Electrophotography – Diagnostics – Component present or mounted
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-12
2001-10-30
Braun, Fred L. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Diagnostics
Component present or mounted
C399S111000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311026
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process cartridge, a developer cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the process cartridge or/and the developer cartridge are detachably mountable.
Here, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes, for example, an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (such as an LED printer or a laser beam printer), an electrophotographic facsimile apparatus and an electrophotographic word processor.
Also, as the process cartridge, charging means, developing means or cleaning means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally made into a cartridge detachably mountable to the main body of the image forming apparatus. Or at least one of charging means, developing means and cleaning means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally made into a cartridge detachably mountable to the main body of the image forming apparatus. Further, at least developing means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally made into a cartridge detachably mountable to the main body of the image forming apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
An image forming apparatus using the electrophotographic image forming process has heretofore adopted a process-cartridge system in which an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally made into a cartridge detachably mountable to the main body of the image forming apparatus. According to this process-cartridge system, the maintenance of the apparatus can be done by a user himself without resorting to a serviceman and therefore, operability can be improved markedly. So, this process cartridge system is widely used in image forming apparatuses.
As shown in
FIG. 39
of the accompanying drawings, a process cartridge B is provided with large-diametered portions
21
a
as projected portions coaxially with the center axis of a photosensitive drum and outside the photosensitive drum, and the main body
17
of an image forming apparatus is provided with a guide portion
32
for guiding the projected portions
21
a
to a final set position. The process cartridge B is adapted to be manually pushed into the final set position along, the guide portion
32
provided on the main body
17
of the image forming apparatus by an operator or a serviceman.
In order to prevent image formation from being effected with the mounting remaining incomplete at that time, a projection
50
or the like is provided on the process cartridge B, and a detecting portion
51
for the projection
50
or the like is provided on the main body
17
of the image forming apparatus. When the process cartridge B has come to the vicinity of the final set position in the main body
17
of the image forming, apparatus, the detecting portion of the main body
17
of the image forming apparatus detects the projection or the like of the process cartridge B. When the process cartridge B is not detected, the main body
17
of the image forming apparatus judges that the process cartridge is absent, and does not carry out the image forming step. Also, the message that the process cartridge is absent is sent to the main body
17
of the image forming apparatus or a computer, and the warning that the process cartridge is absent is output.
The above-described conventional art is effective to detect whether the process cartridge is mounted on the main body of the image forming apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a further development of the aforedescribed conventional art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a process cartridge, a developer cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus that can accurately detect that the process cartridge or/and the developer cartridge have been mounted on the main body of the apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a process cartridge, a developer cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus that are improved in the accuracy of detecting that the process cartridge or/and the developer cartridge have been mounted at a predetermined mounting position.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a process cartridge, a developer cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus that have a low manufacturing cost of a detecting mechanism for detecting that the process cartridge or/and the developer cartridge have been mounted at a mounting position.
It is yet still another object of the present invention to provide a process cartridge having on or near a positioning portion of the process cartridge a detecting-action portion for operating cartridge detecting means for detecting the mounting of the process cartridge to the main body of an image forming apparatus when the process cartridge has been mounted at a mounting position in the main body of the image forming apparatus, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the process cartridge is detachably mountable.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a process cartridge and a developer cartridge having a positioning portion of the cartridge, the positioning portion having an electrode to be connected to an electrode provided on a positioning portion of a mounting portion provided in the main body of an image forming apparatus, and for supplying an electric current from the main body of the image forming apparatus to process means or for grounding an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the process cartridge or/and the developer cartridge are detachably mountable.
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.
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patent: 10-240103 (1998-09-01), None
Higeta Akira
Kawaguchi Hideshi
Braun Fred L.
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
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