# US 2014/0153952 A1 · Electrode and image forming apparatus

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- Number: US 2014/0153952 A1
- Document ID: US20140153952A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/040,564
- Filed: 2013-09-27
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30
- Assignees: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Yoshihiro OKAMOTO
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153952A1

## CPC

- G03G 21/1652: {Electrical connection means}
- G03G 21/1867: {for electrically connecting the process cartridge to the apparatus, electrical connectors, power supply}
- H01R 13/2421: {using coil springs}
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS

## Abstract

An electrode for an image forming apparatus, the electrode including: an elastically deformable spring portion including a wire which is spirally wound and formed in a tube shape; an electrical contact portion provided continuously to the spring portion at one side in an axial direction of the spring portion, including the wire which is wound at least twice, and formed in an annular shape, where a center axis of the annular shape extends in an intersecting direction which intersects with the axial direction of the spring portion; and an extending portion provided continuously to the electrical contact portion and extending at least in the intersecting direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electrode for an image forming apparatus, the electrode comprising:
an elastically deformable spring portion including a wire which is spirally wound and formed in a tube shape;
an electrical contact portion provided continuously to the spring portion at one side in an axial direction of the spring portion, including the wire which is wound at least twice, and formed in an annular shape, where a center axis of the annular shape extends in an intersecting direction which intersects with the axial direction of the spring portion; and
an extending portion provided continuously to the electrical contact portion and extending at least in the intersecting direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electrode according to claim 1, wherein the extending portion extends in a direction away from the electrical contact portion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

An image forming apparatus comprising:
the electrode according to claim 2; and
a frame supporting the electrode,
wherein the frame has an opening through which the electrical contact portion is configured to be inserted, and
wherein the electrical contact portion is inserted into the opening, and at least a portion of the electrical contact portion is disposed to protrude through the opening toward the one side in the axial direction than the frame.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 3,
wherein, when seen in the axial direction, a shape and a size of the opening of the frame is substantially the same as a shape and a size of the electrical contact portion, and
wherein, when seen in the axial direction, the extending portion overlaps with the frame.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 4,
wherein the frame includes a contact portion coming into contact with the electrical contact portion to regulate a protrusion amount of the electrical contact portion protruding toward the one side in the axial direction than the frame, and
wherein the extending portion faces the frame with an interval in the axial direction when the electrical contact portion comes into contact with the contact portion.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 5,
wherein a length of the contact portion in the axial direction is formed to be longer than the interval between the extending portion and the frame in the axial direction when the electrical contact portion comes into contact with the contact portion.

### Claim 7

An electrode for an image forming apparatus, the electrode comprising:
a piece of wire including:
a first portion including a spirally wound spring portion which extends in a first direction and is formed in a tube shape;
a second portion connected to the first portion, including at least two windings, and formed in an annular shape, where a center axis of the annular shape extends in a second direction which intersects with the first direction; and
a third portion connected to the second portion and extending at least in the second direction.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The electrode according to claim 7,
wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The electrode according to claim 7,
wherein the second portion is connected to the first portion via a first bent portion.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The electrode according to claim 7,
wherein the third portion is connected to the second portion via a second bent portion.