US 5,943,529 A · Process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus

Abstract

A process cartridge removably mounted to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a process member for acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a cartridge frame. The cartridge further includes a first projection guided by the main body when the process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from the main body, the first projection protruding from one end and being coaxial with the electrophotographic photosensitive member, a guiding second projection projecting from an opposite surface and being coaxial with the photosensitive member, a third guiding projection located substantially above the first projection when the process cartridge is mounted on the main body, and a fourth guiding projection located substantially above the second projection in a state in which the process cartridge is mounted on the main body. The distance between the first projection and the third projection is different from the distance between the second projection and the fourth projection.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A process cartridge removably mounted on a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:

an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
process means for acting on said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a cartridge frame;
a first projection guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said first projection protruding outwardly from one end surface of said cartridge frame which intersects with the axial direction of said electrophotographic photosensitive member to be coaxial with said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a second projection guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said second projection projecting from the other end surface opposite to said one end surface of said cartridge frame which intersects with the axial direction of said electrophotographic photosensitive member to be coaxial with said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a third projection guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said third projection protruding outwardly from said one end surface of said cartridge frame to be located substantially above said first projection in a state in which said process cartridge is mounted on said main body;
and
a fourth projection guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said fourth projection protruding outwardly from said other end surface of said cartridge frame to be located substantially above said second projection in a state in which said process cartridge is mounted on said main body;
wherein the distance between said first projection and said third projection is different from the distance between said second projection and said fourth projection.

6 more elements

A process cartridge removably mounted on a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:

an electrophotographic photosensitive member:
process means for acting on said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a cartridge frame;
a first projection guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said first projection protruding outwardly from one end surface of said cartridge frame which intersects with the axial direction of said electrophotographic photosensitive member to be coaxial with said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a second projection guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said second projection projecting from the other end surface opposite to said one end surface of said cartridge frame which intersects with the axial direction of said electrophotographic photosensitive member to be coaxial with said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a third projection guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said third projection protruding outwardly from said one end surface of said cartridge frame to be located substantially above said first projection in a state in which said process cartridge is mounted on said main body;
and
a fourth projection guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said fourth projection protruding outwardly from said other end surface of said cartridge frame to be located substantially above said second projection in a state in which said process cartridge is mounted on said main body;
wherein the distance between said first projection and said third projection is different from the distance between said second projection and said fourth projection, wherein said first projection and said second projection have a cylindrical shape, and the outer diameter of said first projection differs from the outer diameter of said second projection.

6 more elements

A process cartridge, removably mounted on a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:

an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
process means for acting on said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a cartridge frame;
a first projection guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said first projection protruding outwardly from one end surface of said cartridge frame which intersects with the axial direction of said electrophotographic photosensitive member to be coaxial with said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a second projection guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said second projection projecting from the other end surface opposite to said one end surface of said cartridge frame which intersects with the axial direction of said electrophotographic photosensitive member to be coaxial with said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a third projection guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said third projection protruding outwardly from said one end surface of said cartridge frame to be located substantially above said first projection in a state in which said process cartridge is mounted on said main body;
and
a fourth projection guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said fourth projection protruding outwardly from said other end surface of said cartridge frame to be located substantially above said second projection in a state in which said process cartridge is mounted on said main body;
wherein the distance between said first projection and said third projection is different from the distance between said second projection and said fourth projection, wherein said process cartridge comprises said electrophotographic photosensitive member and at least one of charging means for charging said electrophotographic photosensitive member, developing means for developing a latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive member, and cleaning means for removing any toner remaining on said electrophotographic photosensitive member, as said process means, integrally made into a cartridge removably mounted on said main body.

6 more elements

A process cartridge removably mounted on a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:

an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a charge member for charging said photosensitive member;
a developing roller for supplying a developing agent to said photosensitive member;
a first frame for supporting said photosensitive member and said charge member;
a second frame for supporting said developing roller and rockably connected to said first frame;
a first projection of cylindrical shape guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said first projection protruding outwardly from one end surface of said process cartridge which intersects with the axial direction of said electrophotographic photosensitive member to be coaxial with said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a second projection of cylindrical shape guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said second projection projecting from the other end surface opposite to said one end surface of said process cartridge which intersects with the axial direction of said electrophotographic photosensitive member to be coaxial with said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a third projection of long cylindrical shape guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said third projection protruding outwardly from said one end surface of said process cartridge to be located substantially above said first projection in a state in which said process cartridge is mounted on said main body;
and
a fourth projection of long cylindrical shape guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said fourth projection protruding outwardly from said other end surface of said process cartridge to be located substantially above said second projection in a state in which said process cartridge is mounted on said main body;
wherein the distance between said first projection and said third projection is different from the distance between said second projection and said fourth projection.

8 more elements

A process cartridge removably mounted on a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:

an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a charge member for charging said photosensitive member;
a developing roller for supplying a developing agent to said photosensitive member;
a first frame for supporting said photosensitive member and said charge member;
a second frame for supporting said developing roller and rockably connected to said first frame;
a first projection of cylindrical shape guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said first projection protruding outwardly from one end surface of said process cartridge which intersects with the axial direction of said electrophotographic photosensitive member to be coaxial with said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a second projection of cylindrical shape guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said second projection projecting from the other end surface opposite to said one end surface of said process cartridge which intersects with the axial direction of said electrophotographic photosensitive member to be coaxial with said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a third projection of long cylindrical shape guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said third projection protruding outwardly from said one end surface of said process cartridge to be located substantially above said first projection in a state in which said process cartridge is mounted on said main body;
and
a fourth projection of long cylindrical shape guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said fourth projection protruding outwardly from said other end surface of said process cartridge to be located substantially above said second projection in a state in which said process cartridge is mounted on said main body;
wherein the distance between said first projection and said third projection is different from the distance between said second projection and said fourth projection,
wherein said cartridge further comprises charging means as process means for charging said electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a charging bias contact receiving a bias voltage supplied to said charging means from said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on said main body, said charging bias contact being disposed at a location substantially sandwiched between said first projection and said third projection.

9 more elements

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium, comprising:

(a) mount means for removably mounting a process cartridge onto a main body of said image forming apparatus,
said process cartridge including:
an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
process means for acting on said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a cartridge frame;
a first projection guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said first projection protruding outwardly from one end surface of said cartridge frame which intersects with the axial direction of said electrophotographic photosensitive member to be coaxial with said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a second projection guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said second projection protruding from the other end surface opposite to said one end surface of said cartridge frame which intersects with the axial direction of said electrophotographic photosensitive member to be coaxial with said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a third projection guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said third projection protruding outwardly from said one end surface of said cartridge frame to be located substantially above said first projection in a state in which said process cartridge is mounted on said main body;
and
a fourth projection guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said fourth projection protruding outwardly from said other end surface of said cartridge frame to be located substantially above said second projection in a state in which said process cartridge is mounted on said main body;
wherein the distance between said first projection and said third projection is different from the distance between said second projection and said fourth projection;
and
(b) convey means for conveying the recording medium.

10 more elements

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium, comprising:

(a) mount means for removably mounting a process cartridge onto a main body of said image forming apparatus, said process cartridge including:
an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a charge member for charging said photosensitive member;
a developing roller for supplying a developing agent to said photosensitive member;
a first frame for supporting said photosensitive member and said charge member;
a second frame for supporting said developing roller and rockably connected to said first frame;
a first projection of cylindrical shape guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said first projection protruding outwardly from one end surface of said process cartridge which intersects with the axial direction of said electrophotographic photosensitive member to be coaxial with said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a second projection of cylindrical shape guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said second projection projecting from the other end surface opposite to said one end surface of said process cartridge which intersects with the axial direction of said electrophotographic photosensitive member to be coaxial with said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
a third projection of long cylindrical shape guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said third projection protruding outwardly from said one end surface of said process cartridge to be located substantially above said first projection in a state in which said process cartridge is mounted on said main body;
and
a fourth projection of long cylindrical shape guided by said main body when said process cartridge is mounted on or dismounted from said main body, said fourth projection protruding outwardly from said other end surface of said process cartridge to be located substantially above said second projection in a state in which said process cartridge is mounted on said main body;
wherein the distance between said first projection and said third projection is different from the distance between said second projection and said fourth projection;
and
(b) convey means for conveying the recording medium.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus

Life of this patent

Process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26