Composite gear, cartridge, image forming apparatus, mold, and manufacturing method for composite gear

A mold for manufacturing a composite gear,

• wherein the composite gear comprises:
• a first member comprising a rotation shaft portion and a disk-shaped web extending in radial directions from the rotation shaft portion;
• and
• a second member comprising at least one engaging tooth on an outer periphery of the second member and provided being supported by the web so as to surround an outer periphery of the first member,
• wherein a first space is provided between the second member and an outermost peripheral surface of the first member in a radial direction,
• wherein a second space is provided between the first member and an innermost peripheral surface of the second member in a radial direction,
• wherein one of the first member and the second member is formed to nip another of the first member and the second member from both sides of the other of the first member and the second member in an axial direction of the rotation shaft portion,
• wherein the mold comprises a first fixed mold, a second fixed mold, and a movable mold,
• wherein the first member is molded in a state in which the movable mold opposes the first fixed mold, and
• wherein the second member is molded to be integrated with the first member in a state in which the movable mold has moved to a position opposing the second fixed mold after the first member has been molded.

A manufacturing method for a composite gear, the manufacturing method comprising:

• a first step of forming a first member comprising a rotation shaft portion and a disk-shaped web extending in radial directions from the rotation shaft portion;
• and
• a second step of accommodating the first member formed in the first step in a mold and forming a second member comprising at least one engaging tooth on an outer periphery of the second member such that the second member is supported by the web and surrounds an outer periphery of the first member,
• wherein, in the second step, the second member is formed such that a first space is provided between the second member and an outermost peripheral surface of the first member in a radial direction, a second space is provided between the first member and an innermost peripheral surface of the second member in a radial direction, and one of the first member and the second member is formed to nip another of the first member and the second member from both sides of the other of the first member and the second member in an axial direction of the rotation shaft portion.