ROTARY POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM FOR TRANSMITTING ROTARY POWER FROM A SHAFT TO A CYLINDRICAL MEMBER WHILE SUPPRESSING SHIFTING OF THE CYLINDRICAL MEMBER DURING ROTATION, AND PHOTORECEPTOR DRUM DEVICE, DEVELOPING DEVICE, FIXING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE PROVIDED WITH THE ROTARY POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM

• US 20140212174A1
• Filed: 01/24/2014
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc.
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc.
• Inventors: HAYASHI, Hideji
• Granted Patent: US 9,316,988 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/159
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/757 Drive mechanisms for photosensitive medium, e.g. gears

Abstract

The rotary power transmission mechanism includes a flange member fitted to one end of a cylindrical member, a shaft inserted through an axial center of the flange member, and a pin member inserted through the shaft in a radial direction of the shaft. The flange member has a first contact portion and a second contact portion that have point symmetry with respect to an axial center of the shaft. When the pin member is rotated in one direction by the shaft rotating in the one direction, the first contact portion contacts a first end portion of the pin member and the second contact portion contacts a second end portion of the pin member. The pin member, when rotating in the one direction, pushes against the first contact portion and the second contact portion, rotates the flange member in the one direction, and thereby transmits rotary power to the cylindrical member.

Claims

1. A rotary power transmission mechanism, comprising:

a cylindrical member;

a flange member fitted to one end portion of the cylindrical member, and haying a through hole passing through a center of the flange member;

a shaft inserted through the through hole, and having an insertion hole passing through a radial direction of the shaft, rotary power of the shaft being transmitted to the cylindrical member via the flange member; and

a pin member inserted through the insertion hole and having two end portions, which are portions of the pin member that protrude from opposite sides of the shaft, wherein

the flange member has a pair of contact portions that have point symmetry with respect to an axial center of the shaft, the pair of contact portions being composed of a first contact portion and a second contact portion, and when the pin member is rotated in one direction by the shaft rotating in the one direction, the first contact portion contacts and is pushed by a first end portion of the pin member and the second contact portion contacts and is pushed by a second end portion of the pin member the first end portion being one of the two end portions and the second end portion being the other one of the two end portions, and

the pin member, when rotating in the one direction, pushes against the first contact portion and the second contact portion, rotates the flange member in the one direction, and thereby transmits rotary power to the cylindrical member.

2. The rotary power transmission mechanism of claim 1 wherein

the flange member has a first groove and a second groove extending in opposite radial directions with respect to the shaft, the first groove and the second groove each having a width greater than a diameter of the pin member,

the first end portion and the second end portion of the pin member are, in a radial direction of the pin member, at least half inside the first groove and the second groove, respectively, and

the first contact portion is a portion of one side wall of the first groove and the second contact portion is a portion of one side wall of the second groove.

3. The rotary power transmission mechanism of claim 2, wherein

when the first end portion and the second end portion push against the first contact portion and the second contact portion, respectively, and thereby transmit rotary power to the flange member, the pin member is not in contact with a side wall of the first groove opposite the first contact portion, and the pin member is not in contact with a side wall of the second groove opposite the second contact portion.

4. The rotary power transmission mechanism of claim 2, wherein

the pin member is a parallel pin inserted through the insertion hole, and

a length of the parallel pin, a distance between an end wall of the first groove and an end wall of the second groove, and a position of the pair of contact portions relative to each other are determined such that, when the parallel pin moves in a longitudinal direction thereof and one of two end surfaces of the parallel pin contacts the end wall of the first groove or the end wall of the second groove, contact is maintained between the parallel pin and one of the first contact portion and the second contact portion corresponding to the other one of the two end surfaces.

5. The rotary power transmission mechanism of claim 2, wherein

the pin member is a spring pin that is pressed into the insertion hole.

6. The rotary power transmission mechanism of claim 2, wherein

the first contact portion and the second contact portion are each a protrusion portion, the protrusion portion being a protrusion of the side wall of the corresponding one of the first groove and the second groove, and

a tip portion of the protrusion portion contacts the pin member.

7. The rotary power transmission mechanism of claim 6, wherein

the protrusion portion has a ridge shape that is elongated in a depth direction of the corresponding one of the first groove and the second groove.

8. The rotary power transmission mechanism of claim 2, wherein

the first groove and the second groove each include a stepped portion formed in the side wall thereof, and

the first contact portion is a protruding corner portion of the stepped portion of the first groove and the second contact portion is a protruding corner portion of the stepped portion of the second groove.

9. The rotary power transmission mechanism of claim 2, wherein

the side wall of the first groove and the side wall of the second groove each have a mountain shape that is elongated in a depth direction of the corresponding one of the first groove and the second groove, the mountain shape having a ridge portion, and

the first contact portion and the second contact portion are each the ridge portion of the mountain shape.

10. The rotary power transmission mechanism of claim 1, wherein

a length of the pin member and positions of the pair of contact portions are set such that the first contact portion contacts the first end portion, and the second contact portion contacts the second end portion, at positions that are each closer, in a longitudinal direction of the pin member, to a corresponding one of two end surfaces of the pin member than a center of the pin member.

11. The rotary power transmission mechanism of claim 1, wherein

a portion of the flange member is inserted into the cylindrical member, forming an insertion area, and

the first contact portion and the second contact portion are within the insertion area, and the pin member contacts the first contact portion and the second contact portion within the insertion area.

12. A photoreceptor drum device used in an image forming device that forms an image by an electrophotographic method, comprising:

a photoreceptor drum;

a shaft that passes through the photoreceptor drum, an axis of the shaft coinciding with an axis of the photoreceptor drum; and

a rotary power transmission mechanism that transmits rotary power from the shaft to the photoreceptor drum, wherein

the rotary power transmission mechanism is the rotary power transmission mechanism of claim 1.

13. A developing device used in an image forming device that forms an image by an electrophotographic method, comprising:

a developing sleeve;

a shaft that passes enough the developing sleeve, an axis of the shaft coinciding with an axis of the developing sleeve; and

a rotary power transmission mechanism that transmits rotary power from the shaft to the developing sleeve, wherein

the rotary power transmission mechanism is the rotary power transmission mechanism of claim 1.

14. A fixing device used in an image forming device that forms an image by an electrophotographic method, comprising:

a fixing roller;

a shaft that passes through the fixing roller, an axis of the shaft coinciding with an axis of the fixing roller; and

a rotary power transmission mechanism that transmits rotary power from the shaft to the fixing roller, wherein

the rotary power transmission mechanism is the rotary power transmission mechanism of claim 1.

15. An image forming device that forms an image by an electrophotographic method and includes a photoreceptor drum device, wherein

the photoreceptor drum device is the photoreceptor drum device of claim 12.

16. An image forming device that forms an image by an electrophotographic method and includes a developing device, wherein

the developing device is the developing device of claim 13.

17. An image forming device that forms an image by an electrophotographic method and includes a fixing device, wherein

the fixing device is the fixing device of claim 14.