Electrophotography – Having particular structure – Modular or displaceable
Reexamination Certificate
1997-07-02
2001-06-12
Moses, R. L. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Having particular structure
Modular or displaceable
C318S009000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06246849
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART
The present invention relates to a bearing member, a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using the same.
Here, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording material using an electrophotographic image formation process. Examples of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus include an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (laser beam printer, LED printer or the like), a facsimile machine, a word processor or the like.
The process cartridge integrally contains an electrophotographic photosensitive member and charging means, developing means or cleaning means, and is detachably mountable relative to a main assembly of the image forming apparatus. It may integrally contain the electrophotographic photosensitive member and at least one of the charging means, the developing means and the cleaning means. As another example, it may contain the electrophotographic photosensitive member and at least the developing means.
In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic image forming process, the process cartridge is used, which contains the electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means actable on said electrophotographic photosensitive member, and which is detachably mountable as a unit to a main assembly of the image forming apparatus (process cartridge type). With this process cartridge type, the maintenance of the apparatus can be carried out in effect by the user without depending on a serviceman. Therefore, the process cartridge type is now widely used in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses.
The present invention is directed to a further improvement of such a process cartridge.
A supporting system for a photosensitive drum and a driving system therefor in a process cartridge type, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,829,335 and 5,023,660.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a bearing member, a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein an electrophotographic photosensitive drum is assuredly supported.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bearing member, a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein a driving force for rotating an electrophotographic photosensitive drum can be assuredly received from a main assembly of the apparatus.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bearing member, a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bearing member, a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein a drive receptor portion can be assuredly protected.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bearing member, a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein a guide function is provided which operates when a main assembly coupling of the apparatus and the cartridge coupling are made close to each other for engagement therebetween.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bearing member, a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein a guiding function is provided which operates when a projection of a process cartridge enters a recess of a main assembly of the apparatus.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bearing member for a cartridge frame of a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein the process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and process means actable on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, the bearing member comprising: a bearing portion for rotatably supporting a shaft provided at an end of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a protection portion formed along a circumference of a driving force receptor portion projected outwardly at an end of the shaft, the driving force receptor portion being in the form of a male coupling projection engageable with a female coupling recess provided in a main assembly of the apparatus to receive a driving force from the main assembly when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly; and a locking portion for mounting the bearing member to the cartridge frame.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising: an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; process means actable on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a bearing member, the bearing member including: a bearing portion for rotatably supporting a shaft provided at an end of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a protection portion formed along a circumference of a driving force receptor portion projected outwardly at an end of the shaft, the driving force receptor portion being in the form of a male coupling projection engageable with a female coupling recess provided in a main assembly of the apparatus to receive a driving force from the main assembly when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly; and a locking portion for mounting the bearing member to the cartridge frame; wherein the bearing portion is mounted to the cartridge frame while rotatably supporting a shaft provided at an end of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, the apparatus comprising: an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; process means actable on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a bearing member, the bearing member including: a bearing portion for rotatably supporting a shaft provided at an end of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a protection portion formed along a circumference of a driving force receptor portion projected outwardly at an end of the shaft, the driving force receptor portion being in the form of a male coupling projection engageable with a female coupling recess provided in a main assembly of the apparatus to receive a driving force from the main assembly when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly; a locking portion for mounting the bearing member to the cartridge frame, wherein the bearing member is mounted to the cartridge frame while rotatably supporting a shaft provision at one end of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a mounting member for detachably mounting the process cartridge; and a feeding member for feeding the recording material.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Numagami Atsushi
Watanabe Kazushi
Yokoyama Katsunori
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Moses R. L.
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