US 9,791,804 B2 · Image forming apparatus and process cartridge

Abstract

The image forming apparatus includes a drum cartridge having a photosensitive drum and a drum drive input member; a developing cartridge configured to be movably mounted to the drum cartridge, the developing cartridge comprising a developing roller disposed so as to face the photosensitive drum and a developing drive input member; a drum drive transmission member configured to engage with the drum drive input member and configured to transmit drum driving force to the drum drive input member while permitting a positional gap of the drum drive input member within a predetermined range; and a developing drive transmission member configured to engage with the developing drive input member and configured to transmit developing driving force to the developing drive input member while permitting a positional gap of the developing drive input member within a predetermined range.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An image forming apparatus comprising:

a drum unit comprising:
a photosensitive drum extending in a first direction;
and
a drum coupling for rotating the photosensitive drum;
a developing unit comprising:
a developing roller;
and
a developing coupling for rotating the developing roller;
a first coupling configured to couple to the drum coupling, the first coupling being movable between a first position and a second position in the first direction, the first position being a position at which the first coupling is coupled to the drum coupling, and the second position being a position at which the first coupling is spaced apart from the drum coupling;
and
a second coupling configured to couple to the developing coupling,
wherein the developing coupling has a recessed part recessed along the first direction, the recessed part being configured to accommodate a part of the second coupling.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

15/280,707Filed 29 Sep 2016 · continuation

Priority

JP 2007-34076028 Dec 2007

Published

US 2017/0017178 A119 Jan 2017

Granted

17 Oct 2017

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

G03G 15/081
On a donor element, e.g. belt, roller: characterised by the developer handling means after the supply and before the regulating, e.g. means for…
G03G 15/0808
On a donor element, e.g. belt, roller: characterised by the developer supplying means, e.g. structure of developer supply roller
G03G 15/0822
Using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer: arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer
G03G 15/757
Details relating to xerographic drum, band or plate, e.g. replacing, testing: drive mechanisms for photosensitive medium, e.g. gears

Family

Application12/340,867Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Dec 2008

Application13/244,367Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Sep 2011

US 8,068,767 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 29 Nov 2011

Application13/946,588Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Jul 2013

US 8,498,554 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 30 Jul 2013

Application14/556,885Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Dec 2014

US 8,903,280 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 2 Dec 2014

Application14/927,602Parent of this continuation · filed 30 Oct 2015

US 9,182,732 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 10 Nov 2015

US 2017/0017178 A1Pre-grant publication · published 19 Jan 2017

US 9,471,003 B2Parent of this continuation

US 2009/0169253 A1Published application

US 2012/0014716 A1Published application

US 2013/0302069 A1Published application

US 2015/0086238 A1Published application

US 2016/0048092 A1Published application

US 9,791,804 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Image forming apparatus and process cartridge

Life of this patent

Image forming apparatus and process cartridge

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18