US 10,254,707 B2Granted

Gear configuration for a developing cartridge

AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsKeita Shimizu, Tomoya Yamamoto

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A developer cartridge may include a gear configured to be movable between an engagement position in which the gear engages an auger or supply gear to provide toner from a toner container to a developing unit and a disengaged position in which the gear does not engage the auger or supply gear. The gear may be moved by a cam and/or cam gear from the engagement position to the disengaged position and vice versa. The cam gear may include toothless and toothed portions to allow the developer cartridge to maintain the movable gear in either the engagement position or the disengaged position. In some arrangements, an urging member such as a spring may bias the cam gear in a rotation direction, while a lever may provide a counteracting force when the movable gear is to be maintained in a particular position.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A developing cartridge comprising:

a first gear rotatable about a first axis extending in an axial direction;
a second gear rotatable with the first gear about a second axis extending in the axial direction;
a third gear rotatable, about a third axis extending in the axial direction, from a first rotational position to a second rotational position, the third gear including:
a first gear portion including a plurality of gear teeth, the first gear portion being provided on a portion of a peripheral surface of the third gear;
and
a support member configured to rotatably support the second gear, the support member configured to pivotally move with the second gear about the first axis of the first gear between a first position and a second position in a state where the first gear engages with the second gear,
wherein at least one of the plurality of gear teeth disengages with the first gear and the third gear does not rotate with the first gear in a case where the third gear is in the first rotational position, and
wherein at least one of the plurality of gear teeth engages with the first gear and the third gear rotates with the first gear in a case where the third gear is in the second rotational position.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/915,316Filed 8 Mar 2018 · continuation
Priority: JP 2016-07218631 Mar 2016
Published: US 2018/0196388 A112 Jul 2018
Granted: 9 Apr 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G03G 21/1647
For connecting the different parts of the apparatus: mechanical connection means
G03G 15/0806
Using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer: on a donor element, e.g. belt, roller
G03G 15/0865
Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer: arrangements for supplying new developer
G03G 15/0896
Using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer: arrangements or disposition of the complete developer unit or parts thereof not provided for by…

Family

Application15/459,966Parent of this continuation · filed 15 Mar 2017
US 2018/0196388 A1Pre-grant publication · published 12 Jul 2018
US 9,933,749 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2017/0285560 A1Published application
US 10,254,707 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.