Retaining member and image forming apparatus including same

A retaining member which is mounted on an end part of a shaft supported by a holding member, and prevents the shaft from coming off from the holding member or prevents a rotary body mounted around the shaft from coming off, the retaining member comprising:

• an inner circumferential portion which is ring-shaped and faces the end part of the shaft supported by the holding member;
• an outer circumferential portion which is ring-shaped and disposed outside the inner circumferential portion in a radial direction;
• a linkage portion which connects the inner circumferential portion and the outer circumferential portion to each other in the radial direction;
• a plurality of engagement claws which project from a surface of the inner circumferential portion pointing in a direction of the shaft, and engage with an engagement groove formed in an outer peripheral surface of the shaft;
• and
• a slit which is formed on a side opposite from the linkage portion with a center of the inner circumferential portion located between the slit and the linkage portion, and cuts the inner circumferential portion in the radial direction,
• wherein
• the retaining member is integrally formed of an elastically deformable resin material,
• a rib is formed in a ring shape along an outer peripheral edge of the outer circumferential portion to project from a surface of the outer circumferential portion pointing in a direction of the shaft, and
• the rib contacts an end surface of the holding member in a state where the engagement claws are engaged in the engagement groove.

A retaining member which is mounted on an end part of a shaft supported by a holding member, and prevents the shaft from coming off from the holding member or prevents a rotary body mounted around the shaft from coming off, the retaining member comprising:

• an inner circumferential portion which is ring-shaped and faces the end part of the shaft supported by the holding member;
• an outer circumferential portion which is ring-shaped and disposed outside the inner circumferential portion in a radial direction;
• a linkage portion which connects the inner circumferential portion and the outer circumferential portion to each other in the radial direction;
• a plurality of engagement claws which project from a surface of the inner circumferential portion pointing in a direction of the shaft, and engage with an engagement groove formed in an outer peripheral surface of the shaft;
• and
• a slit which is formed on a side opposite from the linkage portion with a center of the inner circumferential portion located between the slit and the linkage portion, and cuts the inner circumferential portion in the radial direction,
• wherein
• the retaining member is integrally formed of an elastically deformable resin material, and
• a recessed portion is formed in a surface of the linkage portion opposite to a surface of the linkage portion pointing in the direction of the shaft.

A retaining member which is mounted on an end part of a shaft supported by a holding member, and prevents the shaft from coming off from the holding member or prevents a rotary body mounted around the shaft from coming off, the retaining member comprising:

• an inner circumferential portion which is ring-shaped and faces the end part of the shaft supported by the holding member;
• an outer circumferential portion which is ring-shaped and disposed outside the inner circumferential portion in a radial direction;
• a linkage portion which connects the inner circumferential portion and the outer circumferential portion to each other in the radial direction;
• a plurality of engagement claws which project from a surface of the inner circumferential portion pointing in a direction of the shaft, and engage with an engagement groove formed in an outer peripheral surface of the shaft;
• and
• a slit which is formed on a side opposite from the linkage portion with a center of the inner circumferential portion located between the slit and the linkage portion, and cuts the inner circumferential portion in the radial direction,
• wherein
• the retaining member is integrally formed of an elastically deformable resin material, and
• the linkage portion includes a handle portion formed to project from a surface of the linkage portion opposite to a surface of the linkage portion pointing in the direction of the shaft.