Electrophotographic image forming apparatus and process...

Electrophotography – Having particular structure – Modular or displaceable

Reexamination Certificate

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

Reexamination Certificate

active

06317572

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART
The present invention relates to a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
In this specifications, the term “electrophotographic image forming apparatus” means an apparatus that forms an image on recording medium with the use of an electrophotographic image formation process. As for examples of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (for example, a laser beam printer, an LED printer, or the like), a facsimile apparatus, a word processor, and the like are included.
The term “process cartridge” refers to a cartridge that is removably installable in the main assembly of an image forming apparatus, and in which a charging means or a cleaning means are integrally disposed along with an electrophotographic photosensitive member, or in which at least one of a charging means and a cleaning means is integrally disposed along with an electrophotographic photosensitive member.
In the past, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus that employed an electrophotographic image formation process employed a process cartridge system, according to which an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a processing means that worked on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, were integrated in the form of a cartridge, which was removably installable in the main assembly of the image forming apparatus. Also according to this process cartridge system, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus could be maintained by the users themselves, without relying on service personnel. Therefore, the operational efficiency could be remarkably improved. Thus, a process cartridge system has been widely used in the field of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
In the case of a process cartridge system, such as the one described above, it is necessary to prevent an electrophotographic photosensitive member from shaking during an image forming operation by an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. Therefore, an electrophotographic photosensitive member is supported by a frame, which is supported by the main assembly of an image forming apparatus, so that the electrophotographic photosensitive member is accurately and stably positioned relative to the main assembly of an image forming apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a result of the further advancement of the above described conventional technologies.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge capable of preventing an electrophotographic photosensitive member from shaking during image formation, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which such a process cartridge can be removably installable.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge capable of accurately and stably rotating an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which such a process cartridge can be removably installable.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge, the driving force receiving member of which is provided with a hole that is coaxial with an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and into which the projection of the driving force transmitting member fits, and a plurality of driving force transmission holes that are circularly and evenly distributed around the aforementioned hole, and into which a plurality of driving force transmission projections of the aforementioned driving force transmitting member fit, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which such a process cartridge can be removably installable.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4839690 (1989-06-01), Onoda et al.
patent: 4851960 (1989-07-01), Nakamura et al.
patent: 4975744 (1990-12-01), Ebata et al.
patent: 5023660 (1991-06-01), Ebata et al.
patent: 5128715 (1992-07-01), Furuyama et al.
patent: 5149223 (1992-09-01), Watts
patent: 5331373 (1994-07-01), Nomura et al.
patent: 5452056 (1995-09-01), Nomura et al.
patent: 5463446 (1995-10-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 5500714 (1996-03-01), Yashiro et al.
patent: 5585889 (1996-12-01), Shishido et al.
patent: 5617579 (1997-04-01), Yashiro et al.
patent: 5640650 (1997-06-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 5729796 (1998-03-01), Miura et al.
patent: 5768658 (1998-06-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 5815644 (1998-09-01), Nishiuwatoko et al.
patent: 5825472 (1998-10-01), Araki et al.
patent: 5839028 (1998-11-01), Nomura et al.
patent: 5870655 (1999-02-01), Nishiuwatoko
patent: 5873012 (1999-02-01), Miyabe et al.
patent: 5878309 (1999-03-01), Nomura et al.
patent: 5878310 (1999-03-01), Noda et al.
patent: 5893006 (1999-04-01), Kanno et al.
patent: 5926666 (1999-07-01), Miura et al.
patent: 5937240 (1999-08-01), Kanno et al.
patent: 5943529 (1999-08-01), Miyabe et al.
patent: 5946531 (1999-08-01), Miura et al.
patent: 5950047 (1999-09-01), Miyabe et al.
patent: 5966567 (1999-10-01), Matsuzaki et al.
patent: 6002896 (1999-12-01), Miyamoto et al.
patent: 60-149669 (1985-08-01), None
patent: 63-149669 (1988-06-01), None
patent: 10-274914 (1998-10-01), None
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 1999, No. 1, Jan. 29, 1999, JP-10-274914.
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 16, No. 189, May 8, 1992, JP-04-024656.
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 1997, No. 2, Feb. 28, 1997, JP-08-262957.

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for the USA inventors and patents. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Electrophotographic image forming apparatus and process... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Electrophotographic image forming apparatus and process..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electrophotographic image forming apparatus and process... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2585574

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.