Image Forming Apparatus For Maintaining Positions of Photosensitive Drums Relative to Casing

• US 20140093279A1
• Filed: 09/20/2013
• Published: 04/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Hayakawa, Atsushi, Kamimura, Naoya, Nakashima, Atsuhisa
• Granted Patent: US 9,116,502 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/117
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1676 for the developer unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1821 means for connecting the different parts of the process cartridge, e.g. attachment, positioning of parts with each other, pressure/distance regulation G03G21/1825 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1842 for guiding and mounting the process cartridge, positioning, alignment, locks G03G21/1864 and G03G21/1871 take precedence

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge and a casing. The cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a developing frame, and a drum frame. The developing frame is movable between a contact position and a separated position. A separating member provided on the drum frame acts on the developing frame, so that a reaction force is exerted in a reaction force direction. The casing includes a positioning member, an urging member, and a separation pressing member. The positioning member has a first surface and a second surface. The urging member is configured to urge an end portion of the photosensitive drum toward the positioning member in an urging direction. The first surface is configured to support the end portion at a position downstream of the urging direction. The second surface is configured to support the end portion at a portion downstream of the reaction force direction.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a cartridge including;

a photosensitive drum configured to rotate about an axis line extending in an axial direction and having an end portion in the axial direction;

a developing roller disposed in confrontation with the photosensitive drum;

a developing frame rotatably supporting the developing roller and movable between a contact position where the photosensitive drum contacts the developing roller and a separated position where the photosensitive drum is separated from the developing roller; and

a drum frame supporting the photosensitive drum, the drum frame having a separating member configured to act on the developing frame so as to dispose the developing frame at the separated position, the separating member acting on the developing frame, so that a reaction force is exerted on the separating member in a reaction force direction; and

a casing configured to detachably receive the cartridge, the casing including;

a positioning member configured to position the end portion of the photosensitive drum, the positioning member having a first surface and second surface extending in a direction different from that of the first surface,

an urging member configured to urge the end portion of the photosensitive drum toward the positioning member in an urging direction; and

a separation pressing member configured to press the separating member so as to let the separating member act on the developing frame,

wherein the first surface is configured to support the end portion of the photosensitive drum at a position downstream of the urging direction,

wherein the second surface is configured to support the end portion of the photosensitive drum at a position downstream of the reaction force direction.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first surface and the second surface are symmetrical to each other relative to a symmetrical axis extending vertically and passing the axis line as viewed from the axial direction.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the urging direction is orthogonal to the reaction force direction.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an urging force with which the urging member urges the end portion of the photosensitive drum is smaller than the reaction force.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the urging member includes a conductive member made of conductive material, the conductive member being configured to contact the end portion of the photosensitive drum so as to be in electrical connection with the photosensitive drum.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the urging member is a torsion coil spring.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the urging member further includes a covering member made of insulation material for covering the conductive member.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the separation pressing member is slidingly movable between a pressing position for pressing the separating member and a pressure release position for facing the separating member with a gap therebetween.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the separation pressing member is slidingly movable along a mounting direction in which the cartridge is detachably mounted to the casing.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the separation pressing member is movable at a retracted position retracted from a mounting/removal locus of the cartridge.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the casing further includes a reciprocation member being slidingly movable between a first position and a second position,

wherein the urging member is configured to urge the end portion of the photosensitive drum with a first urging force toward the first surface when the reciprocation member is at the first position, the urging member urging the end portion of the photosensitive drum with a second urging force smaller than the first urging force toward the first surface when the reciprocation member is at the second position.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the reciprocation member includes a first facing surface and a second facing surface opposed to the urging member with respect to the first facing surface,

wherein the urging member faces and contacts the first facing surface when the reciprocation member is at the first position, the urging member facing the second facing surface when the reciprocation member is at the second position.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the urging member includes an engaging part, the engaging part engaging the casing when the reciprocation member is at the second position.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the casing further includes a connection member connecting the separation pressing member with the reciprocation member,

wherein the connection member includes a first connecting part rotatably engaged with the separation pressing member, a second connecting part rotatably fixed to the casing, and a third connecting part movably engaged with the reciprocation member and disposed between the first connecting part and the second connecting part.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the reciprocation member has a leading surface for leading the third connecting part such that the separation pressing member moves from a retracted position retracted from a mounting/removal locus of the cartridge to a pressure release position facing the separating member with a gap therebetween when the reciprocation member is moved from the second position to the first position.

16. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a cartridge including;

a photosensitive drum configured to rotate about an axis line extending in an axial direction and having an end portion in the axial direction;

a developing roller configured to movable between a contact position in contact with the photosensitive drum and a separated position separated from the photosensitive drum; and

a separating member configured to move the developing roller between the contact position and the separated position, a reaction force being exerted on the separating member in a reaction force direction when the developing roller moves, and

a casing configured to detachably receive a cartridge, the casing including;

a positioning member configured to position the end portion of the photosensitive drum, the positioning member having a first surface and a second surface extending in a direction different from that of the first surface;

an urging member configured to urge the end portion of the photosensitive drum toward the positioning member in an urging direction; and

a separation pressing member configured to press the separating member so as to let the developing roller be positioned at either the contact position or the separated position,

wherein the first surface is configured to support the end portion of the photosensitive drum at a position downstream of the urging direction,

wherein the second surface is configured to support the end portion of the photosensitive drum at a position downstream of the reaction force direction.