Developing cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus

• US 8,923,731 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2013
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Chino, Hideto
• Primary Examiner(s): Laballe, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pu, Ruifeng
• Application Number:
  US13/908,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20130322930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 399/167, 399/110, 399/111
• US Class Current: 399/167
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0173 plural rotations of recording member to produce multicoloured copy, e.g. rotating set of developing units G03G15/0163 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0865 Arrangements for supplying new developer
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1647 Mechanical connection means
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1676 for the developer unit

Abstract

A developing cartridge mountable to a development rotary of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a coupling member for transmitting a rotational force from a main assembly engaging portion to a developing roller, the coupling member being engageable and disengageable relative to the engaging portion with rotation of the rotary, the coupling member being movable among a rotational force transmitting angular position, a pre-engagement angular position in which the coupling member is inclined relative to that in the transmitting angular position to engage with the engaging portion, and a disengaging angular position for disengaging therefrom; and an inclination regulating member movable between a regulating position for positioning the coupling member to the pre-engagement position and a retracted position, the inclination regulating member being movable from the retracted position to the regulating position by being abutted by a function member of the rotary.

Claims

1. A developing cartridge detachably mountable to a development rotary member of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus including a rotatable main assembly engaging portion, a rotatable development rotary member, and a function member, said developing cartridge comprising:

a developing roller configured to develop a latent image formed on an image bearing member;

a developer accommodating portion configured to accommodate a developer for developing the latent image using said developing roller;

a coupling member configured to transmit a rotational force from the main assembly engaging portion to said developing roller, said coupling member being engageable with and disengageable from the main assembly engaging portion with rotation of the development rotary member, said coupling member being movable among a rotational force transmitting angular position for transmitting the rotational force to said developing roller through the engagement with the main assembly engaging portion, a pre-engagement angular position in which a rotational axis of said coupling member is inclined relative to that in the rotational force transmitting angular position to be brought into engagement with the main assembly engaging portion and a disengaging angular position for disengaging from the main assembly engaging portion; and

an inclination regulating member movable between a regulating position for positioning said coupling member to the pre-engagement angular position and a retracted position retracted from the regulating position, said inclination regulating member being movable from the retracted position to the regulating position by being abutted by the function member with rotation of the development rotary member.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when said coupling member starts to engage with the main assembly engaging portion, said inclination regulating member does not regulate the position of the coupling member.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said inclination regulating member is rotatably provided in a body of the developing cartridge.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said inclination regulating member is a non-elastic member.

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

a rotatable main assembly engaging portion;

a rotatable development rotary member;

a function member; and

a developing cartridge detachably mountable to said development rotary member, said developing cartridge including,

a developing roller configured to develop a latent image formed on an image bearing member,

a developer accommodating portion configured to accommodate a developer for developing the latent image using said developing roller;

a coupling member configured to transmit a rotational force from the main assembly engaging portion to said developing roller, said coupling member being engageable with and disengageable from the main assembly engaging portion with rotation of the development rotary member, said coupling member being movable among a rotational force transmitting angular position for transmitting the rotational force to said developing roller through the engagement with the main assembly engaging portion, a pre-engagement angular position in which a rotational axis of said coupling member is inclined relative to that in the rotational force transmitting angular position to be brought into engagement with the main assembly engaging portion and a disengaging angular position for disengaging from the main assembly engaging portion, and

an inclination regulating member movable between a regulating position for positioning said coupling member to the pre-engagement angular position and a retracted position retracted from the regulating position, said inclination regulating member being movable from the retracted position to the regulating position by being abutted by the function member with rotation of the development rotary member.