Electrophotographic image forming apparatus, process cartridge, and drive mount for photosensitive drum
DCFirst Claim
1. A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein said main assembly includes a motor, a driving rotatable member for receiving driving force from said motor, and a hole defined by twisted surfaces, said hole being substantially coaxial with said driving rotatable member, said process cartridge comprising:
- an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
process means actable on said photosensitive drum; and
a projection provided at a longitudinal end of said photosensitive drum, wherein said projection has an engaging portion for engagement with the twisted surfaces and a supporting portion for supporting said engaging portion, and said supporting portion is capable of entering said hole, and wherein when said driving rotatable member rotates with said hole and said engaging portion of said projection engaged with each other, rotational driving force is transmitted from said driving rotatable member to said photosensitive drum through engagement between said hole and said projection, and said projection is urged inwardly of said hole.
1 Assignment
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein the main assembly includes a motor, a main assembly side gear for receiving driving force from the motor and a hole defined by twisted surfaces, the hole being substantially coaxial with the gear; an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; process device actable on the photosensitive drum; and a projection provided at a longitudinal end of the photosensitive drum. The projection has an engaging portion for engagement with the twisted surfaces and a supporting portion for supporting the engaging portion. The supporting portion is capable of entering the hole, and wherein when the main assembly side gear rotates with the hole and the engaging portion of the projection engaged with each other, rotational driving force is transmitted from the gear to the photosensitive drum through engagement between the hole and the projection, and the projection is urged inwardly of the hole.
199 Citations
79 Claims
-
1. A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein said main assembly includes a motor, a driving rotatable member for receiving driving force from said motor, and a hole defined by twisted surfaces, said hole being substantially coaxial with said driving rotatable member, said process cartridge comprising:
-
an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
process means actable on said photosensitive drum; and
a projection provided at a longitudinal end of said photosensitive drum, wherein said projection has an engaging portion for engagement with the twisted surfaces and a supporting portion for supporting said engaging portion, and said supporting portion is capable of entering said hole, and wherein when said driving rotatable member rotates with said hole and said engaging portion of said projection engaged with each other, rotational driving force is transmitted from said driving rotatable member to said photosensitive drum through engagement between said hole and said projection, and said projection is urged inwardly of said hole. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
-
-
22. A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, said main assembly including a motor, a driving rotatable member for receiving driving force from said motor, and a twisted recess having a non-circular cross section and being substantially coaxial with a rotation axis of said driving rotatable member, said process cartridge comprising:
-
a rotatable electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
process means actable on said photosensitive drum; and
a projection provided at a longitudinal end of said photosensitive drum, said projection having an engaging portion for engagement with an inner surface of the twisted recess and a supporting portion for supporting said engaging portion, said supporting portion being capable of entering said recess, and said engaging portion having a non-circular cross section and being substantially coaxial with a rotation axis of said photosensitive drum, wherein said projection of said photosensitive drum has such a dimension and configuration that it can take a first relative rotational position with respect to said recess of said driving rotatable member in which relative rotational movement therebetween is permitted, and a second relative rotational position with respect to said recess of said driving rotatable member in which relative rotational movement is prevented in one rotational direction, while the rotation axis of said driving rotatable member and the rotation axis of said photosensitive drum are substantially aligned, and said projection is urged inwardly of said recess by rotation of said recess. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56)
-
-
41. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, said apparatus comprising:
-
(a) a motor;
(b) a driving rotatable member for receiving driving force from said motor;
(c) a hole defined by twisted surfaces, said hole being substantially coaxial with said driving rotatable member;
(d) a mounting member for detachably mounting the process cartridge, which includes;
an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, process means actable on said photosensitive drum, and a projection provided at a longitudinal end of said photosensitive drum, wherein said projection has an engaging portion for engagement with the twisted surfaces and a supporting portion for supporting said engaging portion, and said supporting portion is capable of entering said hole, and wherein when said driving rotatable member rotates with said hole and said engaging portion of said projection engaged with each other, rotational driving force is transmitted from said driving rotatable member to said photosensitive drum through engagement between said hole and said projection, and said projection is urged inwardly of said hole;
(e) moving means for imparting relative movement between said hole and said projection in a longitudinal direction of said photosensitive drum; and
(f) feeding means for feeding the recording material. - View Dependent Claims (55)
-
-
42. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, said apparatus comprising:
-
(a) a motor;
(b) a driving rotatable member for receiving driving force from said motor;
(c) a recess defined by twisted surfaces, said recess being substantially coaxial with said driving rotatable member;
(d) a mounting member for mounting the process cartridge, which includes;
a rotatable electrophotographic photosensitive drum, process means actable on said photosensitive drum, and a projection provided at a longitudinal end of said photosensitive drum, said projection having an engaging portion for engagement with an inner surface of the twisted recess and a supporting portion for supporting said engaging portion, said supporting portion being capable of entering said recess, and said engaging portion having a non-circular cross section and being substantially coaxial with a rotation axis of said photosensitive drum, wherein said projection of said photosensitive drum has such a dimension and configuration that it can take a first relative rotational position with respect to said recess of said driving rotatable member in which relative rotational movement therebetween is permitted, and a second relative rotational position with respect to said recess of said driving rotatable member in which relative rotational movement is prevented in one rotational direction, while the rotation axis of said driving rotatable member and the rotation axis of said photosensitive drum are substantially aligned, and said projection is urged inwardly of said recess by rotation of said recess;
(e) moving means for imparting relative movement between said recess and said projection in a longitudinal direction of said photosensitive drum; and
(f) feeding means for feeding the recording material.
-
-
57. A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein said main assembly includes a motor, a driving rotatable member for receiving driving force from said motor, and a hole defined by twisted surfaces, said hole being substantially coaxial with said driving rotatable member, said process cartridge comprising:
-
a cartridge frame;
an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
process means actable on said photosensitive drum, said process means including a developing member for developing a latent image formed on said photosensitive drum, and a charging member for electrically charging said photosensitive drum;
a projection provided at a longitudinal end of said photosensitive drum, wherein said projection has an engaging portion for engagement with the twisted surfaces and a supporting portion for supporting said engaging portion, wherein said end of said photosensitive drum is provided with a shaft for supporting said photosensitive drum on said cartridge frame, and said engaging portion is supported on said shaft by said supporting portion, and a cross section of said supporting portion in a direction crossing with a longitudinal direction of said photosensitive drum is smaller than a cross section of said engaging portion, and said supporting portion is capable of entering said hole, and wherein when said driving rotatable member rotates with said hole and said engaging portion of said projection engaged with each other, rotational driving force is transmitted from said driving rotatable member to said photosensitive drum through engagement between said hole and said projection, wherein said engaging portion is contacted to said twisted surfaces at least three points.
-
-
58. A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein said main assembly includes a motor, a driving rotatable member for receiving driving force from said motor, and a hole defined by twisted surfaces, said hole being substantially coaxial with said driving rotatable member, said process cartridge comprising:
-
a cartridge frame;
an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
process means actable on said photosensitive drum, said process means including a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on said photosensitive drum, and a charging member for electrically charging said photosensitive drum;
a projection provided at a longitudinal end of said photosensitive drum, wherein said projection has an engaging portion for engagement with the twisted surfaces and a supporting portion for supporting said engaging portion, wherein said end of said photosensitive drum is provided with a shaft for supporting said photosensitive drum on said cartridge frame, and said engaging portion is supported on said shaft by said supporting portion, and a cross section of said supporting portion in a direction crossing with a longitudinal direction of said photosensitive drum is smaller than a cross section of said engaging portion, and said supporting portion is capable of entering said hole, and wherein when said driving rotatable member rotates with said hole and said engaging portion of said projection engaged with each other, rotational driving force is transmitted from said driving rotatable member to said photosensitive drum through engagement between said hole and said projection, and said projection is urged inwardly of said hole, wherein said engaging portion is contacted to said twisted surfaces at at least three points, and wherein said end of said photosensitive drum is provided with a drum gear which is effective to transmit a driving force received by said engaging portion from the main assembly to said developing roller.
-
-
59. An electrophotographic photosensitive drum usable with a process cartridge which is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the main assembly being provided with a hole defined by twisted surfaces, said photosensitive drum comprising:
-
a cylinder having a photosensitive layer on a circumferential surface thereof;
an end flange provided at a longitudinal end of said cylinder, said end flange being provided with a support base; and
driving force receiving means including a plurality of engaging portions which are engageable to the twisted surfaces to receive rotational driving force, and supporting means extending from said supporting base to said engaging portions to support said engaging portions, wherein said supporting means extends longitudinally outwardly and radially outwardly. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63)
-
-
64. An electrophotographic photosensitive drum usable with a process cartridge which is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the main assembly being provided with a hole defined by twisted surfaces, said photosensitive drum comprising:
-
a cylinder having a photosensitive layer on a circumferential surface thereof;
an end flange provided at a longitudinal end of said cylinder, said end flange being provided with a supporting base; and
driving force receiving means including a plurality of engaging portions which are engageable to the twisted surfaces to receive rotational driving force, and supporting arms extending from said supporting base to said engaging portions to support said engaging portions, wherein said supporting arms extend radially outwardly. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67)
-
-
68. A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein the main assembly includes a motor, a driving rotatable member for receiving driving force from the motor and a hole defined by twisted surfaces, the hole being substantially coaxial with the driving rotatable member, said process cartridge comprising:
-
an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; and
process means actable on said photosensitive drum, wherein said electrophotographic photosensitive drum includes;
a cylinder having a photosensitive layer on a circumferential surface thereof;
an end flange provided at a longitudinal end of said cylinder, said end flange being provided with a supporting base; and
driving force receiving means including a plurality of engaging portions which are engageable to the twisted surfaces to receive rotational driving force, and supporting means extending from said supporting base to said engaging portions to support said engaging portions, wherein said supporting means extends longitudinally outwardly and radially outwardly. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 72, 77)
-
-
73. A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein the main assembly includes a motor, a driving rotatable member for receiving driving force from the motor and a hole defined by twisted surfaces, the hole being substantially coaxial with the driving rotatable member, said process cartridge comprising:
-
an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; and
process means actable on said photosensitive drum, wherein said electrophotographic photosensitive drum includes;
a cylinder having a photosensitive layer on a circumferential surface thereof;
an end flange provided at a longitudinal end of said cylinder, said end flange being provided with a supporting base; and
driving force receiving means including a plurality of engaging portions which are engageable to the twisted surfaces to receive rotational driving force, and supporting arms extending from said supporting base to said engaging portions to support said engaging portions, wherein said supporting arms extends radially outwardly. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76)
-
-
78. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, said apparatus comprising:
-
(a) a motor;
(b) a driving rotatable member for receiving driving force from said motor;
(c) a hole defined by twisted surfaces, said hole being substantially coaxial with said driving rotatable member; and
(d) a mounting member for mounting the process cartridge, which includes;
a rotatable electrophotographic photosensitive drum; and
process means actable on said photosensitive drum, wherein said photosensitive drum includes;
a cylinder having a photosensitive layer on a circumferential surface thereof;
an end flange provided at a longitudinal end of said cylinder, said end flange being provided with a supporting base; and
driving force receiving means including a plurality of engaging portions which are engageable to said twisted surfaces to receive rotational driving force, and supporting means extending from said supporting base to said engaging portions to support said engaging portions, wherein said supporting means extends longitudinally outwardly and radially outwardly.
-
-
79. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, said apparatus comprising:
-
(a) a motor;
(b) a driving rotatable member for receiving driving force from said motor;
(c) a hole defined by twisted surfaces, said hole being substantially coaxial with said driving rotatable member; and
(d) a mounting member for mounting the process cartridge, which includes;
a rotatable electrophotographic photosensitive drum; and
process means actable on said photosensitive drum, wherein said photosensitive drum includes;
a cylinder having a photosensitive layer on a circumferential surface thereof;
an end flange provided at a longitudinal end of said cylinder, said end flange being provided with a supporting base; and
driving force receiving means including a plurality of engaging portions which are engageable to said twisted surfaces to receive rotational driving force, and supporting arms extending from said supporting base to said engaging portions to support said engaging portions, wherein said supporting arms extend radially outwardly.
-
Specification