Electrophotographic image forming apparatus, developing apparatus, and coupling member
DCFirst Claim
1. An image forming apparatus cartridge comprising:
- a casing;
developer contained within the casing;
a developer roller having an axis L1, the developer roller being rotatably supported by the casing to permit rotation about the axis L1; and
a coupling member having an axis L2 about which the coupling member is rotatable and a free end portion for receiving a rotational force, the free end portion including at least two projections that are positioned at least partly outside of the casing, each of the at least two projections being open to the axis L2 and having a slanted surface with respect to a plane perpendicular to the axis L2, the coupling member being operatively connected to the developer roller in order to be capable of transmitting the rotational force to the developer roller,wherein the coupling member is movable between (i) a first position in which the axis L2 of the coupling member is substantially parallel to and offset from the axis L1 of the developer roller such that the axis L2 does not pass through the developer roller, (ii) a second position in which the axis L2 of the coupling member is inclined with respect to the position of the axis L2 when the coupling member is in the first position, and (iii) a third position in which the axis L2 of the coupling member is inclined with respect to the position of the axis L2 when the coupling member is in the first position in a direction opposite to the direction the coupling member is inclined when in the second position.
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Abstract
A developing device usable with an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the apparatus including a driving shaft rotatable by a motor and having a rotating force applying portion, and a movable member, the developing device being mountable to the movable member, and the developing device being movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to an axial direction of the driving shaft in response to movement of the movable member in one direction with the developing device mounted to the movable member, the developing device includes i) a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, the developing roller being rotatable about an axis; and ii) a coupling member for transmitting a rotating force to the developing roller, the coupling member including, a rotating force receiving portion engageable with the rotating force applying portion to receive a rotating force from the driving shaft, and a rotating force transmitting portion for transmitting the rotating force received through the rotating force receiving portion to the developing roller, the coupling member being capable of taking a rotational force transmitting angular position for transmitting the rotational force for rotating the developing roller to the developing roller, a pre-engagement angular position which is taken before the coupling member is engaged with the rotating force applying portion and in which the coupling member is inclined away from the rotational force transmitting angular position, and a disengaging angular position which is taken for the coupling member to disengage from the driving shaft and in which the coupling member is inclined away from the rotational force transmitting angular position in a direction opposite to the pre-engagement angular position; wherein in response to a movement of the developing device when the movable member moves in the one direction, the coupling member moves from the pre-engagement angular position to the rotational force transmitting angular position to be opposed to the driving shaft, and wherein when the movable member makes a further movement in the one direction from a position where the coupling member is opposed to the driving shaft, in response to the further movement, the coupling member is disengaged from the driving shaft by moving from the rotational force transmitting angular position to the disengaging angular position.
348 Citations
46 Claims
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1. An image forming apparatus cartridge comprising:
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a casing; developer contained within the casing; a developer roller having an axis L1, the developer roller being rotatably supported by the casing to permit rotation about the axis L1; and a coupling member having an axis L2 about which the coupling member is rotatable and a free end portion for receiving a rotational force, the free end portion including at least two projections that are positioned at least partly outside of the casing, each of the at least two projections being open to the axis L2 and having a slanted surface with respect to a plane perpendicular to the axis L2, the coupling member being operatively connected to the developer roller in order to be capable of transmitting the rotational force to the developer roller, wherein the coupling member is movable between (i) a first position in which the axis L2 of the coupling member is substantially parallel to and offset from the axis L1 of the developer roller such that the axis L2 does not pass through the developer roller, (ii) a second position in which the axis L2 of the coupling member is inclined with respect to the position of the axis L2 when the coupling member is in the first position, and (iii) a third position in which the axis L2 of the coupling member is inclined with respect to the position of the axis L2 when the coupling member is in the first position in a direction opposite to the direction the coupling member is inclined when in the second position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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13. An image forming apparatus cartridge comprising:
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a casing; developer contained within the casing; a developer roller having an axis L1, the developer roller being rotatably supported by the casing to permit rotation about the axis L1; and a coupling member having an axis L2 about which the coupling member is rotatable and a free end portion for receiving a rotational force, the free end portion including at least two projections that are positioned at least partly outside of the casing, each of the at least two projections being open to the axis L2 and having a slanted surface with respect to a plane perpendicular to the axis L2, the coupling member being operatively connected to the developer roller in order to be capable of transmitting the rotational force to the developer roller, wherein the coupling member is movable between (i) a first position in which the axis L2 of the coupling member is substantially parallel to and offset from the axis L1 of the developer roller such that the axis L2 does not pass through the developer roller and (ii) a second position in which the axis L2 of the coupling member is inclined with respect to the position of the axis L2 when the coupling member is in the first position. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. An image forming apparatus cartridge comprising:
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a casing; developer contained within the casing; a developer roller having an axis L1, the developer roller being rotatably supported by the casing to permit rotation about the axis L1; and a coupling member having an axis L2 about which the coupling member is rotatable and a free end portion for receiving a rotational force, the free end portion including at least one projection that is positioned at least partly outside of the casing, the at least one projection being open to the axis L2 and having a slanted surface with respect to a plane perpendicular to the axis L2, the coupling member being operatively connected to the developer roller in order to be capable of transmitting the rotational force to the developer roller, wherein the coupling member is movable between (i) a first position in which the axis L2 of the coupling member is substantially parallel to and offset from the axis L1 of the developer roller so that the axis L2 does not pass through the developer roller, (ii) a second position in which the axis L2 of the coupling member is inclined with respect to the position of the axis L2 when the coupling member is in the first position, and (iii) a third position in which the axis L2 of the coupling member is inclined with respect to the position of the axis L2 when the coupling member is in the first position in a direction opposite to the direction the coupling member is inclined when in the second position. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An image forming apparatus cartridge comprising:
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a casing; developer contained within the casing; a developer roller having an axis L1, the developer roller being rotatably supported by the casing to permit rotation about the axis L1; and a coupling member having an axis L2 about which the coupling member is rotatable and a free end portion for receiving a rotational force, the free end portion including at least one projection that is positioned at least partly outside of the casing, the at least one projection being open to the axis L2 and having a slanted surface with respect to a plane perpendicular to the axis L2, the coupling member being operatively connected to the developer roller in order to be capable of transmitting the rotational force to the developer roller, wherein the coupling member is movable between (i) a first position in which the axis L2 of the coupling member is substantially parallel to and offset from the axis L1 of the developer roller so that the axis L2 does not pass through the developer roller and (ii) a second position in which the axis L2 of the coupling member is inclined with respect to the position of the axis L2 when the coupling member is in the first position. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification