Developing cartridge, and electrophotographic image forming apparatus using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10289062-B2
Application number	US-201815909614-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2018
Priority date	Sep 2, 2015
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

Disclosed is a development cartridge attachable/detachable to/from a main body of an image forming apparatus. The development cartridge includes at least a photosensitive drum to form an electrostatic latent image thereon or a developer roller to develop the electrostatic latent image by supplying a developer to the photosensitive drum, a housing to support the at least one photosensitive drum or the developer roller. A developer roller gear may be provided on a rotation shaft of the developer roller to connect to a driving gear of the main body when the development cartridge is attached to the main body, and a driven coupler provided at an end of the photosensitive drum to couple to a driving coupler located coaxially with the driving gear in the main body, based on shaft coupling when the development cartridge is attached to the main body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A development cartridge attachable/detachable to/from a main body of an image forming apparatus, the development cartridge comprising:
a photosensitive drum to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum;
a developer roller to develop the electrostatic latent image by supplying a developer to the photosensitive drum, the developer roller including a rotatable shaft;
a housing to support the photosensitive drum and the developer roller;
a developer roller gear provided on the rotatable shaft of the developer roller to connect to a driving gear of a driving coupler located coaxially with the driving gear in the main body when the development cartridge is attached to the main body; and
a driven coupler provided at an end of the photosensitive drum to couple based on shaft coupling to the driving coupler located coaxially with the driving gear in the main body when the development cartridge is attached to the main body.

2. The development cartridge of claim 1 , wherein an indentation in a side wall of the housing is provided in a length direction of the developer roller to accommodate the driving coupler and the driving gear when the development cartridge is attached to the main body.

3. The development cartridge of claim 2 , wherein the indentation provides an opening to expose the developer roller gear to outside of the housing.

4. The development cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the driven coupler allows the photosensitive drum to be rotatably supported by a side wall of the housing.

5. The development cartridge of claim 4 , wherein the driven coupler comprises:
an insertion portion inserted into a hollow at the end of the photosensitive drum;
a second coupling portion having a complementary shape to a first coupling portion of the driving coupler; and
a bearing portion provided outside the second coupling portion in a radius direction, and supported by a supporting portion provided on the side wall to allow the photosensitive drum to be rotatably supported by the housing.

6. The development cartridge of claim 5 , wherein the bearing portion has a concave groove shape, and
wherein the supporting portion is inserted into the bearing portion.

7. The development cartridge of claim 5 , wherein the bearing portion has a convex cylinder shape, and
wherein the supporting portion has a cylinder shape to rotatably support the bearing portion inserted into the supporting portion.

8. The development cartridge of claim 5 , wherein a connection hole through which the first coupling portion engages with the second coupling portion is provided in the side wall of the housing.

9. The development cartridge of claim 1 , wherein a first position determiner being concentric with the photosensitive drum and having an arc shape, and a second position determiner being concentric with the developer roller are provided on both side walls of the housing.

10. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising:
the main body; and
the development cartridge of claim 1 , which is attachable/detachable to/from the main body.

11. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus of claim 10 , wherein a first position determiner being concentric with the photosensitive drum and having an arc shape, and a second position determiner being concentric with the developer roller are provided on both side walls of the housing, and
wherein first and second receivers to respectively accommodate the first and second position determiners are provided in the main body.

12. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the second receiver comprises a rotation preventing portion to support the second position determiner at a downstream side of the second position determiner with respect to a rotation direction of the developer roller.

13. A development cartridge attachable/detachable to/from a main body of an image forming apparatus, the development cartridge comprising:
a developer roller to develop an electrostatic latent image by supplying a developer to a photosensitive drum to form the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum; and
a driven coupler provided at an end of the developer roller to couple based on shaft coupling to a driving coupler located in the main body coaxially with the driven coupler, when the development cartridge is attached to the main body,
wherein the driven coupler includes,
an insertion portion inserted into a hollow at the end of the developer roller;
a second coupling portion coupled to an inner side of the insertion portion and having a complementary shape to a first coupling portion of the driving coupler; and
a bearing portion provided outside the second coupling portion in a radius direction.

14. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a main body to accommodate an attachable/datable development cartridge that includes least one of a photosensitive drum or a developer roller, with a driven shaft coupler coupled to an end of the photosensitive drum or the developer roller;
a driving coupler located in the main body to couple based on shaft coupling to the driven shaft coupler coupled to the end of the at least one of the photosensitive drum or the developer roller in the attachable/datable development cartridge,
wherein the driven coupler includes,
an insertion portion inserted into a hollow at the end of the at least one of the photosensitive drum or the developer roller;
a second coupling portion coupled to an inner side of the insertion portion and having a complementary shape to a first coupling portion of the driving coupler; and
a bearing portion provided outside the second coupling portion in a radius direction.

15. A development cartridge attachable/detachable to/from a main body of an image forming apparatus, the development cartridge comprising:
a photosensitive drum to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum;
a developer roller to develop the electrostatic latent image by supplying a developer to the photosensitive drum, the developer roller including a rotatable shaft and a developer roller gear provided on the rotatable shaft; and
a driven coupler provided at an end of the photosensitive drum to couple based on shaft coupling to a driving coupler located coaxially with a driving gear in the main body,
wherein the developer roller gear is to connect to the driving gear in the main body.

Assignees

• Hp Printing Korea Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Young Chae
• Kim Junhui
• Kim Jin-Hong
• Moon Ji-Won
• Shim Yun Kyu
• Kang Sungwook
• Kim Sunggi

Classifications

• G03G9/08

  with toner particles · CPC title

• F16H7/02

  with belts; with V-belts · CPC title

• G03G15/0806 Primary

  on a donor element, e.g. belt, roller (complete developer unit G03G15/0896) · CPC title

• G03G21/1647

  Mechanical connection means · CPC title

• G03G15/06

  for developing · CPC title