Weighted noise reducing device for photosensitive drum of an image forming apparatus

A photosensitive drum for an image forming apparatus comprising:

• (a) a tubular photosensitive member having:
• (i) an outer photosensitive surface;
• and
• (ii) an inner surface;
• (b) a noise prevention device comprising an elastic member disposed inside of said tubular photosensitive member, said elastic member having in a relaxed state, an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of said inner surface of said tubular photosensitive member, said elastic member configured such that when said elastic member is elongated in a longitudinal direction, said outer diameter of said elastic member may be elastically reduced to a diameter less than said inner diameter of said tubular photosensitive member;
• and
• wherein said elastic member comprises a first member having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of longitudinally extending members provided around a periphery of said first member.

A photosensitive drum for an image forming apparatus comprising:

• (a) a tubular photosensitive member having:
• (i) an outer photosensitive surface;
• and
• (ii) an inner surface;
• (b) a noise prevention device comprising an elastic member disposed inside of said tubular photosensitive member, said elastic member having, in a relaxed state, an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of said inner surface of said tubular photosensitive member, said elastic member configured such that when said elastic member is elongated in a longitudinal direction, said outer diameter of said elastic member may be elastically reduced to a diameter less than said inner diameter of said tubular photosensitive member;
• and
• wherein said elastic member comprises a corrugated sleeve, and said corrugated sleeve includes inner folds defining an inner diameter and outer folds defining an outer diameter of the sleeve, wherein a stiffness of at least one inner fold is larger than a stiffness of at least one outer fold.

A method for reducing at least one of noise and vibration in an image forming apparatus comprising:

• elastically elongating an insert in a longitudinal direction of the insert, from a relaxed state wherein the insert has an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of a photosensitive member, such that an outer diameter of the insert is elastically reduced to a diameter equal to or less than the inner diameter of the photosensitive member;
• inserting the elongated insert into the photosensitive member;
• and
• allowing the insert to return to a relaxed state such that a pressure contact of an outer surface of the insert with an inner surface of the photosensitive member increases;
• wherein said step of elastically elongating comprises engaging a first end of the insert with a first engaging means, engaging a second end of the insert with a second engaging means, and moving said first and second engaging means so as to elongate the insert.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• (a) a photosensitive drum which includes a tubular photosensitive member, said tubular photosensitive member having an inner surface and an outer surface;
• and
• (b) a noise prevention device comprising an elastic member disposed inside of said tubular photosensitive member, said elastic member having, in a relaxed state, an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of said inner surface of said tubular photosensitive member, said elastic member configured such that when said elastic member is elongated in a longitudinal direction, said outer diameter of said elastic member is elastically reduced to a diameter equal to or less than said inner diameter of said tubular photosensitive member;
• wherein said elastic member comprises a first end and a second end, and wherein at least one of said first and second ends includes an aperture directed substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the elastic member.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• (a) a photosensitive drum which includes a tubular photosensitive member, said tubular photosensitive member having an inner surface and an outer surface;
• and
• (b) a noise prevention device comprising an elastic member disposed inside of said tubular photosensitive member, said elastic member having, in a relaxed state, an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of said inner surface of said tubular photosensitive member, said elastic member configured such that when said elastic member is elongated in a longitudinal direction, said outer diameter of said elastic member is elastically reduced to a diameter equal to or less than said inner diameter of said tubular photosensitive member;
• wherein said elastic member comprises a first member having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of longitudinally extending members provided around a periphery of said first member.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• (a) a photosensitive drum which includes a tubular photosensitive member, said tubular photosensitive member having an inner surface and an outer surface;
• and
• (b) a noise prevention device comprising an elastic member disposed inside of said tubular photosensitive member, said elastic member having, in a relaxed state, an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of said inner surface of said tubular photosensitive member, said elastic member configured such that when said elastic member is elongated in a longitudinal direction, said outer diameter of said elastic member is elastically reduced to a diameter equal to or less than said inner diameter of said tubular photosensitive member;
• wherein said elastic member comprises a corugated sleeve, and said corrugated sleeve includes inner folds defining an inner diameter and outer folds defining an outer diameter of the sleeve, wherein a stiffness of at least one inner fold is larger than a stiffness of at least one outer fold.

A photosensitive drum for an image forming apparatus comprising:

• (a) a tubular photosensitive member having:
• (i) an outer photosensitive surface;
• and
• (ii) an inner surface;
• (b) a noise prevention device comprising an elastic member disposed inside of said tubular photosensitive member, said elastic member having, in a relaxed state, an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of said inner surface of said tubular photosensitive member, wherein said elastic member comprises a plurality of annular corrugations, each of said annular corrugations extending circumferentially around said elastic member, and wherein said annular corrugations include inner folds and outer folds, with said outer folds defining said outer diameter of said elastic member, such that when said elastic member is elongated in a longitudinal direction, said elastic member is elongated by at least partial unfolding of said liner and outer folds and said outer diameter of said elastic member is thereby reduced to a diameter equal to or less than said inner diameter of said tubular photosensitive member to ease insertion of said noise prevention device into said tubular photosensitive member.

A method for reducing at least one of noise and vibration in an image forming apparatus comprising:

• providing an insert having, in a relaxed state, an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of a tubular photosensitive member, wherein said insert comprises an elastic member having a plurality of annular corrugations, each of said annular corrugations extending circumferentially around said elastic member, and wherein said annular corrugations include inner folds and outer folds, wherein said outer folds define said outer diameter of said insert;
• elastically elongating said insert in a longitudinal direction of the insert such that said insert is elongated by at least partial unfolding of said inner and outer folds and the outer diameter of the insert is thereby elastically reduced to a diameter equal to or less than the inner diameter of the photosensitive member to ease insertion of said insert into said photosensitive member;
• inserting the elongated insert into the photosensitive member;
• allowing the insert to return to a relaxed state such that a pressure contact of an outer surface of the insert with an inner surface of the photosensitive member increases.