Rotating-body electrification mechanism, image carrier unit, process cartridge, image forming apparatus, and method for electrifying image carrier unit

An image carrier unit comprising:

• a rotating body including an image carrier with any one of an electrophotographic photosensitive layer, an electrostatic recording dielectric layer, and a magnetic recording magnetic layer on a cylindrical conductive base member;
• a flange member that is fixed to at least one end of the image carrier;
• and
• a mechanism that electrifies the rotating body including:
• a pressing member that is elastically-deformable,
• an electrifying object, and
• a conductive member that is a cloth or a sheet and is provided between the pressing member and the electrifying object,
• wherein compression of the pressing member brings a first portion of the conductive member into contact with the electrifying object and presses a second portion of the conductive member against a contact member that is conductive,
• wherein the conductive member has at least any one of a slit and a cutout portion that enables the contact member to penetrate through the conductive member and enables the conductive member to bend and be in contact with the contact member when the contact member penetrates through the conductive member, and
• wherein the electrifying object is a metal conductive member including a base end portion in contact with the conductive member and a tip portion fixed to an inner wall surface of the cylindrical conductive base member of the rotating body,
• wherein the pressing member, the conductive member, and the electrifying object are placed within the flange member, and the electrifying object is fixed to the inside of the flange member with the pressing member and the conductive member sandwiched between the electrifying object and the flange member,
• wherein the contact member is a shaft that penetrates through a center of the flange member, thereby rotatably supporting the image carrier,
• wherein the shaft is inserted into the electrifying object, the conductive member, the pressing member, and the flange member, thereby the conductive member bends and comes in contact with the shaft by compression of the pressing member, and
• the cylindrical conductive base member is connected to the shaft through contact between the electrifying object and the conductive member.

A method for electrifying an image carrier unit,

• the image carrier unit including:
• an image carrier with any one of an electrophotographic photosensitive layer, an electrostatic recording dielectric layer, and a magnetic recording magnetic layer on a cylindrical conductive base member;
• an insulating flange member fixed to at least one end of the image carrier;
• a shaft that is conductive and penetrates through a center of the flange member, thereby rotatably supporting the image carrier;
• a conductive member that is a cloth or a sheet and through which the shaft penetrates;
• an electrifying object including a base end portion in contact with the conductive member and a tip portion that is fixed to an inner wall surface of the conductive member, and is configured to enable a contact member to penetrate therethrough without making contact;
• and
• a pressing member that is elastically-deformable and through which the shaft can penetrate,
• the method comprising:
• placing the pressing member, the conductive member, and the electrifying object inside the flange member in that order from an inside of the flange member;
• inserting the shaft into the electrifying object, the conductive member, the pressing member, and the flange member thereby bending the conductive member and also compressing the pressing member thereby bringing the conductive member into contact with the shaft;
• and
• connecting the conductive member to the shaft via contact between the electrifying object and the conductive member so as to be electrically conductive.