Process cartridge including a spaced rolling members support feature and image forming apparatus using the same
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsKazushi Watanabe, Shinichi Sasaki, Isao Ikemoto, Shigeo Miyabe, Shinya Noda
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a process cartridge mountable to an image forming apparatus, comprising a rotary member, a holding member for holding the rotary member, and a plurality of rolling members assembled between the rotary member and the holding member independently from the holding member.
Claims31
A process cartridge having an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means for acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and being removably mountable onto a main body of an image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:
- a cartridge frame;
- a rotary member;
- and
- support means for rotatably supporting said rotary member on said cartridge frame, said support means including a plurality of rolling members, and a retainer for arranging said rolling members rotatably by regulating an interval between adjacent rolling members along a rotational direction of said rotary member.
An image forming apparatus, onto which a process cartridge is removably mountable onto a main body of said image forming apparatus, for forming an image on a recording medium, said image forming apparatus comprising:
- mount means for removably mounting a process cartridge, the process cartridge including an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means for acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, a cartridge frame, a rotary member, and support means for rotatably supporting the rotary member on the cartridge frame, the support means having a plurality of rolling members, and a retainer for arranging the rolling members rotatably by regulating an interval between adjacent rolling members along a rotational direction of the rotary member;
- and
- convey means for conveying the recording medium.
A process cartridge removably mountable onto a main body of an image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:
- a cartridge frame;
- an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
- a plurality of rolling members and a retainer for rotatably supporting said electrophotographic photosensitive drum on said cartridge frame, said retainer arranging said rolling members rotatably by regulating an interval between adjacent rolling members along a rotational direction of said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, said retainer having a plurality of receiving portions for receiving said rolling members, a connecting portion for connecting said receiving portions, and an attaching portion for attaching said retainer;
- a developing roller for conveying toner to said electrophotographic photosensitive drum to thereby develop a latent image formed thereon;
- a charging roller disposed to be in contact with said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
- and
- a cleaning blade disposed to be in contact with said electrophotographic photosensitive drum for removing residual toner.
An image forming apparatus onto which a process cartridge is removably mountable, for forming an image on a recording medium, said image forming apparatus comprising:
- a mount member for removably mounting the process cartridge, the process cartridge including a cartridge frame, an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a plurality of rolling members and a retainer for rotatably supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive drum on the cartridge frame, the retainer arranging the rolling members rotatably regulating an interval between adjacent rolling members along a rotational direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, the retainer having a plurality of receiving portions for receiving the rolling members, connecting portions for connecting the receiving portions, and an attaching portion for attaching the retainer, a developing roller for conveying toner to the electrophotographic photosensitive drum to thereby develop a latent image formed thereon, a charging roller disposed to be in contact with the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and a cleaning blade disposed to be in contact with the electrophotographic photosensitive drum for removing residual toner therefrom;
- and
- a conveying member for conveying the recording medium.
A process cartridge removably mountable onto a main body of an image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:
- a cartridge frame;
- an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
- a developing roller for conveying toner to said electrophotographic photosensitive drum to develop a latent image formed thereon;
- a plurality of rolling members and a retainer for rotatably supporting said electrophotographic photosensitive drum on said cartridge frame, said retainer arranging said rolling members rotatably by regulating an interval between adjacent rolling members along a rotational direction of said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, said retainer having a plurality of receiving portions for receiving said rolling members, connecting portions for connecting said receiving portions, and an attaching portion for attaching said retainer;
- a charging roller disposed to be in contact with said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
- and
- a cleaning blade disposed to be in contact with said electrophotographic photosensitive drum to remove residual toner therefrom.
An image forming apparatus, onto which a process cartridge is removably mountable, for forming an image on a recording medium, said image forming apparatus comprising:
- a mount member for removably mounting the process cartridge, the process cartridge including a cartridge frame, an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a developing roller for conveying toner to the electrophotographic photosensitive drum to thereby develop a latent image formed thereon, a plurality of rolling members and a retainer for rotatably supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive drum on the cartridge frame, the retainer arranging the rolling members rotatably by regulating an interval between adjacent rolling members along a rotational direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, the retainer having a plurality of receiving portions for receiving the rolling members, connecting portions for connecting the receiving portions, and an attaching portion for attaching the retainer, a charge roller disposed to be in contact with the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and a cleaning blade disposed to be in contact with the electrophotographic photosensitive drum for removing residual toner;
- and
- a conveying member for conveying the recording material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.