Driving system for an apparatus using electrophotographic development

Abstract

A driving system for use in an apparatus utilizing electrophotographic development, such as a copier, wherein a main motor is provided to drive respective power transmission gears. The driving system includes a two-stepped driving system unit to lessen the live load when the system is initially powered to reduce wear of the gears, blur or spread of a printed image. A main motor of relatively lower capacity is able to be incorporated in the system, thereby enhancing product performance and reducing overheads. When the system is initially powered, a sensitization body, a pickup roller, a fixing and a feed are driven by power transmitted from a main motor. Then, after the torque load of the rotating parts is stabilized, the remaining parts of the apparatus (e.g., a developing part and a register roller) are driven. In an alternative embodiment, a pickup roller, a fixing roller and a feed roller are initially driven, and thereafter, following the stabilization of torque, a sensitization body, a developing part and a register roller are driven. A clutch is employed to interrupt power transmission.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.