Image bearing member and driving mechanism therefor

An image bearing member having an image bearing surface detachably mountable into an image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a positioning portion, disposed within and adjacent an end of said image bearing member, for engagement with a a straight portion of a rotational center positioning shaft, of electrically conductive material, of the image forming apparatus when said image bearing member is mounted into the image forming apparatus;
• a driving force receiving portion, for receiving a driving force for rotating said image bearing member, said driving force receiving portion being radially overlapped, at least in part, with said positioning portion;
• and
• an electrically conductive member, engageable to the positioning shaft of the image forming apparatus when said image bearing member is mounted into the image forming apparatus, adjacent an inside part of said positioning portion, wherein said conductive member is electrically contacted to an inside of said image bearing member which is electrically conductive.

A process cartridge containing as a unit an image bearing drum and process means, comprising:

• a positioning portion, disposed adjacent and end of said image bearing drum, for engagement with a straight portion of a positioning shaft of the image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted into the image forming apparatus wherein said image bearing member is in the form of a cylinder, and said positioning portion is within the cylinder;
• a driving force receiving portion substantially integral with said image bearing member, for receiving a driving force for rotating said image bearing drum;
• drive transmitting means for transmitting the driving force to the process means contained in said process cartridge;
• wherein said driving force receiving portion, said positioning portion and said drive transmitting means are radially overlapped, at least in part.

A process cartridge containing as a unit an image bearing drum and process means, comprising:

• a positioning portion, disposed within and adjacent an end of said image bearing drum, for engagement with a straight portion of a positioning shaft of the image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted into the image forming apparatus wherein said positioning portion extends into a region corresponding to a region of said image bearing member usable for image formation thereon;
• a driving force receiving portion substantially integral with said image bearing member, for receiving a driving force for rotating said image bearing drum;
• drive transmitting means for transmitting the driving force to the process means contained in said process cartridge;
• and
• wherein said driving force receiving portion, said positioning portion and said drive transmitting means are radially overlapped, at least in part.

A process cartridge containing as a unit an image bearing drum and process means, comprising:

• an image bearing drum including an insulative flange at an end of a metal drum member and an electrically conductive member fixed to an inside periphery of said drum member adjacent an inside end of the flange member;
• a positioning portion, substantially integral with said flange, for engagement with a straight portion of a positioning shaft of the image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted into the image forming apparatus;
• a driving force receiving portion substantially integral with said image bearing member, for receiving a driving force for rotating said image bearing drum;
• wherein said driving force receiving portion is radially overlapped, at least in part, with said positioning portion, and wherein when said process cartridge is mounted into the image forming apparatus, said conductive member of said image bearing drum is contacted to the positioning shaft of the image forming apparatus.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a positioning member;
• an image bearing member detachable mountable into said image forming apparatus, said image bearing member including a positioning portion, wherein said image bearing member is in the form of a cylinder, and said positioning portion is within the cylinder;
• disposed adjacent an end of said image bearing member, for engagement with a straight portion of the positioning member of said image forming apparatus, and a driving force receiving portion for receiving a driving force for rotating said image bearing member, said driving force receiving portion being overlapped, at least in part, with said positioning portion;
• and
• means for driving said image bearing member. positioning portion;
• and
• means for driving said image bearing member.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a positioning member;
• an image bearing member detachable mountable into said image forming apparatus, said image bearing member including a positioning portion, wherein said image bearing member comprises an electrophotographic photosensitive belt and a drum supporting it disposed within and adjacent an end of said image bearing member, for engagement with a straight portion of the positioning member of said image forming apparatus, and a driving force receiving portion for receiving a driving force for rotating said image bearing member, said driving force receiving portion being overlapped, at least in part, with said positioning portion;
• and
• means for driving said image bearing member.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a positioning member;
• an image bearing member detachable mountable into said image forming apparatus, said image bearing member including a positioning portion, wherein said positioning portion extends into a region corresponding to a region of said bearing member usable for image formation thereon disposed within and adjacent an end of said image bearing member, for engagement with a straight portion of the positioning member of said image forming apparatus, and a driving force receiving portion for receiving a driving force for rotating said image bearing member, said driving force receiving portion being overlapped at least in part, with said positioning portion;
• and
• means for driving said image bearing member.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a positioning shaft;
• a process cartridge containing as a unit an image bearing drum and process means, said image bearing drum including a positioning portion, disposed adjacent an end of said image bearing drum, for engagement with a straight portion of said positioning shaft of the image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted into the image forming apparatus and a driving force receiving portion, substantially integral with said image bearing drum, for receiving a driving force for rotating said image bearing drum, said driving force receiving portion being radially overlapped, at least in part, with said positioning portion wherein said image bearing drum is in the form of a cylinder, and said positioning portion is within the cylinder;
• and
• driving means for driving said image bearing drum.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a positioning shaft;
• a process cartridge containing as a unit an image bearing drum and process means, said image bearing drum including a positioning portion, disposed within and adjacent an end of said image bearing drum, for engagement with a straight portion of said positioning shaft of the image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted into the image forming apparatus and a driving force receiving portion, substantially integral with said image bearing drum, for receiving a driving force for rotating said image bearing drum, said driving force receiving portion being radially overlapped, at least in part, with said positioning portion wherein said positioning portion extends into a region corresponding to a region of said image bearing member usable for image formation thereon;
• and
• driving means for driving said image bearing drum.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a positioning shaft;
• a process cartridge containing as a unit an image bearing drum and process means actable on the image bearing drum, said image bearing drum including a positioning portion, wherein said image bearing drum is in the form of a cylinder, and said positioning portion is within the cylinder disposed adjacent an end of said image bearing drum, for engagement with a straight portion of said positioning shaft of said image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted into said image forming apparatus, and a driving force receiving portion substantially integral with said image bearing member, for receiving a driving force for rotating said image bearing drum, and drive transmitting means for transmitting the driving force to said process means, wherein said driving force receiving portion, said positioning portion and said driving transmitting means are radially overlapped, at least in part;
• guiding means for guiding said process cartridge when it is mounted into said image forming apparatus;
• and
• driving means for driving said image bearing drum.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a positioning shaft;
• a process cartridge containing as a unit an image bearing drum and process means actable on the image bearing drum, said image bearing drum including a positioning portion, disposed within and adjacent an end of said image bearing drum, for engagement with a straight portion of said positioning shaft of said image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted into said image forming apparatus, and a driving force receiving portion substantially integral with said image bearing member, for receiving a driving force for rotating said image bearing drum, and drive transmitting means for transmitting the drive force to said process means, wherein said driving force receiving portion, said positioning portion and said drive transmitting means are radially overlapped, at least in part wherein said positioning portion extends into a region corresponding to a region of said image bearing drum usable for image formation thereon;
• guiding means for guiding said process cartridge when it is mounted into said image forming apparatus;
• and
• driving means for driving said image bearing drum.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a positioning shaft;
• a process cartridge containing as a unit an image bearing drum and process means, said image bearing drum including an insulative flange at an end of metal drum member and an electrically conductive means fixed to an inside periphery of said drum member adjacent an inside end of the flange member;
• a positioning portion, substantially integral with said flange, for engagement with a straight portion of a positioning shaft of the image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted into the image forming apparatus, wherein said image bearing drum is in the form of a cylinder, and said positioning portion is within the cylinder;
• a driving force receiving portion substantially integral with said image bearing drum, for receiving a driving force for rotating said image bearing drum;
• wherein said driving force receiving portion is radially overlapped, at least in part, with said positioning portion, and wherein when said process cartridge is mounted into the image forming apparatus, said conductive member of said image bearing drum is contacted to the positioning shaft of the image forming apparatus;
• guiding means for guiding said process cartridge when it is mounted into said image forming apparatus;
• and
• driving means for driving said image bearing drum.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a positioning shaft;
• a process cartridge containing as a unit an image bearing drum and process means, said image bearing drum including an insulative flange at an end of a metal drum ember and an electrically conductive member fixed to an inside periphery of said drum member adjacent an inside end of the flange member;
• a positioning portion, substantially integral with said flange, for engagement with a straight portion of a positioning shaft of the image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted into the image forming apparatus;
• a driving force receiving portion substantially integral with said image bearing drum, for receiving a driving force for rotating said image bearing drum;
• wherein said driving force receiving portion is radially overlapped, at least in part, with said positioning portion, and wherein when said process cartridge is mounted into the image forming apparatus, said conductive member of said image bearing drum is contacted to the positioning shaft of the image forming apparatus wherein said driving force receiving means also functions as means for transmitting the driving force to said process means;
• guiding means for guiding said process cartridge when it is mounted into said image forming apparatus;
• and
• driving means for driving said image bearing drum.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a positioning shaft;
• a process cartridge containing as a unit an image bearing drum and process means, said image bearing drum including an insulative flange at an end of a metal drum member and an electrically conductive member fixed to an inside periphery of said drum member adjacent an inside end of the flange member;
• a positioning portion, substantially integral with said flange, for engagement with a straight portion of a positioning shaft of the image forming apparatus when said process cartridge is mounted into the image forming apparatus wherein said positioning portion extends into a region corresponding to a region of said image bearing member usable for image formation thereon;
• a driving force receiving portion substantially integral with said image bearing drum, for receiving a driving force for rotating said image bearing drum;
• wherein said driving force receiving portion is radially overlapped, at least in part, with said positioning portion, and wherein when said process cartridge is mounted into the image forming apparatus, said conductive member of said image bearing drum is contacted to the positioning shaft of the image forming apparatus;
• guiding means for guiding said process cartridge when it is mounted into said image forming apparatus;
• and
• driving means for driving said image bearing drum.