Process cartridge and image forming apparatus using same

A process cartridge detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a rotatable photosensitive member;
• a helical gear operatively coupled to said photosensitive member and adapted to receive driving force form the image forming apparatus when mounted thereto to drive said photosensitive member, said helical gear being disposed adjacent one longitudinal end of said photosensitive member and being twisted in such a direction that when it receives the driving force form the image forming apparatus said helical gear urges said photosensitive member toward a side of said process control;
• process means contributable to repetitive formation of an image on said photosensitive member;
• and
• supporting means for supporting as a unit said photosensitive member and said process means.

A process cartridge detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a rotatable photosensitive member;
• a helical gear operatively coupled to said photosensitive member and adapted to receive driving force from the image forming apparatus when mounted thereto to drive said photosensitive member, said helical gear being disposed adjacent one longitudinal end of said photosensitive member and being twisted in such a direction that when it receives the driving force from the image forming apparatus said helical gear urges said photosensitive member toward a side of said process cartridge;
• process means contributable to repetitive formation of an image on said photosensitive member;
• and
• supporting means for supporting as a unit said photosensitive member said process means;
• wherein said helical gear has a module of 0.8, and has a twist angle, with respect to its rotational axis, of 10 degrees.

A process cartridge detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a rotatable photosensitive member;
• a helical gear operatively coupled to said photosensitive member and adapted to receive driving force form the image forming apparatus when mounted thereto to drive said photosensitive member, said helical gear being disposed adjacent one longitudinal end of said photosensitive member and being twisted in such a direction that when it receives the driving force form the image forming apparatus said helical gear urges said photosensitive member toward a side of said process cartridge wherein said helical gear has a module of 0.5-1.5 and has twist angle, with respect to its rotational axis, of 5-30 degrees;
• process means contributable to repetitive formation of an image on said photosensitive member;
• and
• supporting means for supporting as a unit said photosensitive member and said process means.

A process cartridge detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a rotatable photosensitive member;
• a helical gear operatively coupled to said photosensitive member and adapted to receive driving force form the image forming apparatus when mounted thereto to drive said photosensitive member, said helical gear being disposed adjacent one longitudinal end of said photosensitive member and being twisted in such a direction that when it receives the driving force from the image forming apparatus said helical gear urges said photosensitive member toward a side of said process cartridge;
• process means contributable to repetitive formation of an image on said photosensitive member;
• and
• supporting means for supporting as a unit said photosensitive member and said process means, said supporting means having a positioning portion for engagement with a positioning portion of the image forming apparatus interrelatedly with mounting of said process cartridge into the image forming apparatus.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a process cartridge including a rotatable photosensitive member, a helical gear operatively coupled to said photosensitive member, process means contributable to repetitive formation of an image on said photosensitive member, and supporting means for supporting as a unit said photosensitive member and said process means;
• means for detachably holding said process cartridge;
• and
• a second helical gear meshed with the first mentioned helical gear to drive said photosensitive member;
• wherein said photosensitive member is urged in the direction of its rotational axis only by said second helical gear driving said photosensitive member through said first helical gear.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a process cartridge including a rotatable photosensitive member, a helical gear operatively coupled to said photosensitive member, process means contributable to repetitive formation of an image on said photosensitive member, and supporting means for supporting as a unit said photosensitive member and said process means;
• means for detachably holding said process cartridge;
• and
• a second helical gear meshed with the first mentioned helical gear to drive said photosensitive member;
• wherein said helical gears are twisted in such directions that when said photosensitive member is driven said photosensitive member is urged toward a side of said process cartridge where said first helical gear is provided.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a process cartridge including a rotatable photosensitive member, a helical gear operatively coupled to said photosensitive member, process means contributable to repetitive formation of an image on said photosensitive member, and supporting means for supporting as a unit said photosensitive member and said process means;
• means for detachably holding said process cartridge;
• and
• a second helical gear meshed with the first mentioned helical gear to drive said photosensitive member;
• wherein said helical gears are twisted in such directions that when said photosensitive member is driven said photosensitive member is urged toward a side of said process cartridge where said first helical gear is provided;
• and
• wherein said helical gear has module of 0.5-1.5, and has a twist angle, with respect to its rotational axis, of 5-30 degrees.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a process cartridge including a rotatable photosensitive member, a helical gear operatively coupled to said photosensitive member, process means contributable to repetitive formation of an image on said photosensitive member, supporting means for supporting as a unit said photosensitive member and said process means, said supporting means having a positioning portion for positioning said process cartridge;
• means for detachably holding said process cartridge;
• a second helical gear meshed with said first mentioned helical gear of said process cartridge to drive said photosensitive member;
• and
• a second positioning portion for engagement with said first mentioned positioning portion of said process cartridge, said second positioning portion being fixed in a frame of said image forming apparatus;
• wherein said helical gears are twisted in such directions that when said photosensitive member is driven said photosensitive member is urged toward a side of said process cartridge where said first helical gear is provided.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a process cartridge including a rotatable photosensitive member, a helical gear operatively coupled to said photosensitive member, process means contributable to repetitive formation of an image on said photosensitive member, supporting means for supporting as a unit said photosensitive member and said process means, said supporting means having a positioning portion for positioning said process cartridge;
• means for detachably holding said process cartridge;
• a second helical gear meshed with said first mentioned helical gear of said process cartridge to drive said photosensitive member;
• and
• a second positioning portion for engagment with said first mentioned positioning portion of said process cartridge, said second positioning portion being fixed in a frame of said image forming apparatus;
• wherein said first and second positioning portions are engageable interrelatedly with mounting of said process cartridge into said image forming apparatus;
• and
• wherein said helical gear has a module of 0.5-1.5, and has a twist angle, with respect to its rotational axis, of 5-30 degrees.