US 10,895,825 B2Granted

Developer accommodating container, developing device and process cartridge

AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsTakatoshi Hamada, Naoya Asanuma, Yohei Kusano, Hideki Kakuta

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A developer accommodating container includes a developer accommodating portion, a stirring member, and a drive transmitting member. The developer accommodating container further includes an elastic member fixed to the stirring member at one end portion thereof and capable of expanding and contracting in a direction along a longitudinal direction of the developer accommodating portion. With respect to the longitudinal direction, the stirring member is disposed so as to form (1) a first gap between one end portion thereof and an inner surface of the developer accommodating portion on one side and (2) a second gap between the other end portion thereof and another inner surface of the developer accommodating portion on the other side. The stirring member is supported by the developer accommodating portion so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction relative to the developer accommodating portion.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A developer accommodating container comprising:

a developer accommodating portion configured to accommodate a developer;
a stirring member rotatably provided in said developer accommodating portion and configured to stir the developer accommodated in said developer accommodating portion, said stirring member extending in a longitudinal direction of said developer accommodating portion;
and
a drive transmitting member configured to transmit a rotational driving force to said stirring member,
wherein said developer accommodating container further comprises an elastic member, which is fixed to said stirring member at one end portion of the elastic member and to said drive transmitting member at the other end portion of the elastic member, and which is capable of expanding and contracting in a direction along a longitudinal direction of said developer accommodating portion,
wherein said stirring member is disposed so as to form (1) a first gap between one end portion of the stirring member and an inner surface of said developer accommodating portion on one side with respect to the longitudinal direction and (2) a second gap between the other end portion of the stirring member and another inner surface of said developer accommodating portion on the other side with respect to the longitudinal direction in order to allow said stirring member to be movable in the longitudinal direction relative to said developer accommodating portion after said stirring member is installed in said developer accommodating portion with said elastic member, and
wherein said one end portion of the stirring member is provided with a cylindrical portion formed to cover said elastic member from the outside.

4 more elements

A developing device comprising:

a developer accommodating container;
and
a developer carrying member provided in said developer accommodating container and configured to carry a developer,
wherein said developing device is attachable to and detachable from a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, and
wherein said developer accommodating container includes:
a developer accommodating portion configured to accommodate the developer;
a stirring member rotatably provided in said developer accommodating portion and configured to stir the developer accommodated in said developer accommodating portion, said stirring member extending in a longitudinal direction of said developer accommodating portion;
and
a drive transmitting member configured to transmit a rotational driving force to said stirring member,
wherein said developer accommodating container further comprises an elastic member, which is fixed to said stirring member at one end portion of the elastic member and to said drive transmitting member at the other end portion of the elastic member, and which is capable of expanding and contracting in a direction along a longitudinal direction of said developer accommodating portion,
wherein said stirring member is disposed so as to form (1) a first gap between one end portion of the stirring member and an inner surface of said developer accommodating portion on one side with respect to the longitudinal direction and (2) a second gap between the other end portion of the stirring member and another inner surface of said developer accommodating portion on the other side with respect to the longitudinal direction in order to allow said stirring member to be movable in the longitudinal direction relative to said developer accommodating portion after said stirring member is installed in said developer accommodating portion with said elastic member, and
wherein said one end portion of the stirring member is provided with a cylindrical portion formed to cover said elastic member from the outside.

9 more elements

A process cartridge attachable to and detachable from an image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:

a developer accommodating container;
a developer carrying member provided in said developer accommodating container and configured to carry a developer;
and
an image bearing member configured to bear a developer image,
wherein said developer accommodating container includes:
a developer accommodating portion configured to accommodate the developer;
a stirring member rotatably provided in said developer accommodating portion and configured to stir the developer accommodated in said developer accommodating portion, said stirring member extending in a longitudinal direction of said developer accommodating portion;
and
a drive transmitting member configured to transmit a rotational driving force to said stirring member,
wherein said developer accommodating container further comprises an elastic member, which is fixed to said stirring member at one end portion of the elastic member and to said drive transmitting member at the other end portion of the elastic member, and which is capable of expanding and contracting in a direction along a longitudinal direction of said developer accommodating portion,
wherein said stirring member is disposed so as to form (1) a first gap between one end portion of the stirring member and an inner surface of said developer accommodating portion on one side with respect to the longitudinal direction and (2) a second gap between the other end portion of the stirring member and another inner surface of said developer accommodating portion on the other side with respect to the longitudinal direction in order to allow said stirring member to be movable in the longitudinal direction relative to said developer accommodating portion after said stirring member is installed in said developer accommodating portion with said elastic member, and
wherein said one end portion of the stirring member is provided with a cylindrical portion formed to cover said elastic member from the outside.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/357,659Filed 19 Mar 2019
Priority: JP 2018-06656730 Mar 2018
Published: US 2019/0302652 A13 Oct 2019
Granted: 19 Jan 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G03G 15/0889
Arrangements for conveying and conditioning developer in the developing unit, e.g. agitating, removing impurities or humidity: for agitation or…
G03G 15/087
Cylindrical developer cartridges, e.g. toner bottles for the developer replenishing opening: developer cartridges having a longitudinal rotational…
G03G 2215/085
Arrangements for agitating or circulating developer material: stirring member in developer container
G03G 2221/1657
For connecting the different parts: transmitting mechanical drive power