Coupling part, photosensitive drum, process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein said main assembly includes a motor, a main assembly rotatable driving member for receiving driving force from said motor, and a hole defined by twisted surfaces, said main assembly hole being substantially coaxial with said main assembly rotatable driving member and a main assembly grounding contact provided in said main assembly hole, said process cartridge comprising:

• (a) an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• (b) a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on said photosensitive drum;
• (c) a twisted projection engageable with said twisted surfaces, said projection being provided at a longitudinal end of said photosensitive drum, wherein when said main assembly rotatable driving member rotates with said main assembly hole and said projection engaged with each other, rotational driving force is transmitted from said rotatable driving member to said photosensitive drum through engagement between said main assembly hole and said projection;
• (d) a drum flange mounted to one end of said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, said drum flange including a shaft portion for rotatably supporting said photosensitive drum on a cartridge frame, a gear portion for transmitting rotational driving force to said developing roller, and an engaging portion for engagement with said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and wherein said projection is provided on an end of said shaft portion;
• (e) a cartridge hole extended in said drum flange and said projection;
• (f) an electroconductive member provided in said cartridge hole;
• (g) a grounding member mounted to such a portion of said drum flange as is inside said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, said grounding member including a hole for permitting penetration of said electroconductive member therethrough, a first contact portion contacted to said electroconductive member, and a second contact portion contacted an inner surface of said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• and
• (h) a cartridge grounding contact electrically connected to said electrophotographic photosensitive drum to electrically ground said electrophotographic photosensitive drum when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said apparatus, wherein said cartridge grounding contact is a free end surface of said electroconductive member and is disposed inside a free end surface of said projection so as to be electrically connectable with said main assembly grounding contact.

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, said main assembly including a motor, a main assembly rotatable driving member for receiving driving force from said motor, a twisted recess or projection having a non-circular cross-section and being substantially coaxial with a rotation axis of said rotatable driving member, and a main assembly grounding contact provided in said recess or on said projection, said process cartridge comprising:

• a rotatable electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• process means actable on said photosensitive member;
• and
• a complementary twisted projection or recess provided at a longitudinal end of said electrophotographic photosensitive member, having a non-circular cross-section and being substantially coaxial with a rotation axis of said electrophotographic photosensitive member, wherein said projection or recess of said electrophotographic photosensitive member has such a dimension and configuration that it is engageable with and can take a first relative rotational position with respect to said recess or projection of said rotatable driving member in which relative rotational movement therebetween is permitted, and a second relative rotational position with respect to said recess or projection of said rotatable driving member in which relative rotational movement is prevented in one rotational direction, while the rotation axis of said rotatable driving member and the rotation axis of said electrophotographic photosensitive member are substantially aligned;
• a cartridge grounding contact electrically connected to said electrophotographic photosensitive member to electrically ground said electrophotographic photosensitive member when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said apparatus, said cartridge grounding contact being provided such that an outer peripheral surface thereof is surrounded by said projection or in said recess of said electrophotographic photosensitive member so as to be electrically connectable with said main assembly grounding contact.

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a motor;
• (b) a main assembly rotatable driving member for receiving driving force from said motor;
• (c) a twisted hole substantially coaxial with said rotatable driving member;
• (d) a main assembly grounding contact provided in said hole;
• (e) a mounting portion for detachably mounting a process cartridge, said process cartridge including:
• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• process means actable on said photosensitive drum;
• a projection engageable with said twisted hole, said projection being provided at a longitudinal end of said photosensitive drum, wherein when said main assembly rotatable driving member rotates with said hole and projection engaged with each other, rotational driving force is transmitted from said rotatable driving member to said photosensitive drum through engagement between said hole and said projection, wherein said projection is provided with a plurality of engaging portions engageable to an inner surface of said hole;
• and a cartridge grounding contact electrically connected with said electrophotographic photosensitive drum for electrically grounding said electrophotographic photosensitive drum when said process cartridge is mounted to a main assembly of said apparatus, said cartridge grounding contact being surrounded by said engaging portions and being electrically connectable with said main assembly grounding contact.

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a motor;
• (b) a main assembly rotatable driving member for receiving driving force from said motor;
• (c) a twisted hole substantially coaxial with said rotatable driving member;
• (d) a main assembly grounding contact provided in said hole;
• (e) a mounting portion for detachably mounting a process cartridge, said process cartridge including:
• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on said photosensitive drum;
• a twisted projection engageable with said twisted hole, said projection being provided at a longitudinal end of said photosensitive drum, wherein when said main assembly rotatable driving member rotates with said hole and projection engaged with each other, rotational driving force is transmitted from said rotatable driving member to said photosensitive drum through engagement between said hole and said projection;
• a drum flange mounted to one end of said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, said drum flange including a shaft portion for rotatably supporting said photosensitive drum on a cartridge frame, a gear portion for transmitting rotational driving force to said developing roller, and an engaging portion for engagement with said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and wherein said projection is provided on an end of said shaft portion;
• a cartridge hole extended in said drum flange and said projection;
• an electroconductive member Provided in said cartridge hole;
• a grounding member mounted to such a portion of said drum flange as is inside said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, said grounding member including a hole for permitting penetration of said electroconductive member therethrough, a first contact portion contacted to said electroconductive member, and a second contact portion contacted to an inner surface of said electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• and a cartridge grounding contact electrically connected to said electrophotographic photosensitive drum to electrically ground said electrophotographic photosensitive drum when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said apparatus, wherein said cartridge grounding contact is a free end surface of said electroconductive member and is disposed inside a free end surface of said projection when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said apparatus.

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein said main assembly includes a motor, a main assembly rotatable driving member for receiving driving force from said motor, and a hole defined by twisted surfaces, said hole being substantially coaxial with said rotatable driving member, and a main assembly grounding contact provided in said hole, said process cartridge comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• process means actable on said photosensitive drum;
• and
• a projection engageable with said twisted surfaces, said projection being provided at a longitudinal end of said photosensitive drum, wherein when said main assembly rotatable driving member rotates with said hole and projection engaged with each other, rotational driving force is transmitted from said rotatable driving member to said photosensitive drum through engagement between said hole and said projection;
• wherein said projection is of an electroconductive material for electrical connection with said electrophotographic photosensitive drum and with said main assembly grounding contact to electrically around said electrophotographic photosensitive drum when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said apparatus.

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein said main assembly includes a motor, a main assembly gear for receiving driving force from said motor, a hole defined by twisted surfaces, said hole being substantially coaxial with said gear, and a main assembly grounding contact provided in said hole, said process cartridge comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
• process means actable on said photosensitive drum;
• and
• a twisted projection engageable with said twisted surfaces, said projection being provided at a longitudinal end of said photosensitive drum, wherein when said main assembly gear rotates with said hole and projection engaged with each other, rotational driving force is transmitted from said gear to said photosensitive drum through engagement between said hole and said projection;
• wherein said projection is of an electroconductive material for electrical connection with said electrophotographic photosensitive drum and with said main assembly grounding contact to electrically ground said electrophotographic photosensitive drum when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of said apparatus.

An electrophotographic photosensitive drum for a process cartridge which is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, said main assembly including a motor, a main assembly gear for receiving driving force from said motor, a twisted hole formed substantially at a center of said gear, said hole having a polygonal cross-section, and a main assembly grounding contact disposed in said hole, said electrophotographic photosensitive drum comprising:

• a cylinder having a photosensitive layer thereon;
• and
• a drive transmission member mounted to an end of said cylinder, said transmission member including:
• a drum gear for transmitting driving force from said main assembly to a developing roller when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly;
• a shaft provided substantially at a center of said drum gear;
• a twisted projection provided at an end of said shaft, wherein said projection receives driving force from the main assembly through engagement between said hole and projection when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus, wherein the driving force is transmitted to said electrophotographic photosensitive drum through the shaft, and is transmitted to said developing roller through said drum gear, wherein said projection is provided with a plurality of engaging portions engageable with an inner surface of said twisted hole;
• and
• a drum grounding contact electrically connected with said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, said drum grounding contact being surrounded by said engaging portions so as to be electrically connectable to the main assembly grounding contact when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus.

A coupling part for transmitting driving force to a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, wherein the photosensitive drum and the developing roller are contained in a process cartridge which is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, said main assembly including a motor, a main assembly rotatable driving member for receiving driving force from said motor, a twisted hole formed substantially at a center of said rotatable driving member, said hole having a polygonal cross-section, and a main assembly grounding contact disposed in said hole, said coupling part comprising:

• a gear for transmitting driving force from said main assembly to said developing roller when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly;
• a shaft provided substantially at a center of said gear;
• a twisted projection provided at an end of said shaft, wherein said projection receives driving force from the main assembly through engagement between said hole and projection when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly, wherein the driving force is transmitted to said photosensitive drum through the shaft, and is transmitted to said developing roller through said gear, wherein said projection is provided with a plurality of engaging portions engageable with an inner surface of said twisted hole;
• and
• a cartridge grounding contact electrically connected to said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, said cartridge grounding contact being surrounded by said engaging portions so as to be electrically connected to said main assembly grounding contact to electrically ground said electrophotographic photosensitive drum when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly.

A drive transmission part for transmitting driving force to an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on said photosensitive drum, which are contained in a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, said main assembly including a motor, a main assembly gear for receiving driving force from said motor, and a twisted hole formed substantially at a center of said gear, said hole having a polygonal cross-section, said drive transmission part comprising:

• a drive transmission part gear for transmitting driving force to said developing roller from said main assembly when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly;
• a shaft provided substantially at a center of said drive transmission part gear;
• a twisted projection provided at an end of said shaft, wherein said projection receives driving force from the main assembly through engagement between said hole and projection when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly, wherein the driving force is transmitted to said photosensitive drum through the shaft, and is transmitted to said developing roller through said drive transmission part gear;
• and
• a grounding contact for electrically grounding said photosensitive drum to the main assembly when said process cartridge is mounted on the main assembly.

A photosensitive drum for a process cartridge which is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, said main assembly including a motor, a main assembly gear for receiving driving force from said motor, and a twisted hole formed substantially at a center of said gear, said hole having a polygonal cross-section, said photosensitive drum comprising:

• a cylinder having a photosensitive layer thereon;
• and
• a drive transmission member mounted to an end of said cylinder, said transmission member including:
• a drive transmission member gear for transmitting driving force to a developing roller from said main assembly when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly;
• a shaft provided substantially at a center of said drive transmission member gear;
• a twisted projection provided at an end of said shaft, wherein said projection receives driving force from the main assembly through engagement between said hole and projection when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus, wherein the driving force is transmitted to said photosensitive drum through the shaft, and is transmitted to said developing roller through said drive transmission member gear;
• and
• a grounding contact for electrically grounding said photosensitive drum to the main assembly when said process cartridge is mounted on the main assembly.

A photosensitive drum, which is contained in a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, said main assembly including a motor, a driving rotatable member for receiving a driving force from said motor, and a twisted hole substantially coaxial with said driving rotatable member, said hole having a polygonal cross-section, said photosensitive drum comprising:

• a cylinder having a photosensitive layer thereon;
• and
• a drive transmission member mounted to an end of said cylinder, said drive transmission member including:
• a drum gear for transmitting a driving force from said main assembly to a developing roller provided in the process cartridge when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly;
• a shaft substantially coaxial with said drum gear, and having a twisted polygonal prism projection provided at an end of said shaft, wherein said projection receives a driving force from the main assembly through engagement between said hole and projection, wherein the driving force is transmitted to said photosensitive drum through the shaft, and is transmitted to said developing roller through said drum gear;
• and
• a drum grounding contact electrically connected with said photosensitive drum, said drum grounding contact being disposed substantially at a center of said prism projection so as to be electrically connectable to a main assembly grounding contact when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus, wherein said grounding contact includes a penetrating portion which penetrates said drive transmission member in an axial direction of said cylinder and an inside portion which is electrically connected with said penetrating portion and which is electrically connected with an inside surface of said cylinder, and wherein an outer end surface of said penetrating portion is electrically connectable with the main assembly grounding contact.

A photosensitive drum, which is contained in a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, said main assembly including a motor, a main assembly side gear for receiving driving force from said motor, and a twisted hole substantially coaxial with said main assembly side gear, said hole having a substantially triangular cross-section, said photosensitive drum comprising:

• a cylinder having a photosensitive layer thereon;
• and
• a drive transmission member mounted to an end of said cylinder, said transmission member including:
• a helical gear for transmitting driving force from said main assembly to a developing roller provided in said process cartridge when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly;
• a shaft substantially coaxial with said helical gear;
• and
• a twisted substantially triangular prism projection provided at an end of said shaft, wherein when said main assembly side gear rotates with said hole and projection engaged with each other, rotational driving force is transmitted from said main assembly side gear to said photosensitive drum through engagement between said hole and said projection with said projection being pulled into said hole, and the driving force is transmitted to said photosensitive drum through said shaft and is transmitted to said developing roller through said helical gear,
• wherein said projection, helical gear and shaft are made of integrally molded resin material, and an outer diameter D1 of said photosensitive drum, an outer diameter F of said shaft and a diameter C of a circumscribed circle of said projection, satisfy:
• D1>F≧C,
• and
• wherein a spur gear is provided, at another end of said cylinder, for transmitting the driving force for rotating an image transfer roller in the main assembly when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly, wherein a grounding contact includes a penetrating portion which penetrates said drive transmission member in an axial direction of said cylinder and an inside portion which is electrically connected with said penetrating portion and which is electrically connected with an inside surface of said cylinder, and wherein an outer end surface of said penetrating portion is electrically connectable with a main assembly grounding contact, and wherein the outer end surface of said penetrating portion is interior an end surface of said prism projection with respect to the axial direction.

A drive transmission part for transmitting a driving force to an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on said photosensitive drum, which are contained in a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, said photosensitive drum comprising a cylinder, said main assembly including a motor, a driving rotatable member for receiving a driving force from said motor, and a twisted hole substantially coaxial with said driving rotatable member, said hole having a polygonal cross-section, said drive transmission part comprising:

• a transmission part gear for transmitting a driving force from said main assembly to said developing roller when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly;
• a shaft substantially coaxial with said transmission part gear;
• and
• a twisted polygonal prism projection provided at an end of said shaft, wherein said projection receives a driving force from the main assembly through engagement between said hole and projection, wherein the driving force is transmitted to said photosensitive drum through said shaft, and is transmitted to said developing roller through said transmission part gear;
• a drum grounding contact electrically connected with said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, said drum gounding contact being disposed substantially at a center of said prism projection so as to be electrically connectable to a main assembly grounding contact when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus, wherein said grounding contact includes a penetrating portion which penetrates said transmission part gear, said shaft and said prism projection in an axial direction of said cylinder and an inside portion which is electrically connected with said penetrating portion and which is electrically connected with an inside surface of said cylinder, and wherein an outer end surface of said penetrating portion is electrically connectable with the main assembly grounding contact.

A drive transmission part for transmitting driving force to an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on said photosensitive drum, which are contained in a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, said photosensitive drum comprising a cylinder, said main assembly including a motor, a main assembly side gear for receiving driving force from said motor, and a twisted hole substantially coaxial with said main assembly side gear, said hole having a substantially triangular cross-section, said drive transmission part comprising:

• a helical gear for transmitting driving force from said main assembly to said developing roller when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly;
• a shaft substantially coaxial with said helical gear;
• and
• a twisted substantially triangular prism projection provided at an end of said shaft, wherein when said main assembly side gear rotates with said hole and projection engaged with each other, rotational driving force is transmitted from said main assembly side gear to said photosensitive drum through engagement between said hole and said projection with said projection being pulled into said hole, and the driving force is transmitted to said photosensitive drum through said shaft and is transmitted to said developing roller through said helical gear;
• wherein said helical gear and shaft are made of integrally molded resin material, and an outer diameter D1 of said photosensitive drum, an outer diameter F of said shaft and a diameter C of a circumscribed circle of said projection satisfy:
• D1>F≧C
• wherein a grounding contact includes a penetrating portion which penetrates said helical gear, said shaft and said prism projection in an axial direction of said cylinder and an inside portion which is electrically connected with said penetrating portion and which is electrically connected with an inside surface of said cylinder, and wherein an outer end surface of said penetrating portion is electrically connectable with a main assembly grounding contact, wherein the outer end surface of said penetrating portion is interior an end surface of said prism projection with respect to the axial direction.

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, wherein said main assembly includes a motor, a driving rotatable member for receiving driving force from said motor and a twisted hole substantially coaxial with said driving rotatable member, said hole having a substantially triangular cross-section, said process cartridge comprising:

• a cartridge frame;
• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum comprising a cylinder;
• a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on said photosensitive drum;
• and
• a twisted polygonal prism projection provided at a longitudinal end of said photosensitive drum, wherein when said driving rotatable member rotates with said hole and projection engaged with each other, a rotational driving force is transmitted from said driving rotatable member to said photosensitive drum through engagement between said hole and said projection with said projection being pulled into said hole, and wherein said projection is provided at an end of a shaft substantially coaxial with a drum helical gear for transmitting rotational force to said developing roller, and wherein said shaft functions to rotatably support said photosensitive drum in said cartridge frame,
• a drum grounding contact electrically connected with said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, said grounding contact being disposed substantially at a center of said prism projection so as to be electrically connectable to a main assembly grounding contact when said process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus, wherein said grounding contact includes a penetrating portion which penetrates said prism projection, said shaft and said drum helical gear in an axial direction of said photosensitive drum and an inside portion which is electrically connected with said penetrating portion and which is electrically connected with an inside surface of said cylinder, and wherein an outer end surface of said penetrating portion is electrically connectable with the main assembly grounding contact.

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, wherein said main assembly includes a motor, a main assembly side helical gear for receiving driving force from said motor and a twisted hole substantially coaxial with said main assembly side helical gear, said hole having a substantially triangular cross-section, said process cartridge comprising:

• a cartridge frame;
• an electrophotographic photosensitive drum comprising a cylinder;
• a charging roller for charging said photosensitive drum;
• a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on said photosensitive drum;
• a cleaning blade for removing residual toner from said photosensitive drum;
• and
• a twisted substantially triangular prism projection provided at a longitudinal end of said photosensitive drum, wherein when said main assembly side helical gear rotates with said hole and projection engaged with each other, rotational driving force is transmitted from said main assembly side helical gear to said photosensitive drum through engagement between said hole and said projection with said projection being pulled into said hole, and wherein said projection is provided at an end of a shaft substantially coaxial with a drum helical gear for transmitting rotation force to said developing roller, and wherein said shaft functions to rotatably support said photosensitive drum in said cartridge frame, and wherein said projection, drum helical gear and shaft are made of integrally molded resin material, and an outer diameter D1 of said photosensitive drum, an outer diameter F of said shaft and a diameter C of a circumscribed circle of said substantially triangular prism projection, satisfy:
• D1>D≧C
• wherein a grounding contact includes a penetrating portion which penetrates said prism projection, said shaft and said drum helical gear in an axial direction of said photosensitive drum and an inside portion which is electrically connected with said penetrating portion and which is electrically connected with an inside surface of said cylinder, and wherein an outer end surface of said penetrating portion is electrically connectable with a main assembly grounding contact, wherein the outer end surface of said penetrating portion is interior an end surface of said prism projection with respect to the axial direction.