Image carrier cartridge having multiple image carriers

• US 6,944,415 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2003
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Nomura, Yujiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Royer, William J.
• Application Number:
  US10/392,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20040022556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 399/12, 399/13, 399110-113, 399/298, 399301-303, 399/299
• US Class Current: 399/111
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0194 primary transfer to the final recording medium G03G15/0184 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1889 for auto-setting of process parameters, lifetime, usage
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0158 Colour registration
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1603 for multicoloured copies
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1684 using extractable subframes, e.g. on rails or hinges

Abstract

In an image forming apparatus of a tandem type having at least two image forming stations each of which having an image carrier, and a charging device arranged around the image carrier and capable of forming an image. Additionally, a plurality of the image carriers are mounted at proper relative positions to an image carrier cartridge which is detachable relative to the apparatus body. Developing devices are designed to be detachable relative to the respective image carriers mounted to the image carrier cartridge. Writing devices and a transferring device are mounted at proper positions. The cartridge is provided with a storage device for storing information on color registration errors and color registration errors are corrected by a correcting device.

Claims

1. An image carrier cartridge which is designed to be detachable relative to an image forming apparatus of a tandem type, said image forming apparatus comprising at least two image forming stations each of which is composed of an image carrier, and a charging means, a writing means, a developing means, and a transfer means which are arranged around the image carrier, wherein said image forming apparatus forms a color image by passing a transfer medium through the respective image forming stations,

said image carrier cartridge supporting a plurality of said image carriers together and comprising:

a positioning member for positioning the image carriers at proper relative positions;

an electronic module having a storage means in which information on color registration error is stored; and

a signal connecting means between said electronic module and an image forming apparatus body.

2. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the respective positions of the image carriers.

3. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the respective profiles of the image carriers.

4. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the respective positions of the image carriers relative to a positioning member of the image carrier cartridge for positioning the image carrier cartridge relative to the image forming apparatus body.

5. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 4, wherein said positioning member of the image carrier cartridge for positioning the image carrier cartridge relative to the image forming apparatus body is a shaft of the image carrier for a reference color and wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the positions of the other image carriers relative to the image carrier for the reference color.

6. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the coefficient of linear expansion of the positioning member for the image carriers.

7. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein driving force produced at one portion of the image forming apparatus body diverges and is transmitted to all of a plurality of said image carriers within the image carrier cartridge.

8. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein no cleaning means for collecting remaining developer is disposed around said image carriers.

9. An image forming apparatus of a tandem type comprising at least two image forming stations each of which is composed of an image carrier, and a charging means, a writing means, a developing means, and a transfer means which are arranged around the image carrier, wherein said image forming apparatus forms a color image by passing a transfer medium through the respective image forming stations, said image forming apparatus comprising:

an image carrier cartridge having a positioning member for positioning the image carriers at proper relative positions;

an electronic module having a storage means in which information on color registration error is stored; and

a signal connecting means between said electronic module and an image forming apparatus body, wherein said image carrier cartridge is designed to be detachable relative to the image forming apparatus body and supports a plurality of said image carriers together; and

a correcting means for correcting color registration errors on the basis of a signal from said electronic module.

10. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the respective positions of the image carriers.

11. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the respective profiles of the image carriers.

12. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the respective positions of the image carriers relative to a positioning member of the image carrier cartridge for positioning the image carrier cartridge relative to the image forming apparatus body.

13. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claims 12, wherein said positioning member of the image carrier cartridge for positioning the image carrier cartridge relative to the image forming apparatus body is a shaft of the image carrier for a reference color and wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the positions of the other image carriers relative to the image carrier for the reference color.

14. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the coefficient of linear expansion of the positioning member for the image carriers.

15. An image carrier cartridge which is designed to be detachable relative to an image forming apparatus of a tandem type, said image forming apparatus comprising at least two image forming stations each of which is composed of an image carrier, and a charging means, a writing means, a developing means, and a transfer means which are arranged around the image carrier, wherein said image forming apparatus forms a color image by passing a transfer medium through the respective image forming stations,

said image carrier cartridge supporting a plurality of said image carriers together and comprising:

a positioning member for positioning the image carriers at proper relative positions;

said writing means located at positions corresponding to the respective image carriers;

an electronic module having a storage means in which information on color registration error is stored; and

a signal connecting means between said electronic module and an image forming apparatus body.

16. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 15, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the respective positions of the image carriers.

17. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 15, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the respective writing positions of the image carriers.

18. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 15, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the respective parallelisms of the writing means relative to the axes of the image carriers.

19. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 15, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the respective positions of the image carriers relative to a positioning member of the image carrier cartridge for positioning the image carrier cartridge relative to the image forming apparatus body.

20. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 19, wherein the positioning member of the image carrier cartridge for positioning the image carrier cartridge relative to the image forming apparatus body is a shaft of the image carrier for a reference color and wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the positions of the other image carriers relative to the image carrier for the reference color.

21. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 15, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the coefficient of linear expansion of the positioning member for the image carriers.

22. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 15, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the rotational error of the image carrier due to a driving force transmitting member for the image carriers provided on the image carrier cartridge.

23. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 15, wherein driving force produced at one portion of the image forming apparatus body diverges and is transmitted to all of a plurality of said image carriers within the image carrier cartridge.

24. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in any one of claims 15, through 19 wherein no cleaning means for collecting remaining developer is disposed around said image carriers.

25. An image forming apparatus of a tandem type comprising at least two image forming stations each of which is composed of an image carrier, and a charging means, a writing means, a developing means, and a transfer means which are arranged around the image carrier, wherein said image forming apparatus forms a color image by passing a transfer medium through the respective image forming stations, said image forming apparatus comprising:

an image carrier cartridge having a positioning member for positioning the image carriers at proper relative positions;

writing means located at positions corresponding to the respective image carriers;

an electronic module having a storage means in which information on color registration error is stored; and

a signal connecting means between said electronic module and an image forming apparatus body, wherein said image carrier cartridge is designed to be detachable relative to the image forming apparatus body and supports a plurality of said image carriers together; and

a correcting means for correcting color registration errors on the basis of a signal from said electronic module.

26. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the respective positions of the image carriers.

27. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the respective writing positions of the image carriers.

28. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the respective parallelisms of the writing means relative to the axes of the image carriers.

29. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the respective positions of the image carriers relative to a positioning member of the image carrier cartridge for positioning the image carrier cartridge relative to the image forming apparatus body.

30. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the positioning member of the image carrier cartridge for positioning the image carrier cartridge relative to the image forming apparatus body is a shaft of the image carrier for a reference color and wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the positions of the other image carriers relative to the image carrier for the reference color.

31. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the coefficient of linear expansion of the positioning member for the image carriers.

32. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the rotational error of the image carrier due to a driving force transmitting member for the image carriers provided on the image carrier cartridge.

33. An image carrier cartridge which is designed to be detachable relative to an image forming apparatus of a tandem type, said image forming apparatus comprising at least two image forming stations each of which is composed of an image carrier, and a charging means, a writing means, a developing means, and a transfer means which are arranged around the image carrier, wherein said image forming apparatus forms a color image by passing a transfer medium through the respective image forming stations,

said image carrier cartridge supporting a plurality of said image carriers together and comprising:

a positioning member for positioning the image carriers at proper relative positions;

said writing means located at positions corresponding to the respective image carriers;

said transfer means arranged to be in contact with a plurality of said image carriers;

an electronic module having a storage means in which information on color registration error is stored; and

a signal connecting means between said electronic module and an image forming apparatus body.

34. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 33, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the respective writing positions of the image carriers.

35. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 33, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the respective transfer positions on the image carriers.

36. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 33, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the coefficient of linear expansion of the positioning member for the image carriers.

37. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 33, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the rotational error of the image carrier due to a driving force transmitting member for the image carriers provided on the image carrier cartridge.

38. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 33, wherein driving force produced at one portion of the image forming apparatus body diverges and is transmitted to all of a plurality of said image carriers within the image carrier cartridge.

39. An image carrier cartridge as claimed in claim 33, wherein no cleaning means for collecting remaining developer is disposed around said image carriers.

40. An image forming apparatus of a tandem type comprising at least two image forming stations each of which is composed of an image carrier, and a charging means, a writing means, a developing means, and a transfer means which are arranged around the image carrier, wherein said image forming apparatus forms a color image by passing a transfer medium through the respective image forming stations, said image forming apparatus comprising:

an image carrier cartridge having a positioning member for positioning the image carriers at proper relative positions;

writing means located at positions corresponding to the respective image carriers;

a transfer means arranged to be in contact with a plurality of said image carriers;

an electronic module having a storage means in which information on color registration error is stored; and

a signal connecting means between said electronic module and an image forming apparatus body, wherein said image carrier cartridge is designed to be detachable relative to the image forming apparatus body and supports a plurality of said image carriers together; and

a correcting means for correcting color registration errors on the basis of a signal from said electronic module.

41. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 40, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the respective writing positions of the image carriers.

42. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 40, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the respective transfer positions on the image carriers.

43. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 40, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the coefficient of linear expansion of the positioning member for the image carriers.

44. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 40, wherein said information on color registration error is formed on the basis of the rotational error of the image carrier due to a driving force transmitting member for the image carriers provided on the image carrier cartridge.