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US 7,398,034 B2Granted
Process cartridge for image-forming device
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsYoshinori Ito, Takeyuki Takagi, Soichiro Nishimura, Nao Itabashi, Tsutomu Suzuki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cartridge includes a cleaning unit. A casing having a wall that is formed with at least one opening that allows communication between an interior and an exterior of the casing. The cleaning unit is accommodated in the casing and that confronts the wall with a space being formed between the cleaning unit and the wall. At least a part of the cleaning unit confronts the at least one opening. The at least a part of the cleaning unit is in communication with the exterior of the casing via the at least one opening.
Claims34
A cartridge for use in an image-forming device, the cartridge comprising:
- a casing having a wall that is formed with at least one opening that allows communication between an interior and an exterior of the casing;
- an image-bearing member that is accommodated in the casing and that carries a developer image;
- and
- a cleaning unit that is accommodated in the casing and that confronts the wall with a space being formed between the cleaning unit and the wall, at least a part of the cleaning unit confronting the at least one opening, the at least a part of the cleaning unit being in communication with the exterior of the casing via the at least one opening, the cleaning unit being configured to remove matter deposited on the image-bearing member.
1 more element
An image-forming device comprising:
- a main frame;
- a cartridge detachably mounted in the main frame, the cartridge comprising:
- a casing having a wall that is formed with at least one opening that allows communication between an interior and an exterior of the casing;
- an image-bearing member that is accommodated in the casing and that carries a developer image;
- and
- a cleaning unit that is accommodated in the casing and that confronts the wall with a space being formed between the cleaning unit and the wall, at least a part of the cleaning unit confronting the at least one opening, the at least a part of the cleaning unit being in communication with the exterior of the casing via the at least one opening, the cleaning unit being configured to remove matter deposited on the image-bearing member;
- a transfer unit that is mounted in the main frame and that transfers a developer image carried on the image-bearing member onto a recording medium;
- and
- a fixing unit that fixes the developer image to a recording medium.
6 more elements
A method of fabricating a cartridge, the cartridge comprising:
- a casing having a wall that is formed with at least one opening that allows communication between an interior and an exterior of the casing;
- an image-bearing member that is accommodated in the casing and that carries a developer image;
- and a cleaning unit that is accommodated in the casing that confronts the wall with a space being formed between the cleaning unit and the wall, at least a part of the cleaning unit confronting at least a part of the at least opening, the at least a part of the cleaning unit being in communication with the exterior of the casing via the at least a part of the opening, the cleaning unit being configured to remove matter deposited on the image-bearing member, and extending in a longitudinal direction of the image-bearing member, the cleaning unit comprising:
- a fibrous cleaning member that is configured to contact the image-bearing member and capture matter deposited thereon;
- and a plate-shaped supporting member that faces the at least a part of the at least one opening and that supports the cleaning member on a side opposite the image-bearing member, the supporting member having longitudinal ends, both of which ends are supported on the casing, the supporting member having engagement parts provided one on each longitudinal end thereof;
- wherein the casing has engaging parts that engage the respective engagement parts;
- wherein the engagement parts are through-holes formed in the supporting member, and the engaging parts are pawl members provided in the casing;
- wherein each engagement part comprises a first engagement part and a second engagement part that are separated a prescribed distance in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction;
- and wherein each engaging part comprises a first engaging part that engages the first engagement part, and a second engaging part that engages the second engagement part,
- the method comprising:
- engaging the second engagement parts with the second engaging parts;
- rotating, after engaging the second engagement parts with the second engaging parts, the supporting plate around the its position where the second engagement parts are engaged with the second engaging parts;
- and
- engaging the first engagement parts with the first engaging parts after rotating the supporting plate.
11 more elements
An image-bearing cartridge for use in an image-forming device, the image-bearing cartridge comprising:
- a casing having a wall that is formed with at least one opening that allows communication between an interior and an exterior of the casing;
- an image-bearing member that is accommodated in the casing and that carries a developer image;
- and
- a cleaning unit that is accommodated in the casing and that confronts the wall with a space being formed between the cleaning unit and the wall, at least a part of the cleaning unit confronting at least a part of the at least one opening, the at least a part of the cleaning unit being in communication with the exterior of the casing via the at least one opening, the cleaning unit being configured to remove matter deposited on the image-bearing member.
1 more element
A process cartridge for use in an image-forming device, the process cartridge comprising:
- a drum casing accommodates a photosensitive drum that carries a developer image, the photosensitive drum being formed in a cylindrical shape, and rotatably supported around its rotational axis by the drum casing,
- a developer casing detachably mounted on the drum casing,
- wherein either one of the drum casing and the developer casing has a rib that is formed in a plate-shape and that extends in a direction orthogonal to the rotational axis of the photosensitive drum;
- and
- wherein the other of the drum casing and the developer casing has a positioning unit engaging with the rib to position the drum casing and the developer casing relative to each other in the direction parallel to the rotational axis of the photosensitive drum.
2 more elements
An image-forming device comprising:
- a main frame;
- a process cartridge detachably mounted in the main frame, the process cartridge comprising a drum casing that accommodates a photosensitive drum, the photosensitive drum carrying an electrostatic latent image thereon, being formed in a cylindrical shape, rotatably supported around its rotational axis by the drum casing, and forming an electrostatic latent image thereon;
- and
- a developer casing detachably mounted on the drum casing and rotatably supporting a developing roller parallel to the photosensitive drum and in confrontation with the same, the developing roller being cylindrical in shape and being configured to carry a developer on a peripheral surface thereof to develop the electrostatic latent image into a developer image,
- wherein the main frame and the drum casing comprise a positioning mechanism that positions the drum casing relative to the main frame in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the photosensitive drum;
- either one of the drum casing and the developer casing has a rib configured to position the drum casing and the developer casing relative to each other in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the photosensitive drum;
- and
- the other of the drum casing and the developer casing has a positioning unit that is configured to engage with the rib to position the drum casing and the developer casing relative to each other in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the photosensitive drum.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.