# US 9,519,264 B2 · Process cartridge and image forming apparatus

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- Number: US 9,519,264 B2
- Document ID: US9519264B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/737,680
- Filed: 2015-06-12
- Published: 2015-10-01
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2012-12-14
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Hideki Maeshima; Kuniaki Hirukawa; Shuichi Gofuku; Yoshihiro Mitsui
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9519264B2

## CPC

- G03G 21/1803: {Arrangements or disposition of the complete process cartridge or parts thereof}
- G03G 15/0889: {for agitation or stirring}
- G03G 15/0896: {Arrangements or disposition of the complete developer unit or parts thereof not provided for by groups G03G15/08 - G03G15/0894}
- G03G 21/1857: {for transmitting mechanical drive power to the process cartridge, drive mechanisms, gears, couplings, braking mechanisms}
- G03G 15/0806: {on a donor element, e.g. belt, roller (complete developer unit G03G15/0896)}
- G03G 15/0808: {characterised by the developer supplying means, e.g. structure of developer supply roller}
- G03G 21/1825: {Pivotable subunit connection}
- G03G 21/185: {the process cartridge being mounted parallel to the axis of the photosensitive member}
- G03G 2215/0844: by upward movement of agitator member
- G03G 2215/085: Stirring member in developer container
- G03G 2221/1657: transmitting mechanical drive power
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY

## Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly and a process cartridge. The process cartridge is detachably mountable to the main assembly and includes a photosensitive drum, a rotatable developing roller, a developer supplying roller, a driving force transmitting portion, and a driving force receiving portion. The driving force receiving portion is connected to the driving force transmitting portion, and the driving force receiving portion is movable so that an axis of the first driving force receiving portion moves in a direction crossing an axis of the driving force transmitting portion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image forming apparatus including a main assembly and a process cartridge, wherein:
(i) said main assembly includes:
(i-i) a first main assembly driving portion; and
(i-ii) a second main assembly driving portion; and
(ii) said process cartridge is detachably mountable to said main assembly, and said process cartridge includes:
(ii-i) a photosensitive drum;
(ii-ii) a rotatable developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on said photosensitive drum;
(ii-iii) a developer supplying roller, provided in contact with said developing roller, for supplying developer to said developing roller;
(ii-iv) a first driving force transmitting portion for transmitting a driving force to said developing roller, wherein said first driving force transmitting portion is fixed at an end portion of said developer supplying roller;
(ii-v) a first driving force receiving portion for receiving the driving force from said first main assembly driving portion to rotate said developer supplying roller, wherein said driving force receiving portion is movable so that an axis of said first driving force receiving portion moves in a direction crossing an axis of said developing supplying roller;
(ii-vi) a second driving force transmitting portion, fixed on an end portion of said developing roller and engaged with said first driving force transmitting portion, for transmitting the driving force from said first driving force transmitting portion to said developing roller; and
(ii-vii) a second driving force receiving portion for receiving a driving force from said second main assembly driving portion to rotate said photosensitive drum, wherein said second driving force receiving portion is fixed at an end portion of said photosensitive drum,
wherein a rotational direction of said developing roller is an opposite direction to a rotational direction of said developer supplying roller, and a surface speed of said developer supplying roller is larger than a surface speed of said developing roller.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an outer diameter of said developer supplying roller is larger than an outer diameter of said developing roller.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said first driving force transmitting portion and said second driving force transmitting portion is a gear, and the number of teeth of said second driving force transmitting portion is larger than the number of teeth of said first driving force transmitting portion.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a peripheral speed ratio of said developer supplying roller to said developing roller is:
1.3≦ peripheral speed of developer supplying roller/peripheral speed of developing roller ≦1.8.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, in said process cartridge mounted in said image forming apparatus, said process cartridge includes an accommodating portion for accommodating a toner below said developer supplying roller with respect to a direction of gravity.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

An image forming apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising feeding means for feeding a toner in said accommodating portion toward said developer supplying roller, and the driving force is transmitted from said second driving force transmitting portion to said feeding means.