is mounted on the second side wall on an opposite side from the developer accommodating portion and includes a detected part which is detected by a detecting unit. The detection body advances outwards in the longitudinal direction with respect to the second side wall and retracts inwards in the longitudinal direction with respect to the second side wall by the driving force received by the receiving member.

Claims

1. A cartridge comprising:

a housing including a developer accommodating portion configured to accommodate developer therein, a first side wall, and a second side wall opposed to the first side wall in a longitudinal direction, the developer accommodating portion being interposed between the first side wall and the second side wall;

a receiving member configured to receive a driving force from outside, located at an opposite side from the developer accommodating portion with respect to the first side wall, and rotatable around a first axis line extending parallel to the longitudinal direction;

a rotating member provided between the first and second side walls so as to be rotatable around a second axis line extending parallel to the first axis line, and configured to be rotated by the driving force received by the receiving member;

a detection body located at an opposite side from the developer accommodating portion with respect to the second side wall and including a detected part which is configured to be detected by an external detecting unit,

wherein the detection body configured to advance outwards in the longitudinal direction with respect to the second side wall and retract inwards in the longitudinal direction with respect to the second side wall by the driving force received by the receiving member which is transferred through the rotating member.

2. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the detection body is reciprocable in a moving direction parallel to the first axis line, and

wherein, the detection body is movable from a first position where a distance in the moving direction between the detection body and the second side wall is a first distance, via a second position where the distance in the moving direction between the detection body and the second side wall is a second distance larger than the first distance, to a third position where the distance in the moving direction between the detection body and the second side wall is a third distance smaller than the second distance.

3. The cartridge according to claim 2, wherein the first distance is the same as the third distance.

4. The cartridge according to claim 2, wherein the detection body is configured to rotate around a third axis line extending parallel to the first axis line, and is configured to move from the first position, via the second position, to the third position, by the rotation in a first direction,

wherein the second side wall includes a sliding part on which a contact part of the detection body slides while the detection body moves from the first position to the third position, and

wherein one of the contact part and the sliding part includes an inclined surface so tilted as to be more apart from the second side wall as the inclined surface goes downstream in the first direction.

5. The cartridge according to claim 4, wherein the one of the contact part and the sliding part, including the inclined surface, includes a parallel surface (81) extending continuously from the inclined surface downstream in the first direction and running parallel to the second side wall.

6. The cartridge according to claim 4 further comprising a transmission gear configured to transmit the driving force received by the receiving member to the detection body,

wherein the detection body includes a circumferential surface around the third axis line,

wherein the detection body has a toothless portion formed on a part of the circumferential surface, and gear teeth formed on the remaining portion other than the toothless portion of the circumferential surface, and

wherein the gear teeth are configured to be engaged with the transmission gear while the detection body moves from the first position to the third position.

7. The cartridge according to claim 4 further comprising a pressing member configured to press the detection body to the second side wall.

8. The cartridge according to claim 7, further comprising a projection portion projecting from the second side wall in the moving direction,

wherein the pressing member includes a wire spring coiled around the projection portion and having one end contact with a side of the detection body opposite to the second side wall.

9. The cartridge according to claim 8, wherein the detection body includes a pressed surface with which the one end of the wire spring is in contact in the first direction when the detection body is in the third position.

10. The cartridge according to claim 2, further comprising a rotational body located at an opposite side from the developer accommodating portion with respect to the second side wall so as to be rotatable around a third axis line extending parallel to the first axis line, the rotational body being configured to be rotated in a second direction by the driving force received by the receiving member,

wherein the detection body is provided so as to be reciprocable in the moving direction parallel to the first axis line, and to maintain the position of the detection body around the third axis line,

wherein the rotational body includes an inclined surface on which a contact part of the detection body slides while the detection body moves from the first position to the third position, and

wherein the inclined surface is tilted so as to be more apart from the second side wall as the inclined surface goes upstream in the second direction.

11. The cartridge according to claim 10, wherein the rotational body includes a parallel surface extending continuously from the inclined surface upstream in the second direction and running parallel to the second side wall.

12. The cartridge according to claim 10 further comprising a transmission gear configured to transmit the driving force received by the receiving member to the rotational body,

wherein a toothless portion is formed on a portion of a circumferential surface around the third axis line, and gear teeth are formed on the remaining portion other than the toothless portion of the circumferential surface, and

wherein the gear teeth are configured to be engaged with the transmission gear while the detection body moves from the first position to the third position.

13. The cartridge according to claim 10 further comprising a pressing member configured to press the detection body against the second side wall.

14. The cartridge according to claim 13, further comprising a projection portion projecting from the second side wall in the moving direction,

wherein the pressing member includes a wire spring coiled around the projection portion and having one end contact a side of the detection body opposite to the second side wall.

15. The cartridge according to claim 13 further comprising a cover attached to the second side wall on an opposite side from the developer accommodating portion to cover the detection body, and

wherein the pressing member includes a coil spring interposed between the detection body and the cover and contacting the detection body.

16. The cartridge according to claim 2 further comprising a cover attached to the second side wall on an opposite side from the developer accommodating portion to cover the detection body, and

wherein the detection body is arranged within the cover when the detection body is in the first and third positions, and the detection body is exposed from the cover when the detection body is in the second position.

17. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the rotating member is an agitator configured to agitate the developer in the developer accommodating portion,

wherein the cartridge further comprises a developing roller provided between the first and the second side walls so as to be rotatable around a fourth axis line extending parallel to the first axis line at a distance, and to be rotated by the driving force received by the receiving member.