Process cartridge with mounting projections and image forming apparatus using such a process cartridge
First Claim
1. A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electro-photographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:
- a cartridge frame;
an electro-photographic photosensitive drum;
processing means for acting on said electro-photographic photosensitive drum;
a first projection projecting outwardly from one of opposite ends of said cartridge frame, and coaxially with said electro-photographic photosensitive drum; and
a second projection projecting outwardly from the other of said opposite ends of said cartridge frame, and coaxially with said electro-photographic photosensitive drum,wherein said first projection and said second projection are cylindrical, and a diameter of said second projection is larger than a diameter of said first projection.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electro-photographic image forming apparatus including a cartridge frame; an electro-photographic photosensitive drum; processing device actable on the electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a first projection projecting outward from one of opposite ends of the cartridge frame, coaxial with the electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a second projection projecting outward from the other of the opposite ends of the cartridge frame, coaxial with the electro-photographic photosensitive drum; wherein the first and second projections are different in size.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electro-photographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:
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a cartridge frame; an electro-photographic photosensitive drum; processing means for acting on said electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a first projection projecting outwardly from one of opposite ends of said cartridge frame, and coaxially with said electro-photographic photosensitive drum; and a second projection projecting outwardly from the other of said opposite ends of said cartridge frame, and coaxially with said electro-photographic photosensitive drum, wherein said first projection and said second projection are cylindrical, and a diameter of said second projection is larger than a diameter of said first projection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An electro-photographic image forming apparatus, for forming an image on a recording material, usable with a detachably mountable process cartridge, said apparatus comprising:
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a. mounting means for detachably mounting a process cartridge that includes; a cartridge frame; an electro-photographic photosensitive drum; processing means for acting on said electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a first projection projecting outwardly from one of opposite ends of said cartridge frame, and coaxially with said electro-photographic photosensitive drum; and a second projection projecting outwardly from the other of the opposite ends of said cartridge frame, and coaxial with said electro-photographic photosensitive drum, wherein said first and second projections are cylindrical, and a diameter of said second projection is larger than a diameter of said first projection; b. fixing means for fixing on a recording material a toner image, which is formed on said electro-photographic photosensitive drum contained in said process cartridge mounted in said mounting means, and which is transferred onto the recording material; and c. conveying means for conveying the recording material; wherein said mounting means comprises a first guide portion for guiding said first projection, and a second guide portion for guiding said second projection, and wherein a second projection insertion opening of said second guide portion is larger than a first projection insertion opening of said first guide portion. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electro-photographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:
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a cartridge frame; an electro-photographic photosensitive drum; processing means for acting on said electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a first cylindrical projection projecting outwardly from one of opposite ends of said cartridge frame, and coaxially with said electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a second cylindrical projection projecting outwardly from the other of the opposite ends of said cartridge frame, and coaxially with said electro-photographic photosensitive drum, said first cylindrical projection having a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of said second cylindrical projection; a drum gear, which is provided at one axial end of said electro-photographic photosensitive drum, and meshes with a driving gear provided in the main assembly to receive a driving force for rotating said electro-photographic photosensitive drum when said process cartridge is mounted in the main assembly of the electro-photographic image forming apparatus; a first drum shaft, which is pressed into a central portion of said first cylindrical projection, and which supports said electro-photographic photosensitive drum on said cartridge frame; and a second drum shaft, which is pressed into a central portion of said second cylindrical projection, and which supports said electro-photographic photosensitive drum on said cartridge frame, wherein said second cylindrical projection is larger than said first cylindrical projection, wherein a thickness of said second cylindrical projection is greater than a thickness of said first cylindrical projection, and wherein said second drum shaft is larger in diameter than said first drum shaft. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An electro-photographic image forming apparatus, for forming an image on a recording material, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, said apparatus comprising:
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a. mounting means for removably mounting a process cartridge that includes; a cartridge frame; an electro-photographic photosensitive drum; processing means for acting on said electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a first cylindrical projection projecting outwardly from one of opposite ends of said cartridge frame, and coaxially with said electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a second cylindrical projection projecting outwardly from the other of the opposite ends of said cartridge frame, and coaxially with said electro-photographic photosensitive drum, said first cylindrical projection having a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of said second cylindrical projection; a drum gear, which is provided at one end of said electro-photographic photosensitive drum, and meshes with a driving gear provided in a main assembly of said electro-photographic image forming apparatus to receive a driving force for rotating said electro-photographic photosensitive drum when said process cartridge is mounted in the main assembly of the electro-photographic image forming apparatus; a first drum shaft, which is pressed into a central portion of said first cylindrical projection, and supports said electro-photographic photosensitive drum on said cartridge frame; and a second drum shaft, which is pressed into a central portion of said second cylindrical projection, and which supports said electro-photographic photosensitive drum on said cartridge frame; b. transferring means for transferring onto the recording material a toner image formed on said electro-photographic photosensitive drum contained in said process cartridge mounted in said mounting means; c. fixing means for fixing to the recording material a toner image, which is transferred onto the recording material by said transferring means; and d. conveying means for conveying the recording material; wherein said second cylindrical projection is larger than said first cylindrical projection;
a thickness of said second cylindrical projection is greater than a thickness of said first cylindrical projection; and
said second drum shaft is larger in diameter than said first drum shaft;wherein said mounting means comprises a first guide portion for guiding said first cylindrical projection, and a second guide portion for guiding said second cylindrical projection; and wherein a second projection insertion opening of said second guide portion is larger than a first projection insertion opening of said first guide portion. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electro-photographic image forming apparatus, wherein the main assembly is provided with a first guiding portion and a second guiding portion, and the second guiding portion has an insertion opening which is larger than that of the first guiding portion, said process cartridge comprising:
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a cartridge frame; an electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a charge roller for charging said electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a development roller for developing a latent image formed on said electro-photographic photosensitive drum, rotatable to convey toner to said electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a cleaning blade in contact with said electro-photographic photosensitive drum to remove toner remaining on said electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a first cylindrical projection, which projects outwardly from one of opposite ends of said cartridge frame, coaxially with said electro-photographic photosensitive drum, and is guided by said first guide portion; a second cylindrical projection, which projects outwardly from the other of the opposite ends of said cartridge frame, coaxially with said electro-photographic photosensitive drum, and is guided by said second guide portion; a drum gear, which is provided at one end of said electro-photographic photosensitive drum, and which meshes with a driving gear provided on the main assembly to receive a driving force for rotating said electro-photographic photosensitive drum when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the electro-photographic image forming apparatus; a first drum shaft, which is pressed into a central portion of said first cylindrical projection, and which supports said electro-photographic photosensitive drum on said cartridge frame; and a second drum shaft, which is pressed into a central portion of said second cylindrical projection, and which supports said electro-photographic photosensitive drum on said cartridge frame; wherein said second cylindrical projection is larger than an opening of said first guide portion, thereby being prevented from being inserted into the opening of said first guide portion; wherein a diameter of said second cylindrical projection is larger than a diameter of said first cylindrical projection; wherein a thickness of said second cylindrical projection is greater than a thickness of said first cylindrical projection; and wherein said second drum shaft is larger in diameter than said first drum shaft. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An electro-photographic image forming apparatus, for forming images on a recording material, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, said apparatus comprising:
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a. a first guide portion and a second guide portion for guiding said process cartridge, said process cartridge including; a cartridge frame; an electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a charge roller for charging said electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a development roller for developing a latent image formed on said electro-photographic photosensitive drum, rotating to convey toner to said electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a cleaning blade in contact with said electro-photographic photosensitive drum to remove toner remaining on said electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a first cylindrical projection, which projects outwardly from one of opposite ends of said cartridge frame, and coaxially with said electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a second cylindrical projection, which projects outwardly from the other of the opposite ends of said cartridge frame, and coaxially with said electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a drum gear, which is provided at one axial end of said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and which meshes with a driving gear provided on a main assembly of said electro-photographic image forming apparatus to receive a driving force for rotating said electro-photographic photosensitive drum when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the electro-photographic image forming apparatus; a first drum shaft, which is pressed into a central portion of said first cylindrical projection, and which supports said electro-photographic photosensitive drum on said cartridge frame; and a second drum shaft, which is pressed into a central portion of said second cylindrical projection, and which supports said electro-photographic photosensitive drum on said cartridge frame; b. a first recess and a second recess, which engage with said first cylindrical projection and said second cylindrical projection, respectively, to fix a position of said process cartridge; c. a transfer roller for transferring a toner image formed on said electro-photographic photosensitive drum contained in said process cartridge to the recording material; d. a pair of rotative members for fixing on a recording material the toner image transferred onto the recording material by said transfer roller; and e. a conveyer member for conveying the recording material by rotating; wherein said second cylindrical projection is larger than an opening of said first guide portion, thereby being prevented from being inserted into the opening of said first guide portion; wherein a thickness of said second cylindrical projection is greater than a thickness of said first cylindrical projection; wherein a diameter of said second cylindrical projection is larger than a diameter of said first cylindrical projection; wherein said second drum shaft is larger in diameter than said first drum shaft; and wherein said first guide portion and said second guide portion guide said first cylindrical projection and said second cylindrical projection, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:
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a cartridge frame; an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; processing means for acting on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a first projection projecting outwardly from one of opposite ends of said cartridge frame, and coaxially with said electrophotographic photosensitive drum; and a second projection projecting outwardly from the other of said opposite ends of said cartridge frame, and coaxially with said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, wherein a dimension of said second projection measured in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of said photosensitive drum is larger than that of said first projection. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification