Process cartridge, developing device and image forming apparatus

• US 9,256,161 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hayashi, Naoki, Morioka, Masanari, Kashiide, Yosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): LaBalle, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUTLER, KEVIN C
• Application Number:
  US13/724,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20130209137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 399/111
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0889 for agitation or stirring
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1623 Means to access the interior of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1814 Details of parts of process cartridge, e.g. for charging, transfer, cleaning, developing G03G21/1835 takes precedence
• 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 2221/1654 Locks and means for positioning or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1657 transmitting mechanical drive power
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/183 Process cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1884 Projections on process cartridge for guiding mounting thereof in main machine

Abstract

A process cartridge detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus includes a rotatable developer carrying member, a rotatable developer feeding member, a rotatable developer stirring member, a developer carrying member gear, a developer feeding member gear, a developer stirring member gear, a transmission member for transmitting a driving force to the developer carrying member, the developer feeding member and the developer stirring member, wherein the transmission member includes a first gear for transmitting the driving force to the developer carrying member gear, a second gear for transmitting the driving force to the developer feeding member gear, and a third gear for transmitting the driving force to the developer stirring member gear, in which the first gear, the second gear and the third gear are integrally molded.

Claims

1. A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, said process cartridge comprising:

a rotatable image bearing member for carrying a latent image; and

a developing device for developing the latent image with a developer, said developing device including;

a rotatable developer carrying member for developing the latent image formed on said image bearing member with a developer,

a rotatable developer feeding member for supplying the developer to said developer carrying member,

a developer accommodating chamber for accommodating the developer,

a rotatable developer stirring member for stirring the developer accommodated in said developer accommodating chamber,

a developer carrying member gear provided on a shaft of said developer carrying member,

a developer feeding member gear provided on a shaft of said developer feeding member,

a developer stirring member gear provided on a shaft of said developer stirring member,

a transmission member for transmitting a driving force to said developer carrying member, said developer feeding member and said developer stirring member, and

first and second supporting portions for rotatably supporting said transmission member,

wherein said transmission member includes a first gear for transmitting the driving force to said developer carrying member gear, a second gear for transmitting the driving force to said developer feeding member gear, and a third gear for transmitting the driving force to said developer stirring member gear, in which said first gear, said second gear and said third gear are integrally molded, and

wherein said first gear and said second gear are between said first supporting portion and said second supporting portion.

2. A process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said third gear is not between said first supporting portion and said second supporting portion.

3. A process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said first gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said second gear.

4. A process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said first gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said third gear.

5. A process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said second gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said third gear.

6. A process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said first gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said second gear,

wherein the outer diameter of said second gear is larger than an outer diameter of said third gear, and

wherein said first, second and third gears are arranged in the order named from an outside toward an inside in a longitudinal direction of said developer carrying member.

7. A developing apparatus comprising:

a rotatable developer carrying member for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member;

a rotatable developer feeding member for supplying the developer to said developer carrying member;

a developer accommodating chamber for accommodating the developer;

a rotatable developer stirring member for stirring the developer accommodated in said developer accommodating chamber;

a developer carrying member gear provided on a shaft of said developer carrying member;

a developer feeding member gear provided on a shaft of said developer feeding member;

a developer stirring member gear provided on a shaft of said developer stirring member;

a transmission member for transmitting a driving force to said developer carrying member, said developer feeding member and said developer stirring member; and

first and second supporting portions for rotatably supporting said transmission member,

wherein said transmission member includes a first gear for transmitting the driving force to said developer carrying member gear, a second gear for transmitting the driving force to said developer feeding member gear, and a third gear for transmitting the driving force to said developer stirring member gear, in which said first gear, said second gear and said third gear are integrally molded,

wherein said first gear and said second gear are between said first supporting portion and said second supporting portion.

8. A developing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said third gear is not between said first supporting portion and said second supporting portion.

9. A developing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said second gear.

10. A developing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said third gear.

11. A developing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said second gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said third gear.

12. A developing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said second gear,

wherein the outer diameter of said second gear is larger than an outer diameter of said third gear, and

wherein said first, second and third gears are arranged in the order named from an outside toward an inside in a longitudinal direction of said developer carrying member.

13. A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, said process cartridge comprising:

a rotatable image bearing member for carrying a latent image; and

a developing device for developing the latent image with a developer, said developing device including;

a rotatable developer carrying member for developing the latent image formed on said image bearing member with a developer,

a rotatable developer feeding member for supplying the developer to said developer carrying member,

a developer accommodating chamber for accommodating the developer,

a rotatable developer stirring member for stirring the developer accommodated in said developer accommodating chamber,

a developer carrying member gear provided on a shaft of said developer carrying member,

a developer feeding member gear provided on a shaft of said developer feeding member,

a developer stirring member gear provided on a shaft of said developer stirring member,

a transmission member for transmitting a driving force to said developer carrying member, said developer feeding member and said developer stirring member, and

a supporting portion for rotatably supporting said transmission member,

wherein said transmission member includes a first gear for transmitting the driving force to said developer carrying member gear, a second gear for transmitting the driving force to said developer feeding member gear, and a third gear for transmitting the driving force to said developer stirring member gear, in which said first gear, said second gear and said third gear are integrally molded, and

wherein said supporting portion is provided between said first gear and said third gear with respect to a direction of a rotational axis of said transmission member.

14. A process cartridge according to claim 13, further comprising a second supporting portion of rotatably supporting said transmission member, wherein said first gear and said second gear are provided between said first supporting portion and said second supporting portion.

15. A process cartridge according to claim 13, wherein said first gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said second gear.

16. A process cartridge according to claim 13, wherein said first gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said third gear.

17. A process cartridge according to claim 13, wherein said second gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said third gear.

18. A process cartridge according to claim 13, wherein said first gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said second gear,

wherein the outer diameter of said second gear is larger than an outer diameter of said third gear, and

wherein said first, second and third gears are arranged in the order named from an outside toward an inside in a longitudinal direction of said developer carrying member.

19. A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, said process cartridge comprising:

a rotatable image bearing member for carrying a latent image; and

a developing device for developing the latent image with a developer, said developing device including;

a rotatable developer carrying member for developing the latent image formed on said image bearing member with a developer,

a rotatable developer feeding member for supplying the developer to said developer carrying member,

a developer accommodating chamber for accommodating the developer,

a rotatable developer stirring member for stirring the developer accommodated in said developer accommodating chamber,

a developer carrying member gear provided on a shaft of said developer carrying member,

a developer feeding member gear provided on a shaft of said developer feeding member,

a developer stirring member gear provided on a shaft of said developer stirring member,

a transmission member for transmitting a driving force to said developer carrying member, said developer feeding member and said developer stirring member, and

a supporting portion for rotatably supporting said transmission member,

wherein said transmission member includes a first gear for transmitting the driving force to said developer carrying member gear, a second gear for transmitting the driving force to said developer feeding member gear, and a third gear for transmitting the driving force to said developer stirring member gear, in which said first gear, said second gear and said third gear are integrally molded, and

wherein said supporting portion is provided between said second gear and said third gear with respect to a direction of a rotational axis of said transmission member.

20. A process cartridge according to claim 19, further comprising a second supporting portion of rotatably supporting said transmission member, wherein said first gear and said second gear are provided between said first supporting portion and said second supporting portion.

21. A process cartridge according to claim 19, wherein said first gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said second gear.

22. A process cartridge according to claim 19, wherein said first gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said third gear.

23. A process cartridge according to claim 19, wherein said second gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said third gear.

24. A process cartridge according to claim 19, wherein said first gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said second gear,

wherein the outer diameter of said second gear is larger than an outer diameter of said third gear, and

wherein said first, second and third gears are arranged in the order named from an outside toward an inside in a longitudinal direction of said developer carrying member.

25. A developing apparatus comprising:

a rotatable developer carrying member for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member;

a rotatable developer feeding member for supplying the developer to said developer carrying member;

a developer accommodating chamber for accommodating the developer;

a rotatable developer stirring member for stirring the developer accommodated in said developer accommodating chamber;

a developer carrying member gear provided on a shaft of said developer carrying member;

a developer feeding member gear provided on a shaft of said developer feeding member;

a developer stirring member gear provided on a shaft of said developer stirring member;

a transmission member for transmitting a driving force to said developer carrying member, said developer feeding member and said developer stirring member; and

a supporting portion for rotatably supporting said transmission member,

wherein said transmission member includes a first gear for transmitting the driving force to said developer carrying member gear, a second gear for transmitting the driving force to said developer feeding member gear, and a third gear for transmitting the driving force to said developer stirring member gear, in which said first gear, said second gear and said third gear are integrally molded,

wherein said supporting portion is provided between said first gear and said third gear with respect to a direction of a rotational axis of said transmission member.

26. A developing apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising a second supporting portion of rotatably supporting said transmission member, wherein said first gear and said second gear are provided between said first supporting portion and said second supporting portion.

27. A developing apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said first gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said second gear.

28. A developing apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said first gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said third gear.

29. A developing apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said second gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said third gear.

30. A developing apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said first gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said second gear,

wherein the outer diameter of said second gear is larger than an outer diameter of said third gear, and

wherein said first, second and third gears are arranged in the order named from an outside toward an inside in a longitudinal direction of said developer carrying member.

31. A developing apparatus comprising:

a rotatable developer carrying member for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member;

a rotatable developer feeding member for supplying the developer to said developer carrying member;

a developer accommodating chamber for accommodating the developer;

a rotatable developer stirring member for stirring the developer accommodated in said developer accommodating chamber;

a developer carrying member gear provided on a shaft of said developer carrying member;

a developer feeding member gear provided on a shaft of said developer feeding member;

a developer stirring member gear provided on a shaft of said developer stirring member;

a transmission member for transmitting a driving force to said developer carrying member, said developer feeding member and said developer stirring member; and

a supporting portion for rotatably supporting said transmission member,

wherein said transmission member includes a first gear for transmitting the driving force to said developer carrying member gear, a second gear for transmitting the driving force to said developer feeding member gear, and a third gear for transmitting the driving force to said developer stirring member gear, in which said first gear, said second gear and said third gear are integrally molded,

wherein said supporting portion is provided between said second gear and said third gear with respect to a direction of a rotational axis of said transmission member.

32. A developing apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising a second supporting portion of rotatably supporting said transmission member, wherein said first gear and said second gear are provided between said first supporting portion and said second supporting portion.

33. A developing apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said first gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said second gear.

34. A developing apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said first gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said third gear.

35. A developing apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said second gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said third gear.

36. A developing apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said first gear has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of said second gear,

wherein the outer diameter of said second gear is larger than an outer diameter of said third gear, and

wherein said first, second and third gears are arranged in the order named from an outside toward an inside in a longitudinal direction of said developer carrying member.