Electrophotography – Having particular structure – Modular or displaceable
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-22
2001-09-11
Grimley, Arthur T. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Having particular structure
Modular or displaceable
C399S117000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06289189
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly thereof and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum.
In this specification, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus means an image forming apparatus which employs an electrophotographic system to form images or recording medium For example, it includes electrophotographic copying machines, electrophotographic printers (laser beam printers, LED printers, and the like), facsimile machines, word processors, and the like.
A process cartridge means a cartridge which integrally comprises a charging means, a developing means or a cleaning means, and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and which is rendered removably installable in the main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. It also means a cartridge comprising at least a charging means, a developing means, or cleaning means, in addition to an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and is rendered removably installable in the main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. It also means a cartridge comprising at least a developing means, and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and which is rendered removably installable in the main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
In the past, an image forming apparatus which employed an electrophotographic image formation process employed a process cartridge system, according to which an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and one or a plurality of processing means which works ion the electrophotographic photosensitive member, are integrally assembled in the form of a cartridge removably installable in the main assembly of an image forming apparatus. Also according to this process cartridge system, the maintenance for an image forming apparatus can be performed by a user him/herself; the user does not need to rely on a service person for the maintenance. Therefore, the employment of a process cartridge system drastically improved the operational efficiency of an image forming apparatus. As a result, a process cartridge system has been widely used in the field of the image forming apparatus.
Such a process cartridge is provided with a rotating force receiving portion for receiving a rotating force from the main assembly of the apparatus, which is rotatably supported on the cartridge frame.
For the purpose of the centering between the photosensitive drum and the driving member of the main assembly of the apparatus, the positional alignment between the cartridge frame and the main assembly of the apparatus is carried out in the prior art.
The present invention is intended to provide a further development.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a process cartridge, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum wherein deviation of the centers of the shaft of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a driving shaft of the main assembly can be suppressed.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a process cartridge, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum wherein an alignment between the shaft of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a driving shaft of the main assembly can be accomplished with high accuracy.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a process cartridge, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum where the photosensitive drum and a driving member of the main assembly of the image forming apparatus are directly centered with each other, and the wherein the drive transmission from the main assembly of the image forming apparatus to the process cartridge is effected around the axis of the photosensitive drum.
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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Kojima Hisayoshi
Murayama Kazunari
Numagami Atsushi
Sugita Satoshi
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Grimley Arthur T.
Tran Hoan
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