Cylindrical member and engagement member assembly
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsYusuke Yamada, Tomohiro Kimura
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a cylindrical member having a thin portion at a longitudinal end thereof and an engaging member being mounted as fitted to an internal surface of the longitudinal end of the cylinder and having a depressed portion corresponding to the thin portion of the cylinder. The engaging member is attached to the cylinder by bending the thin portion of the cylinder toward the depressed portion.
Claims63
A cylindrical member used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:
- a metallic cylinder having a thin portion of a small thickness at a longitudinal end thereof, the thin portion having an external diameter smaller than that of another portion of said metallic cylinder in the longitudinal direction thereof;
- and
- an engaging member having a fit portion fitted to an internal surface of the thin portion of said cylinder;
- wherein said engaging member is engaged with said metallic cylinder by bending the thin portion of said cylinder toward the fit portion,
- wherein the fit portion of said engaging member is fitted to the internal surface over both of the thin portion and the another portion.
An electrophotographic photosensitive drum used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:
- a metallic cylinder having a photosensitive layer on an outside peripheral surface thereof, said cylinder having a thin portion of a smaller thickness at a longitudinal end thereof than a portion having said photosensitive layer, the thin portion having an external diameter smaller than that of another portion of said metallic cylinder in the longitudinal direction thereof;
- and
- an engaging member having a fit portion fitted to an internal surface of the thin portion;
- wherein said engaging member is engaged with said metallic cylinder by bending the thin portion of said metallic cylinder toward said fit portion,
- wherein the fit portion of said engaging member is fitted to the internal surface over both of the thin portion and the another portion.
A developing roller used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:
- a metallic cylinder for conveying toner by depositing the toner on an outside peripheral surface thereof, said cylinder having a thin portion of a smaller thickness at a longitudinal end thereof than a portion where the toner is deposited, the thin portion having an external diameter smaller than that of another portion of said metallic cylinder in the longitudinal direction thereof;
- and
- an engaging member having a fit portion fitted to an internal surface of the thin portion;
- wherein said engaging member is engaged with said metallic cylinder by bending the thin portion of said cylinder toward said fit portion,
- wherein the fit portion of said engaging member is fitted to the internal surface over both of the thin portion and the another portion.
A process cartridge capable of being mounted or dismounted with respect to the main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:
- (a) an electrophotographic photosensitive drum having:
- a metallic cylinder having a photosensitive layer on an outside peripheral surface thereof, said cylinder having a thin portion of a smaller thickness at a longitudinal end thereof than a portion having said photosensitive layer, the thin portion having an external diameter smaller than that of another portion of said metallic cylinder in the longitudinal direction thereof;
- and
- an engaging member having a fit portion fitted to an internal surface of the thin portion of said cylinder;
- wherein said engaging member is engaged with said cylinder by bending the thin portion of said cylinder toward said fit portion;
- wherein the fit portion of said engaging member is fitted to the internal surface over both of the thin portion and the another portion;
- and
- (b) process means for acting on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum.
A process cartridge capable of being removably mounted with respect to the main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:
- a developing roller having:
- a metallic cylinder for conveying toner by depositing the toner on an outside peripheral surface thereof, said cylinder having a thin portion of a smaller thickness at a longitudinal end thereof than a portion on which the toner is deposited, the thin portion having an external diameter smaller than that of another portion of said metallic cylinder in the longitudinal direction thereof;
- and
- an engaging member having a fit portion fitted to an internal surface of the thin portion of said cylinder;
- wherein said engaging member is engaged with said metallic cylinder by bending the thin portion of said cylinder toward said fit portion,
- wherein the fit portion of said engaging member is fitted to the internal surface over both of the thin portion and the another portion.
A method for forming a cylindrical member used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:
- a first step of forming a thin portion of a metallic cylinder at a longitudinal end thereof, the thin portion having a small thickness at a longitudinal end thereof, the thin portion having an external diameter smaller than that of another portion of said metallic cylinder in the longitudinal direction thereof;
- a second step of forming a fit portion of an engaging portion, fitted to an internal surface of the thin portion;
- and
- a third step of engaging said engaging member with said metallic cylinder by bending the thin portion of the cylinder toward the fit portion,
- wherein said third step further comprises the step of fitting the fit portion of the engaging member to the internal surface over both of the thin portion and the another portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.