Image forming apparatus having weighting material in image bearing member and process cartridge usable with same

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

• a rotatable image bearing member comprising an image bearing layer and a base member for supporting said image bearing layer;
• and
• a charging member contactable to said image bearing member for electrically charging said image bearing member, said charging member being adapted for receiving an oscillating voltage;
• wherein said image bearing member further comprises a weighting material disposed inside said base member, said weighting material having a weight larger than the combined weight of said image bearing layer and said base member, and an elastic material disposed between and in contact with said base member and said weighting material, wherein said elastic material has a hardness of not more than 70 degrees, JIS-A.

A rotatable image bearing member which is electrostatically charged by a charging member which is contactable to said image bearing member and supplied with an oscillating voltage, comprising:

• an image bearing layer;
• a base member for supporting the image bearing layer;
• a weighting material disposed inside said base member and having a weight larger than the combined weight of said image bearing layer and said base member;
• and
• an elastic material disposed between and in contact with said base member and said weighting material, wherein said elastic material has a hardness of not more than 70 degrees, JIS-A.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a rotatable image bearing member comprising an image bearing layer and a base member for supporting said image bearing layer;
• a charging member contactable to said image bearing member for electrically charging said image bearing member;
• and
• a voltage applying means for applying an oscillating voltage to said charging member;
• wherein said image bearing member further comprises a weighting material disposed inside said base member, said weighting material having a weight larger than the combined weight of said image bearing layer and said base member, and an elastic material disposed between and in contact with said base member and said weighting material, wherein said elastic material has a thickness of 1-5 mm.

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

• a rotatable image bearing member comprising an image bearing layer and a base member for supporting said image bearing layer;
• and
• a charging member contactable to said image bearing member for electrically charging said image bearing member, said charging member being adapted for receiving an oscillating voltage;
• wherein said image bearing member further comprises a weighting material disposed inside said base member, said weighting material having a weight larger than the combined weight of said image bearing layer and said base member, and an elastic material disposed between and in contact with said base member and said weighting material, wherein said elastic material has a thickness of 1-5 mm.

A rotatable image bearing member which is electrostatically charged by a charging member which is contactable to said image bearing member and supplied with an oscillating voltage, comprising:

• an image bearing layer;
• a base member for supporting the image bearing layer;
• a weighting material disposed inside said base member and having a weight larger than the combined weight of said image bearing layer and said base member;
• and
• an elastic material disposed between and in contact with said base member and said weighting material, wherein said elastic layer has a thickness of 1-5 mm.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a rotatable image bearing member comprising an image bearing layer and a base member for supporting said image bearing layer;
• a charging member contactable to said image bearing member for electrically charging said image bearing member;
• and
• a voltage applying means for applying an oscillating voltage to said charging member;
• wherein said image bearing member further comprises a weighting material disposed inside said base member, said weighting material having a weight larger than the combined weight of said image bearing layer and said base member, and an elastic material disposed between and in contact with said base member and said weighting material, wherein said weighting material is press-fitted in said base member together with said elastic material, wherein an outer diameter of said elastic material is larger than an inner diameter of said base member by 40-400 microns before it is press-fitted into said base member.

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

• a rotatable image bearing member comprising an image bearing layer and a base member for supporting said image bearing layer;
• and
• a charging member contactable to said image bearing member for electrically charging said image bearing member, said charging member being adapted for receiving an oscillating voltage;
• wherein said image bearing member further comprises a weighting material disposed inside said base member, said weighting material having a weight larger than the combined weight of said image bearing layer and said base member, and an elastic material disposed between and in contact with said base member and said weighting material, wherein said weighting material is press-fitted in said base member together with said elastic material, wherein an outer diameter of said elastic material is larger than an inner diameter of said base member by 40-400 microns before it is press-fitted into said base member.

A rotatable image bearing member which is electrostatically charged by a charging member which is contactable to said image bearing member and supplied with an oscillating voltage, comprising:

• an image bearing layer;
• a base member for supporting the image bearing layer;
• a weighting material disposed inside said base member and having a weight larger than the combined weight of said image bearing layer and said base member;
• and
• an elastic material disposed between and in contact with said base member and said weighting material, wherein said weighting material is press-fitted in said base member together with said elastic material, wherein an outer diameter of said elastic material is larger than an inner diameter of said base member by 40-400 microns before it is press-fitted into said base member.