US 2003/0156848 A1 · Process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus

Abstract

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes a first frame; a second frame coupled with the first frame for rotation about a shaft relative to each other; a photosensitive drum provided in the first frame; a charging member, provided in the first frame, for charging the drum; a developing member, provided in the second frame, for developing a latent image on the drum with a developer; a developer feeding member, provided in the second frame, for supplying a developer onto a peripheral surface of the developing member; a regulating member, provided in the second frame, for regulating an amount of the developer deposited on peripheral surface of the developing member; a first electrical contact, provided in the first frame, for receiving, from the main assembly, a bias voltage to be supplied to the charging member; a third electrical contact, provided in the second frame, for receiving, from the main assembly, a bias voltage to be supplied to the developing member, the developer feeding member and the regulating member; a fourth electrical contact, provided in the first frame coaxially with the drum, for electrically grounding the drum to the main assembly, wherein the first frame has one and the other longitudinal ends, and the second frame has one and the other longitudinal ends adjacent the one and the other longitudinal ends of the first frame, respectively, and wherein the first contact and the third contact are disposed at the one ends of the first frame and the second frame, respectively, and the fourth contact is disposed at the other end of the first frame, and wherein the contacts are disposed such that, the first contact takes an upper position, and the third contact takes a lower position.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:

a first frame;
a second frame coupled with said first frame for rotation about a shaft relative to each other;
an electrophotographic photosensitive drum provided in said first frame;
a photosensitive member charging member, provided in said first frame, for electrically charging said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
a developing member, provided in said second frame, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on said photosensitive drum with a developer;
a developer feeding member, provided in said second frame, for supplying a developer onto a peripheral surface of said developing member;
a regulating member, provided in said second frame, for regulating an amount of the developer deposited on peripheral surface of said developing member;
a first electrical contact, provided in said first frame, for receiving, from the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, a bias voltage to be supplied to said photosensitive member charging member when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus;
a third electrical contact, provided in said second frame, for receiving, from the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, a bias voltage to be supplied to said developing member, said developer feeding member and said regulating member when said process cartridge is mounted to t main assembly of the image forming apparatus;
a fourth electrical contact, provided in said first frame coaxially with said photosensitive drum, for electrically grounding the photosensitive drum to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus when process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus,
wherein said first frame has one and the other longitudinal ends, and said second frame has one and the other longitudinal ends adjacent said one and the other longitudinal ends of said first frame, respectively, and wherein said first electrical contact and said third electrical contact are disposed at said one longitudinal ends of said first frame and said second frame, respectively, and said fourth electrical contact is disposed at the other longitudinal end of said first frame, and wherein said electrical contacts are disposed such that when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said image forming apparatus, said first electrical contact takes an upper position, and said third electrical contact takes a lower position.

8 more elements

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a first main assembly electrical contact;
(c) a third main assembly electrical contact;
(d) a fourth main assembly electrical contact;
(e) a cartridge mounting portion for detachably mounting said process cartridge, said process cartridge including,
a first frame;
a second frame coupled with said first frame for rotation about a shaft relative to each other;
an electrophotographic photosensitive drum provided in said first frame;
a photosensitive member charging member, provided in said first frame, for electrically charging said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
a developing member, provided in said second frame, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on said photosensitive drum with a developer;
a developer feeding member, provided in said second frame, for supplying a developer onto a peripheral surface of said developing member;
a regulating member, provided in said second frame, for regulating an amount of the developer deposited on peripheral surface of said developing member;
a first electrical contact, provided in said first frame, for contacting said first main assembly electrical contact to receive, from the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, a bias voltage to be supplied to said photosensitive member charging member when process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus;
a third electrical contact, provided in said second frame, for contacting said second main assembly electrical contact to receive, from the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, a bias voltage to be supplied to said developing member, said developer feeding member and said regulating member when said process cartridge is mounted to t main assembly of the image forming apparatus;
a fourth electrical contact, provided in said first frame coaxially with said photosensitive drum, for contacting said fourth main assembly electrical contact to electrically ground the photosensitive drum to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus when process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus,
wherein said first frame has one and the other longitudinal ends, and said second frame has one and the other longitudinal ends adjacent said one and the other longitudinal ends of said first frame, respectively, and wherein said first electrical contact and said third electrical contact are disposed at said one longitudinal ends of said first frame and said second frame, respectively, and said fourth electrical contact is disposed at the other longitudinal end of said first frame, and wherein said electrical contacts are disposed such that when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said image forming apparatus, said first electrical contact takes an upper position, and said third electrical contact takes a lower position.

12 more elements

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:

a first frame;
a second frame coupled with said first frame for rotation about a shaft relative to each other;
an electrophotographic photosensitive drum provided in said first frame;
a photosensitive member charging member, provided in said first frame, for electrically charging said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
a developing member, provided in said second frame, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on said photosensitive drum with a developer;
a developer feeding member, provided in said second frame, for supplying a developer onto a peripheral surface of said developing member;
a regulating member, provided in said second frame, for regulating an amount of the developer deposited on peripheral surface of said developing member;
a first electrical contact, provided in said first frame, for receiving, from the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, a bias voltage to be supplied to said photosensitive member charging member when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus;
a third electrical contact, provided in said second frame, for receiving, from the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, a bias voltage to be supplied to said developing member, said developer feeding member and said regulating member when said process cartridge is mounted to t main assembly of the image forming apparatus;
a fourth electrical contact, provided in said first frame coaxially with said photosensitive drum, for electrically grounding the photosensitive drum to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus when process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus,
wherein said first frame has one and the other longitudinal ends, and said second frame has one and the other longitudinal ends adjacent said one and the other longitudinal ends of said first frame, respectively, and wherein said first electrical contact and said third electrical contact are disposed at said one longitudinal ends of said first frame and said second frame, respectively, and said fourth electrical contact is disposed at the other longitudinal end of said first frame, and wherein said electrical contacts are disposed such that when said. process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said image forming apparatus, said first electrical contact takes an upper position, and said third electrical contact takes a lower position,
wherein said second frame is provided with a developer charging member for electrically charging the developer deposited on the peripheral surface of said developing member and a second electrical contact for receiving, from the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, a bias voltage to be supplied to said developer charging member when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, wherein said second electrical contact is disposed at said one longitudinal end of said second frame at a position between said first electrical contact and said third electrical contact,
wherein said second frame has a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer to be used for developing the electrostatic latent image, and said developer accommodating portion is provided with an upper transparent window and a lower transparent window at upper and lower positions, respectively when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said image forming apparatus, said second frame further comprising a lower light guide portion for guiding, to the lower transparent window, light emitted by a light emission member provided in t main assembly of the image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted to t main assembly of the image forming apparatus, said lower light guide portion being extended from the lower transparent window toward said one longitudinal end of said second frame, said second frame further comprising an upper light guide portion for guiding, to a light receiving element provided in t main assembly of the image forming apparatus, the light having passed through an inside of said developer accommodating portion and through the upper transparent window when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, said upper light guide portion being extended from the upper transparent window toward said one end of said second frame, thus permitting the main assembly of the apparatus to detect reduction of an amount of the developer accommodated in said developer accommodating portion beyond a predetermined amount by reception of a predetermined light quantity by said light receiving element.

10 more elements

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:

a first frame;
a second frame coupled with said first frame for rotation about a shaft relative to each other;
an electrophotographic photosensitive drum provided in said first frame;
a photosensitive member charging member, provided in said first frame, for electrically charging said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
a developing member, provided in said second frame, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on said photosensitive drum with a developer;
a developer feeding member, provided in said second frame, for supplying a developer onto a peripheral surface of said developing member;
a regulating member, provided in said second frame, for regulating an amount of the developer deposited on peripheral surface of said developing member;
a first electrical contact, provided in said first frame, for receiving, from the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, a bias voltage to be supplied to said photosensitive member charging member when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus;
a third electrical contact, provided in said second frame, for receiving, from the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, a bias voltage to be supplied to said developing member, said developer feeding member and said regulating member when said process cartridge is mounted to t main assembly of the image forming apparatus;
a fourth electrical contact, provided in said first frame coaxially with said photosensitive drum, for electrically grounding the photosensitive drum to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus when process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus,
wherein said first frame has one and the other longitudinal ends, and said second frame has one and the other longitudinal ends adjacent said one and the other longitudinal ends of said first frame, respectively, and wherein said first electrical contact and said third electrical contact are disposed at said one longitudinal ends of said first frame and said second frame, respectively, and said fourth electrical contact is disposed at the other longitudinal end of said first frame, and wherein said electrical contacts are disposed such that when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said image forming apparatus, said first electrical contact takes an upper position, and said third electrical contact takes a lower position,
wherein said second frame is provided with a developer charging member for electrically charging the developer deposited on the peripheral surface of said developing member and a second electrical contact for receiving, from the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, a bias voltage to be supplied to said developer charging member when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, wherein said second electrical contact is disposed at said one longitudinal end of said second frame at a position between said first electrical contact and said third electrical contact,
wherein said second frame has a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer to be used for developing the electrostatic latent image, and said developer accommodating portion is provided with an upper transparent window and a lower transparent window at upper and lower positions, respectively when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said image forming apparatus, said second frame further comprising a lower light guide portion for guiding, to the lower transparent window, light emitted by a light emission member provided in t main assembly of the image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted to t main assembly of the image forming apparatus, said lower light guide portion being extended from the lower transparent window toward said one longitudinal end of said second frame, said second frame further comprising an upper light guide portion for guiding, to a light receiving element provided in t main assembly of the image forming apparatus, the light having passed through an inside of said developer accommodating portion and through the upper transparent window when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, said upper light guide portion being extended from the upper transparent window toward said one end of said second frame, thus permitting the main assembly of the apparatus to detect reduction of an amount of the developer accommodated in said developer accommodating portion beyond a predetermined amount by reception of a predetermined light quantity by said light receiving element,
said process cartridge further comprising a coupling member for receiving, from the main assembly of said image forming apparatus, a driving force for rotating said photosensitive drum when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, wherein said fourth electrical contact is disposed projected from an end surface of said coupling member,
wherein an end surface at one longitudinal end of the lower light guide portion is disposed inside said one longitudinal end of said second frame.

12 more elements

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a first main assembly electrical contact;
(c) a third main assembly electrical contact;
(d) a fourth main assembly electrical contact;
(e) a cartridge mounting portion for detachably mounting said process cartridge, said process cartridge including,
a first frame;
a second frame coupled with said first frame for rotation about a shaft relative to each other;
an electrophotographic photosensitive drum provided in said first frame;
a photosensitive member charging member, provided in said first frame, for electrically charging said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
a developing member, provided in said second frame, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on said photosensitive drum with a developer;
a developer feeding member, provided in said second frame, for supplying a developer onto a peripheral surface of said developing member;
a regulating member, provided in said second frame, for regulating an amount of the developer deposited on peripheral surface of said developing member;
a first electrical contact, provided in said first frame, for contacting said first main assembly electrical contact to receive, from the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, a bias voltage to be supplied to said photosensitive member charging member when process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus;
a third electrical contact, provided in said second frame, for contacting said second main assembly electrical contact to receive, from the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, a bias voltage to be supplied to said developing member, said developer feeding member and said regulating member when said process cartridge is mounted to t main assembly of the image forming apparatus;
a fourth electrical contact, provided in said first frame coaxially with said photosensitive drum, for contacting said fourth main assembly electrical contact to electrically ground the photosensitive drum to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus when process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus,
wherein said first frame has one and the other longitudinal ends, and said second frame has one and the other longitudinal ends adjacent said one and the other longitudinal ends of said first frame, respectively, and wherein said first electrical contact and said third electrical contact are disposed at said one longitudinal ends of said first frame and said second frame, respectively, and said fourth electrical contact is disposed at the other longitudinal end of said first frame, and wherein said electrical contacts are disposed such that when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said image forming apparatus, said first electrical contact takes an upper position, and said third electrical contact takes a lower position;
said apparatus further comprising:
(f) a second main assembly electrical contact;
wherein said second frame is provided with a developer charging member for electrically charging the developer deposited on the peripheral surface of said developing member and a second electrical contact for contacting said second main assembly electrical contact to receive, from the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, a bias voltage to be supplied to said developer charging member when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, where-in said second electrical contact is disposed at said one longitudinal end of said second frame at a position between said first electrical contact and said third electrical contact,
wherein said second frame has a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer to be used for developing the electrostatic latent image, and said developer accommodating portion is provided with an upper transparent window and a lower transparent window at upper and lower positions, respectively when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said image forming apparatus, said second frame further comprising a lower light guide portion for guiding, to the lower transparent window, light emitted by a light emission member provided in t main assembly of the image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted to t main assembly of the image forming apparatus, said lower light guide portion being extended from the lower transparent window toward said one longitudinal end of said second frame, said second frame further comprising an upper light guide portion for guiding, to a light receiving element provided in t main assembly of the image forming apparatus, the light having passed through an inside of said developer accommodating portion and through the upper transparent window when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, said upper light guide portion being extended from the upper transparent window toward said one end of said second frame, thus permitting the main assembly of the apparatus to detect reduction of an amount of the developer accommodated in said developer accommodating portion beyond a predetermined amount by reception of a predetermined light quantity by said light receiving element.

16 more elements

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a first main assembly electrical contact;
(c) a third main assembly electrical contact;
(d) a fourth main assembly electrical contact;
(e) a cartridge mounting portion for detachably mounting said process cartridge, said process cartridge including,
a first frame;
a second frame coupled with said first frame for rotation about a shaft relative to each other;
an electrophotographic photosensitive drum provided in said first frame;
a photosensitive member charging member, provided in said first frame, for electrically charging said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
a developing member, provided in said second frame, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on said photosensitive drum with a developer;
a developer feeding member, provided in said second frame, for supplying a developer onto a peripheral surface of said developing member;
a regulating member, provided in said second frame, for regulating an amount of the developer deposited on peripheral surface of said developing member;
a first electrical contact, provided in said first frame, for contacting said first main assembly electrical contact to receive, from the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, a bias voltage to be supplied to said photosensitive member charging member when process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus;
a third electrical contact, provided in said second frame, for contacting said second main assembly electrical contact to receive, from the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, a bias voltage to be supplied to said developing member, said developer feeding member and said regulating member when said process cartridge is mounted to t main assembly of the image forming apparatus;
a fourth electrical contact, provided in said first frame coaxially with said photosensitive drum, for contacting said fourth main assembly electrical contact to electrically ground the photosensitive drum to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus when process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus,
wherein said first frame has one and the other longitudinal ends, and said second frame has one and the other longitudinal ends adjacent said one and the other longitudinal ends of said first frame, respectively, and wherein said first electrical contact and said third electrical contact are disposed at said one longitudinal ends of said first frame and said second frame, respectively, and said fourth electrical contact is disposed at the other longitudinal end of said first frame, and wherein said electrical contacts are disposed such that when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said image forming apparatus, said first electrical contact takes an upper position, and said third electrical contact takes a lower position,
said apparatus further comprising:
(f) a second main assembly electrical contact;
wherein said second frame is provided with a developer charging member for electrically charging the developer deposited on the peripheral surface of said developing member and a second electrical contact for contacting said second main assembly electrical contact to receive, from the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, a bias voltage to be supplied to said developer charging member when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, wherein said second electrical contact is disposed at said one longitudinal end of said second frame at a position between said first electrical contact and said third electrical contact,
said process cartridge further including,
a coupling member for receiving, from the main assembly of said image forming apparatus, a driving force for rotating said photosensitive drum when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, wherein said fourth electrical contact is disposed projected from an end surface of said coupling member,
wherein said second frame has a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer to be used for developing the electrostatic latent image, and said developer accommodating portion is provided with an upper transparent window and-a lower transparent window at upper and lower positions, respectively when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said image forming apparatus, said second frame further comprising a lower light guide portion for guiding, to the lower transparent window, light emitted by a light emission member provided in t main assembly of the image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted to t main assembly of the image forming apparatus, said lower light guide portion being extended from the lower transparent window toward said one longitudinal end of said second frame, said second frame further comprising an upper light guide portion for guiding, to a light receiving element provided in t main assembly of the image forming apparatus, the light having passed through an inside of said developer accommodating portion and through the upper transparent window when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, said upper light guide portion being extended from the upper transparent window toward said one end of said second frame, thus permitting the main assembly of the apparatus to detect reduction of an amount of the developer accommodated in said developer accommodating portion beyond a predetermined amount by reception of a predetermined light quantity by said light receiving element,
wherein an end surface at one longitudinal end of the lower light guide portion is disposed inside said one longitudinal end of said second frame.

19 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus

Life of this patent

Process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20