Drive transmission device and image forming apparatus incorporating the drive transmission device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10175629-B2
Application number	US-201615368833-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2016
Priority date	Dec 9, 2015
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

A drive transmission device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a first drive transmitter having a first hollow body, a second drive transmitter having a second hollow body, a link device, and a releasing device. The link device links the first and second drive transmitters and includes a first inserting body with a projection, a second inserting body with a projection, and a link body. The first and second drive transmitters have respective grooves in the first and second hollow body in an axial direction. The second drive transmitter is disposed at an end portion of a shaft of a rotary body detachably attached to a housing of an image forming apparatus. The releasing device relatively moves the link device to the second drive transmitter in the axial direction and releases a link of the driving force between the rotary body and the image forming apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drive transmission device comprising:
a first drive transmitter having a first hollow body in a rotation center;
a second drive transmitter having a second hollow body in a rotation center;
a link device configured to link the first drive transmitter and the second drive transmitter, the link device including,
a first inserting body having a spherical shape and a peripheral surface on which a projection protruding in a radial direction is formed, the first inserting body configured to be inserted into the first hollow body of the first drive transmitter,
a second inserting body having a spherical shape and a peripheral surface on which a projection protruding in a radial direction is formed, the second inserting body configured to be inserted into the second hollow body of the second drive transmitter, and
a link body configured to link the first inserting body and the second inserting body; and

a releasing device configured to relatively move the link device to the second drive transmitter in an axial direction and release a link of a driving force between a rotary body and a housing of an image forming apparatus, wherein
the first drive transmitter has a groove formed in an inner peripheral surface of the first hollow body in which the projection of the first inserting body of the link device moves in an axial direction,
the second drive transmitter has a groove formed in an inner peripheral surface of the second hollow body in which the projection of the second inserting body of the link device moves in the axial direction,
the second drive transmitter being disposed at an end portion of a shaft of a rotary body detachably attached to the housing of the image forming apparatus,
the first inserting body and the second inserting body includes a spherical portion having a lightened spherical shape, leaving a first large circle perpendicular to an X direction of the spherical portion, a second large circle perpendicular to a Y direction of the spherical portion, and a third large circle perpendicular to a Z direction of the spherical portion, where the X direction represents the axial direction, the Y direction represents a specific direction of directions perpendicular to the X direction, and the Z direction represents a direction perpendicular to both the X direction and the Y direction, and
the link body has a shape in which a lightened portion of a cross shape in cross section including a linear portion extending in the Y direction and a linear portion extending in the Z direction, and a reinforcing portion having a square shape in cross section are alternately formed in the X direction.

2. The drive transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein the releasing device includes:
a biasing body configured to bias the link device toward the second drive transmitter;
a pressing target portion provided in the link body of the link device; and
a pressing body configured to contact the pressing target portion and press the link device toward the first drive transmitter.

3. The drive transmission device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the pressing target portion has a disc shape.

4. The drive transmission device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the projection of the first inserting body inserted into the first hollow body of the first drive transmitter is positioned in the groove inside the first hollow body,
wherein an outer diameter of the pressing target portion is greater than an inner diameter of the first hollow body of the first drive transmitter, and
wherein an axial length from the projection formed on the peripheral surface of the second inserting body to the pressing target portion is smaller than a length from the first drive transmitter at an end portion of the first hollow body closer to the second drive transmitter to a communication portion where the projection is positioned in the groove inside the first hollow body of the first drive transmitter.

5. The drive transmission device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a phase matching device configured to match a phase in a direction of rotation of the first drive transmitter and a phase in a direction of rotation of the second drive transmitter.

6. The drive transmission device according to claim 5 , wherein the phase matching device includes:
a first phase matching device configured to match a phase in a direction of rotation of the link device and the phase in the direction of rotation of the first drive transmitter; and
a second phase matching device configured to match the phase in the direction of rotation of the link device and the phase in the direction of rotation of the second drive transmitter.

7. A drive transmission device comprising:
a first drive transmitter having a first hollow body in a rotation center;
a second drive transmitter having a second hollow body in a rotation center;
a link device configured to link the first drive transmitter and the second drive transmitter, the link device including,
a first inserting body having a spherical shape and a peripheral surface on which a projection protruding in a radial direction is formed, the first inserting body configured to be inserted into the first hollow body of the first drive transmitter,
a second inserting body having a spherical shape and a peripheral surface on which a projection protruding in a radial direction is formed, the second inserting body configured to be inserted into the second hollow body of the second drive transmitter, and
a link body configured to link the first inserting body and the second inserting body;

a releasing device configured to relatively move the link device to the second drive transmitter in an axial direction and release a link of a driving force between a rotary body and a housing of an image forming apparatus; and
a phase matching device configured to match a phase in a direction of rotation of the first drive transmitter and a phase in a direction of rotation of the second drive transmitter, the phase matching device including a first phase matching device configured to match a phase in a direction of rotation of the link device and the phase in the direction of rotation of the first drive transmitter; and a second phase matching device configured to match the phase in the direction of rotation of the link device and the phase in the direction of rotation of the second drive transmitter,
wherein the first drive transmitter has a groove formed in an inner peripheral surface of the first hollow body in which the projection of the first inserting body of the link device moves in an axial direction,
wherein the second drive transmitter has a groove formed in an inner peripheral surface of the second hollow body in which the projection of the second inserting body of the link device moves in the axial direction,
wherein the second drive transmitter being disposed at an end portion of a shaft of a rotary body detachably attached to the housing of the image forming apparatus,
wherein at least one of the first phase matching device and the second phase matching device includes:
a phase matching projection protruding in the radial direction from the peripheral surface of a respective one of the first inserting body and the second inserting body; and
a phase matching guide groove, into which the phase matching projection of the respective one of the first inserting body and the second inserting body is inserted, when the respective one of the first inserting body and the second inserting body is inserted into a corresponding one of the first hollow body of the first drive transmitter and the second hollow body of the second drive transmitter,

wherein the phase matching projection has a shape different from the projection,
wherein the phase

Assignees

• Nieda Hiroaki
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nieda Hiroaki

Classifications

• G03G2215/0132

  vertical medium transport path at the secondary transfer · CPC title

• G03G21/1671

  for the photosensitive element · CPC title

• G03G21/1647

  Mechanical connection means · CPC title

• F16D3/2052 Primary

  having two pins · CPC title

• F16D2001/102

  the torque is transmitted via polygon shaped connections · CPC title