Rotational force transmitting part

• US 8,532,533 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2012
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ueno, Takahito, Miyabe, Shigeo, Morioka, Masanari, Hisano, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Kiho
• Application Number:
  US13/693,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20130164031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 280 Days
• Field of Search: 250/167, 250/13, 250/110, 250/111, 250/117
• US Class Current: 399/167
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/751 relating to drum G03G15/757 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/757 Drive mechanisms for photosensitive medium, e.g. gears
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1853 the process cartridge being mounted perpendicular to the axis of the photosensitive member
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1857 for transmitting mechanical drive power to the process cartridge, drive mechanisms, gears, couplings, braking mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/186 Axial couplings
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1657 transmitting mechanical drive power

Abstract

An electrophotographic photosensitive drum unit includes a cylinder having a photosensitive layer at an outer periphery thereof. A drum flange is provided at one end of the cylinder, with the drum flange including a plurality of projections provided inside of the drum flange and projected radially inwardly of the drum flange, and with a space diametrically between the projections. A radially inner part of each projection has an overhang.

Claims

1. An electrophotographic photosensitive drum unit comprising:

(a) a cylinder having a photosensitive layer at an outer periphery thereof; and

(b) a drum flange provided at one end of the cylinder, the drum flange including a plurality of projections provided inside of the drum flange and projected radially inwardly of the drum flange, with a space diametrically between the projections,

wherein a radially inner part of each projection has an overhang.

2. A drum unit according to claim 1, wherein the overhang is provided at an outer end of the projection in a longitudinal direction of the cylinder.

3. A drum unit according to claim 2, further comprising a cover portion provided at an inner end of the projection in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder.

4. A drum unit according to claim 3, wherein each projection is projected from an inner surface of the drum flange.

5. A drum unit according to claim 4, further comprising a gear portion provided along an outer surface of the drum flange,

wherein the projections are provided at substantially the same position as the gear portion with respect to a longitudinal direction of the cylinder.

6. A drum unit according to claim 5, wherein the drum flange is made from resin.

7. A drum unit according to claim 4, wherein the drum flange is made from resin.

8. A drum unit according to claim 3, wherein the drum flange is made from resin.

9. A drum unit according to claim 2, wherein the drum flange is provided with further spaces circumferentially between the projections.

10. A drum unit according to claim 9, wherein each further space is a groove parallel to a longitudinal direction of the cylinder.

11. A drum unit according to claim 10, wherein the drum flange is made from resin.

12. A drum unit according to claim 9, wherein the drum flange is made from resin.

13. A drum unit according to claim 2, wherein the drum flange is made from resin.

14. A drum unit according to claim 1, wherein the drum flange is provided with further spaces circumferentially between the projections.

15. A drum unit according to claim 14, wherein each further space is a groove parallel to a longitudinal direction of the cylinder.

16. A drum unit according to claim 15, wherein the drum flange is made from resin.

17. A drum unit according to claim 14, wherein the drum flange is made from resin.

18. A drum unit according to claim 1, wherein the drum flange is made from resin.

19. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a process cartridge including;

a casing;

a cylinder having a photosensitive layer at an outer periphery thereof, the cylinder having an axis L1; and

a drum flange provided at one end of the cylinder that is coaxial with the axis L1, the drum flange including a plurality of projections provided inside the drum flange that project radially inward of the drum flange with a space diametrically between the projections, wherein a radially inner part of each projection has an overhang, and wherein the drum flange is rotatably supported in the casing to permit rotation about the axis L1; and

a coupling member having an axis L2, the coupling member having (i) a rotational force transmitting portion engageable with the drum flange, (ii) a rotational force receiving portion, and (iii) a connecting portion that connects the rotational force receiving portion to the rotational force transmitting portion,

wherein the coupling member is movable between a first position in which the axis L2 of the coupling member is coaxial with the axis L1 of the drum flange, and a second position in which the axis L2 of the coupling member is inclined with respect to the axis L1 of the drum flange, and

wherein the maximum angle of inclination of the axis L2 when the coupling member is inclined is limited by contact between the coupling member and the drum flange;

a driving motor;

a driving shaft engageable with the rotational force receiving portion of the coupling member of the process cartridge and having a rotational axis L3;

a guide portion configured to guide insertion of the process cartridge into the image forming apparatus along a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis L3 of the driving shaft; and

an urging member movable between an urging position and a retracted position retracted from the urging position,

wherein, when the process cartridge is mounted to the image forming apparatus, the coupling member is inclined toward the driving shaft by being urged by an elastic force of the urging member restoring to the urging position after being temporarily retracted to the retracted position by being contacted by the coupling member.