Developing cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus

• US 9,989,915 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2016
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• 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:
  US15/384,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20170102666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• 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. 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 casing;

a developing roller, provided in said casing, configured to rotate and carry developer;

a developing supplying roller, provided in said casing, configured to rotate and supply the developer to said developing roller;

a coupling member configured to receive a rotational force for rotating said developing roller, said coupling member being movable between a first position in which a rotational axis of said coupling member is parallel to a rotational axis of said developing roller and a second position in which the rotational axis of said coupling member is inclined relative to the rotational axis of said developing roller; and

a non-elastic member, provided adjacent to said coupling member, movable between a contact position in which said non-elastic member contacts said coupling member to urge said coupling member to the second position and a spaced position in which said non-elastic member is spaced from said coupling member,

wherein said non-elastic member is movable from the spaced position to the contact position by being abutted by said function member in response to movement of said developing cartridge when said development rotary member rotates.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said non-elastic member is made of resin.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a rotational axis of said non-elastic member is parallel to the rotational axis of said developing roller.