Electrophotography – Having particular structure – Modular or displaceable
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-26
2002-01-01
Beatty, Robert (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Having particular structure
Modular or displaceable
C399S167000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06336018
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART
The present invention relates to 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 includes 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 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, 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 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.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive drum with improved rotational accuracy, and also to provide a process cartridge employing such an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus compatible with such a process cartridge.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge, the electrophotographic photosensitive drum of which is positioned with improved accuracy, relative to the main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, by drawing the electrophotographic photosensitive drum toward the apparatus main assembly while transmitting driving force, and also to provide an electrophotographic image forming apparatus compatible with such a process cartridge.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge, which is positioned with improved accuracy, relative to the main apparatus of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, by drawing the electrophotographic photosensitive drum toward the apparatus main assembly while transmitting driving force, and also to provide an electrophotographic image forming apparatus compatible with such a process cartridge.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge that is detachably mountable to the main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein the main assembly includes: a motor; a main assembly side gear for receiving driving force from the motor; a hole defined by twisted surfaces, the hole being substantially coaxial with the gear; an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; process means actable on the photosensitive drum; and a projection being provided at a longitudinal end of the photosensitive drum, wherein the projection includes a plurality of contact portions which come in contact with the twisted surfaces, and a support portion which supports the contact portions, and can be drawn into the hole, and wherein when the main assembly side gear rotates with the hole, and the contact portion of the projection engages with the hole, rotational driving force is transmitted from the gear to the photosensitive drum through the engagement between the hole and the projection, and force is generated in the direction to draw the projection into the hole.
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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Ito Yoshihiro
Kawai Toshiharu
Watanabe Kazushi
Beatty Robert
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
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