Electrophotography – Machine operation – Electrical connection
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-26
2002-06-04
Lee, Susan S. Y. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Machine operation
Electrical connection
C399S111000, C399S159000, C399S167000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06400914
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART
The present invention relates to a coupling part, a photosensitive drum, a drive transmission part, a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
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 and a word processor or the like.
The process cartridge contains integrally the 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, 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.
A driving system for a photosensitive member in a process cartridge type, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,829,335 and 5,023,660. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,591,258 and 4,839,690 disclose grounding mechanism for a photosensitive member. These are effective.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a coupling means capable of grounding an electrophotographic photosensitive member and also to provide a photosensitive drum, a process cartridge, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, which comprise such coupling means.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a coupling means capable of grounding an electrophotographic photosensitive member through the main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which the electrophotographic photosensitive member receives driving force through the coupling means, and also to provide a photosensitive drum, a process cartridge, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, which are compatible with such a coupling means.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a coupling means capable of grounding an electrophotographic photosensitive member without deteriorating the rotational accuracy of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and also to provide a photosensitive drum, a process cartridge, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, which are compatible with such a coupling means.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a coupling means comprising a projection engageable with a twisted surface, said projection being provided at one of the longitudinal ends of a photosensitive drum, wherein when a gear on the main assembly side rotates, with a hole and the projection being engaged with each other, rotational driving force is transmitted from said gear to said photosensitive drum through engagement between said hole and said projection, and also to provide a photosensitive drum, a process cartridge, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, which are compatible with such a coupling means.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a coupling means, the process cartridge side of which comprises a projection provided with a ground contact which is electrically connected to the ground contact on the main assembly side to ground an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and also to provide a photosensitive drum, a process cartridge, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, which are compatible with such a coupling means.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a coupling means capable of grounding an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, as well as transmitting driving force from the apparatus main assembly side to the process cartridge side, wherein the coupling means comprises the process cartridge side with a coupling recess and a ground contact, the ground contact being located in the coupling recess, and the apparatus main assembly side with a coupling projection and a ground contact, the ground contact being located on the coupling projection, and when a process cartridge is installed in the apparatus main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the coupling recess is engaged with the coupling projection, whereby the ground contact on the process cartridge side is placed in contact with the ground contact on the apparatus main assembly side to ground the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and also to provide a photosensitive drum, a process cartridge, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, which are compatible with such a coupling means.
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.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3213719 (1965-10-01), Kloack
patent: 4454922 (1984-06-01), Jamison et al.
patent: 4591258 (1986-05-01), Nishimo et al.
patent: 4607734 (1986-08-01), Watashi et al.
patent: 4829335 (1989-05-01), Kanemitsu et al.
patent: 4839690 (1989-06-01), Onoda et al.
patent: 4951599 (1990-08-01), Damji
patent: 4975743 (1990-12-01), Surti
patent: 5019861 (1991-05-01), Surti
patent: 5023660 (1991-06-01), Ebata et al.
patent: 5095335 (1992-03-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 5151734 (1992-09-01), Tsuda et al.
patent: 5223893 (1993-06-01), Ikemoto et al.
patent: 5280224 (1994-01-01), Sagara
patent: 5331372 (1994-07-01), Tsuda et al.
patent: 5331373 (1994-07-01), Nomura et al.
patent: 5345294 (1994-09-01), Nomura et al.
patent: 5353100 (1994-10-01), Ohtsuka
patent: 5404198 (1995-04-01), Noda et al.
patent: 5436699 (1995-07-01), Komaki
patent: 5452064 (1995-09-01), Inomata
patent: 5463446 (1995-10-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 5465136 (1995-11-01), Watanabe
patent: 5470635 (1995-11-01), Shirai et al.
patent: 5475470 (1995-12-01), Sasago et al.
patent: 5488459 (1996-01-01), Tsuda et al.
patent: 5500714 (1996-03-01), Yashiro et al.
patent: 5510878 (1996-04-01), Noda et al.
patent: 5543898 (1996-08-01), Shishido et al.
patent: 5581325 (1996-12-01), Tsuda et al.
patent: 5583613 (1996-12-01), Kobayashi et al.
patent: 5585889 (1996-12-01), Shishido et al.
patent: 5602623 (1997-02-01), Nishibata et al.
patent: 5623328 (1997-04-01), Tsuda et al.
patent: 5659847 (1997-08-01), Tsuda et al.
patent: 5669042 (1997-09-01), Kobayashi et al.
patent: 5878310 (1999-03-01), Noda et al.
patent: 6029032 (2000-02-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 6035159 (2000-03-01), Azuma et al.
patent: 0 115 315 (1984-08-01), None
patent: 0 251 693 (1988-01-01), None
patent: 0 487 039 (1992-05-01), None
patent: 0 538 479 (1993-04-01), None
patent: 0 576 759 (1994-01-01), None
patent: 0 586 041 (1994-03-01), None
patent: 0 622 696 (1994-11-01), None
patent: 0 735 432 (1996-10-01), None
patent: 2 214 609 (1989-09-01), None
patent: 04-282681 (1992-10-01), None
patent: 06-083251 (1994-03-01), None
Higeta Akira
Ikemoto Isao
Noda Shinya
Sasaki Shin-ichi
Toma Akihiro
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Lee Susan S. Y.
LandOfFree
Coupling part, photosensitive drum, process cartridge and... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Coupling part, photosensitive drum, process cartridge and..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Coupling part, photosensitive drum, process cartridge and... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2953902