Planetary gear assembly, drive unit including the planetary gear assembly, and image forming apparatus including the drive unit, and installation method for planetary gear assembly

A method for assembling a planetary gear mechanism,

• the planetary gear mechanism comprising:
• a plurality of planetary gears;
• an outer gear to mesh with the plurality of planetary gears;
• a sun gear to transmit force to the planetary gears, the sun gear coaxially disposed on the same axis as the outer gear;
• a carrier to rotatably support the plurality of planetary gears, the carrier rotatably and floatingly supported and including a hole through which a stick member penetrates in a direction of axis of rotation of the carrier;
• and
• a stick mount on which the stick member penetrating through the hole is mounted, the stick mount disposed opposite the carrier,
• one of the outer gear and the sun gear being unrotatably held,
• the method comprising:
• inserting the stick member to the hole of the carrier;
• mounting the stick member at the stick mount;
• meshing the plurality of planetary gears with the sun gear and the outer gear by moving the carrier along the stick member, to mount the carrier in the outer gear;
• and
• removing the stick member after carrier is mounted.