# US 12,124,205 B2 · Foreign substance collection apparatus, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,124,205 B2 - Document ID: US12124205B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/500,438 - Filed: 2023-11-02 - Published: 2024-03-07 - Granted: 2024-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-25 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Noriyuki Komatsu; Tomonori Mori; Teruhiko Sasaki; Makoto Hayashida; Shunsuke Uratani; Yuuki Nakamura; Satoru Motohashi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12124205B2 ## CPC - G03G 21/0058: {using a roller or a polygonal rotating cleaning member; Details thereof, e.g. surface structure (G03G21/0064 takes precedence)} - G03G 21/0011: {using a blade; Details of cleaning blades, e.g. blade shape, layer forming} - G03G 21/12: Toner waste containers - G03G 21/169: {for the cleaning unit} - G03G 21/1814: {Details of parts of process cartridge, e.g. for charging, transfer, cleaning, developing (G03G21/1835 takes precedence)} - G03G 2221/0026: Cleaning of foreign matter, e.g. paper powder, from imaging member - G03G 2221/0047: Type of cleaning device - G03G 2221/0089: Mechanical - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract A foreign substance collection apparatus includes: a frame body; a photosensitive drum; a cleaning roller which collects foreign substances from a surface of the photosensitive drum; a collecting roller which further collects the foreign substances having been collected by the cleaning roller from the cleaning roller; and a scraping member which scrapes off the foreign substances from the collecting roller. A foreign substance collecting portion included in the frame body has, in a posture during use: a first inner bottom surface which is positioned below the scraping member in a gravity direction; an outer bottom surface which is positioned further below the first inner bottom surface; and a connecting surface which intersects the first inner bottom surface and the outer bottom surface and which connects the first inner bottom surface and the outer bottom surface with each other. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cartridge that is detachable from and attachable to an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus, the cartridge comprising: a first frame that has an opening; a photosensitive drum that is rotatably supported in the first frame; and a foreign substance collection unit that is arranged in the first frame and collects a foreign substance adhered to a surface of the photosensitive drum; wherein the foreign substance collection unit includes: a second frame; a first rotational member that is rotatably supported in the second frame and rotates in a state of being in contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum; a second rotational member that is rotatably supported in the second frame and rotates in a state of being in contact with a surface of the first rotational member; a scraping member that comes into contact with a surface of the second rotational member and that scrapes off the foreign substances from the surface of the second rotational member; and a housing portion for housing the foreign substances scraped by the scaping member; wherein the second frame has a protruded portion that protrudes so as to enter the opening; and wherein the protruded portion protrudes from inside of the first frame toward outside of the first frame and forms a part of the housing portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein in a cross section perpendicular to a rotational axis of the photosensitive drum, in a case where the cartridge is disposed in a posture in which it is attached to the apparatus main body, the protruded portion protrudes downwards in a vertical direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the first frame includes the opening as a first opening and a second opening that is positioned away from the first opening, wherein the second frame includes the protruded portion as a first protruded portion and a second protruded portion that protrudes so as to enter the second opening, wherein the second protruded portion protrudes from inside of the first frame toward outside of the first frame and forms a part of the housing portion, and wherein the first opening and the second opening are arranged in parallel along a rotational axis of the photosensitive drum. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The cartridge according to claim 2, further comprising: a developing unit that includes a developing roller including a rotational axis, and a drum unit that includes the photosensitive drum, the first frame and the foreign substance collection unit, wherein the developing unit is detachable from and attachable to the drum unit, and wherein the drum unit is detachable from and attachable to the apparatus main body in a state where the developing unit is attached to the drum unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The cartridge according to claim 2, wherein a part of the housing portion is positioned below the second rotational member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The cartridge according to claim 2, wherein a bottom surface of the housing portion is arranged at the lowest part of the second frame and protrudes below the first frame via the opening. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The cartridge according to claim 2, wherein the foreign substance collection unit includes a partition portion that extends upward in the vertical direction and divides between the first rotational member and the housing portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The cartridge according to claim 7, wherein the partition portion forms a first region where the first rotational member is arranged and a second region where the housing portion is arranged, wherein the second region is located further from the photosensitive drum than the first region. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The cartridge according to claim 2, wherein the protruded portion is positioned below the first rotational member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The cartridge according to claim 2, wherein a part of the second frame forms the housing portion, and wherein the part of the second frame protrudes below an inner wall of the first frame in the vertical direction via the opening provided on the first frame. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the first frame includes a third opening at a position apart from the first opening and the second opening, wherein the second frame includes a third protruded portion that protrudes so as to enter the third opening, wherein the third protruded portion protrudes from inside of the first frame toward outside of the first frame and forms a part of the housing portion, and wherein the first opening and the third opening are arranged in parallel along the rotational axis of the photosensitive drum. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The cartridge according to claim 11, wherein the second opening and the third opening are arranged in parallel along the rotational axis of the photosensitive drum. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The cartridge according to claim 12, wherein the first opening, the second opening and the third opening are arranged in parallel with a direction of the rotational axis of the photosensitive drum, wherein the second opening is arranged between the first opening and the third opening, and wherein a distance of the second opening in the direction of the rotational axis of the photosensitive drum is longer than a distance of the first opening in the direction of the rotational axis of the photosensitive drum. ### Claim 14 (depends on 3) The cartridge according to claim 3, wherein a distance of the second protruded portion in a direction of the rotational axis of the photosensitive drum is longer than a distance of the first protruded portion in the direction of the rotational axis of the photosensitive drum. ### Claim 15 (depends on 3) The cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the second opening and the second protruded portion are arranged at the center of the cartridge in a direction of the rotational axis of the photosensitive drum relative to the first opening and the first protruded portion.