Developing cartridge, process unit, and image forming apparatus
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorMakoto Ishii
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A developing cartridge removably set in a laser printer includes a drive gear that inputs a drive force thereto, a detection gear that irreversibly moves from a unused position where the detection gear does not engage with the drive gear, to a used position where the detection gear does not engage with the drive gear, through a drive force transmitting position where the detection gear engages with the drive gear, and a contact member formed on the detection gear. Provided in a main frame of the laser printer is an actuator that moves the detection gear from the unused position to the drive force transmitting position as the contact member contacts the actuator when the developing cartridge is set in the main frame of the laser printer.
Claims25
A developing cartridge, comprising:
- a developing agent containing chamber that contains a developing agent;
- a drive gear configured to receive a drive force;
- and
- a detection gear irreversibly movable from an unused position where the detection gear does not communicate with the drive gear, to a used position where the detection gear does not communicate with the drive gear, through a drive force transmitting position where the detection gear communicates with the drive gear.
A process unit, comprising:
- a developing cartridge including a developing agent containing chamber that contains a developing agent;
- and
- a photosensitive member frame that supports a photosensitive member and is formed with a process accommodating portion that accommodates the developing cartridge, and wherein the developing cartridge includes:
- a drive gear that inputs a drive force thereto;
- and
- a detection gear that is formed with a determination member that irreversibly moves from an unused position where the detection gear does not communicate with the drive gear, to a used position where the detection gear does not communiate with the drive gear, through a drive force transmitting position where the detection gear communicates with the drive gear, wherein the photosensitive member frame includes a receiving portion that is formed in association with a movement path of the determination member and receives the determination member.
An image forming apparatus, comprising:
- wherein the detection gear does not engage with the intermediate gear when the detection
- a main accommodating portion that removably accommodates therein a gear is in the unused position, and the detection gear engages with the intermediate gear whenprocess unit including a developing cartridge and a photosensitive member frame formed the detection gear is in the drive force transmitting position.with a process accommodating portion that accommodates the developing cartridge, the photosensitive member frame supporting a photosensitive member;
- wherein the developing cartridge includes:
- a developing agent containing chamber that contains a developing agent;
- a drive gear that inputs a drive force thereto;
- and
- a detection gear that is formed with a determination member that irreversibly moves from an unused position where the detection gear does not communicate with the drive gear, to a used position where the detection gear does not communicate with the drive gear, through a drive force transmitting position where the detection gear communicates with the drive gear;
- and wherein the image forming apparatus further comprises:
- a contacted member, provided at the main accommodating portion, that contacts the determination member and moves the detection gear from the unused position to the drive force transmitting position when the process unit is accommodated in the main accommodating portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.