Developing apparatus, process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus with movable developing roller shaft coupling member

• US 8,086,135 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2007
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): LACTAOEN, BILLY JAMES M
• Application Number:
  US11/953,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20080170880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 Days
• Field of Search: 399/111, 399/110, 399/117, 399/119, 399/126
• US Class Current: 399/111
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/186 Axial couplings
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1864 associated with a positioning function
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1654 Locks and means for positioning or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1657 transmitting mechanical drive power

Abstract

A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The main assembly includes first and second transmitters, a cartridge positioner, a movable member, and a lock. The cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a drum coupler transmitting a first driving force to the drum of the mounted cartridge and a shaft coupler, transmitting a second driving force from the second transmitter with a deviation permitted between axes of the second transmitter and the roller. The shaft coupler includes an engager engaging the second transmitter and receiving the second driving force for the mounted cartridge. When the cartridge is moved by the movable member, the engager is positioned to the lock and the distance between the engager and roller axes is smaller when the cartridge is positioned to the positioner than when the engager is positioned by a cartridge holding portion.

Claims

1. A developing device detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus including a rotatable main assembly driving force transmission member, a movable member movable between a first position for permitting said developing device to enter the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus in a longitudinal direction of said developing device and a second position for urging said developing device in a direction crossing the longitudinal direction to position said developing device in the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and a main assembly locking member, said developing device comprising:

a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on electrophotographic photosensitive drum with developer;

a shaft coupling member, provided on one axial end of said developing roller, for transmitting a rotational driving force from the main assembly driving force transmission member with a deviation permitted between an axis of the main assembly drive transmission member and an axis of said developing roller;

a holding portion,

wherein said shaft coupling member includes an engaging portion for engaging with the main assembly drive transmission member and receiving the rotational driving force when said developing device is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus,

wherein said engaging portion is movable relative to the developing roller in a direction crossing with the axial direction of said developing roller,

wherein when said developing device enters said main assembly of the apparatus, said engaging portion is positioned relative to said holding portion, and

wherein when said developing device is positioned to the main assembly positioning portion by said movable member taking the second position, said engaging portion is positioned to the main assembly locking member instead of said holding portion.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said engaging portion is positioned to said holding portion by being urged in a direction crossing with the axis of said engaging portion when said developing device enters said main assembly of the apparatus.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein when said developing device is positioned to the main assembly portioning portion by said movable member taking the second position, said engaging portion is positioned to the main assembly locking member by being urged in a direction crossing the axis of said engaging portion.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said engaging portion is positioned to said holding portion so that axis of said engaging portion is closer to an axis of the main assembly driving force transmission member than the axis of said developing roller when said developing device enters the main assembly of the apparatus.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein when said developing device enters the main assembly of the apparatus, said developing roller is spaced from said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and wherein when said developing device is positioned to the main assembly positioning portion, said developing roller is contacted to said electrophotographic photosensitive drum.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said holding portion is provided in a frame of said developing device.

7. A device according to claim 2, wherein said developing device includes an urging member for urging said engaging portion in a direction crossing with the axis of said engaging portion.

8. A device according to claim 1, further comprising an engaging portion bearing member rotatably supporting said engaging portion and movable in a direction crossing with the axis of said engaging portion.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein said shaft coupling member includes an Oldham coupling.

11. A device according to claim 1, wherein a distance between an axis of said engaging portion and an axis of said developing roller is smaller when said developing device is positioned to the main assembly positioning portion than when said engaging portion is positioned to said holding portion.

10. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, said electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising:

(a) a rotatable main assembly driving force transmission member;

(b) a movable member movable between a first position for permitting a developing device to enter a main assembly of said electrophotographic image forming apparatus in a longitudinal direction of the developing device and a second position for urging said developing device in a direction crossing with the longitudinal direction to position said developing device in the main assembly of the apparatus of said electrophotographic image forming apparatus;

(c) a main assembly locking member;

(d) said developing device being detachably mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus and including;

a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on electrophotographic photosensitive drum with developer;

a shaft coupling member, provided on one axial end of said developing roller, for transmitting a rotational driving force from the main assembly driving force transmission member with a deviation permitted between an axis of the main assembly drive transmission member and an axis of said developing roller;

a holding portion,

wherein said shaft coupling member includes an engaging portion for engaging with the main assembly drive transmission member and receiving the rotational driving force when said developing device is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus,

wherein said engaging portion is movable relative to the developing roller in a direction crossing with the axial direction of said developing roller,

wherein when said developing device enters said main assembly of the apparatus, said engaging portion is positioned relative to said a holding portion, and

wherein when said developing device is positioned to the main assembly positioning portion by said movable member taking the second position, said engaging portion is positioned to the main assembly locking member; and

(e) feeding means for feeding the recording material.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a distance between an axis of said engaging portion and an axis of said developing roller is smaller when said developing device is positioned to the main assembly positioning portion than when said engaging portion is positioned to said holding portion.