Removable unit and image forming apparatus incorporating same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10915063-B2
Application number	US-201916535443-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2019
Priority date	Sep 14, 2018
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

A removable unit is removably installed in an apparatus. The removable unit includes a plurality of powered components, a power supply connector configured to electrically connect a power supply of the apparatus and the plurality of powered components. The power supply connector is configured to change a combination of respective voltages applied to the plurality of powered components.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A removable unit configured to be removably installed in an apparatus, the removable unit comprising:
a body including a plurality of powered components; and
a power supply connector, wherein the power supply connector is in a cover of the removable unit that attaches to the body, the power supply connector being configured to electrically connect a power supply of the apparatus and the plurality of powered components when the removable unit is installed in the apparatus, the power supply having a plurality of power supply terminals at fixed locations,
wherein the cover is one of a plurality of replaceable covers attachable to the body, each cover including a plurality of connection portions that connect to the plurality of power supply terminals at the fixed locations, but each cover changes a combination of respective voltages applied to the plurality of powered components.

2. The removable unit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of electrical conductors; and
at least one Zener diode,
wherein the plurality of electrical conductors is attached to the power supply connecter and includes a first connection portion, of the plurality of connection portions, connected to one of the plurality of power supply terminals of the power supply when the removable unit is installed in the apparatus and a second connection portion connected to at least one of the plurality of powered components,
wherein at least one of the plurality of electrical conductors together with the at least one Zener diode forms a circuit, and
wherein at least two of a first cover without the at least one Zener diode, a second cover including the at least one Zener diode disposed in at least one of circuits including the circuit, and at least one third cover including at least one Zener diode having a Zener voltage different from a Zener voltage of the at least one Zener diode of the second cover are replaceable as the cover.

3. The removable unit according to claim 2 , further comprising a substrate on which the at least one Zener diode is disposed, the substrate including a first terminal and a second terminal,
wherein at least one circuit includes two electrical conductors of the plurality of electrical conductors including an elastic deformable portion having a plate shape or a linear shape, and
wherein the elastic deformable portion of one of the two electrical conductors is elastically deformed and in contact with the first terminal of the substrate connected to an anode of the at least one Zener diode, and the elastic deformable portion of other of the two electrical conductors is elastically deformed and in contact with the second terminal of the substrate connected to a cathode of the at least one Zener diode.

4. The removable unit according to claim 3 ,
wherein the first terminal and the second terminal of the substrate are disposed on different surfaces of the substrate from each other, and
wherein the elastic deformable portion of the one of the two electrical conductors and the elastic deformable portion of the other of the two electrical conductors sandwich the substrate.

5. The removable unit according to claim 3 ,
wherein the cover includes a projection made of a thermoplastic resin,
wherein the projection is thermally melted with the projection of the cover inserted into a hole of the substrate, to secure the substrate to the cover.

6. The removable unit according to claim 3 ,
wherein a sum of the Zener voltage of the at least one Zener diode attached to the cover is smaller than a sum of the Zener voltage of at least one Zener diode of the power supply of the apparatus.

7. The removable unit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the apparatus is an image forming apparatus having an apparatus body, and
wherein the removable unit is a process cartridge or a developing device installed in the apparatus body.

8. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an apparatus body; and
the removable unit according to claim 1 installed in the apparatus body.

9. The removable unit of claim 1 , wherein the cover includes at least one Zener diode connected between terminals connected to respective ones of the plurality of powered components.

10. The removable unit of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is an image forming apparatus and the removable unit includes a photoconductor drum and a developing device.

11. The removable unit of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of replaceable covers includes:
a first cover having a first set of connection portions on an outside surface of the first cover, and
a second cover having a second set of connection portions on an outside surface of the second cover, wherein the first set of connection portions is different from the second set of connection portions.

12. A removable unit configured to be removable installed in an image forming apparatus, the removable unit comprising:
a developing device;
a plurality of powered components; and
a power supply connector configured to electrically connect a power supply of the apparatus and the plurality of powered components when the removable unit is installed in the apparatus, wherein the power supply connector is replaceable with another power supply connector to change a combination of respective voltages applied to the plurality of powered components, the power supply having a plurality of power supply terminals at fixed locations,
wherein the power supply connector and the other power supply connector each include a plurality of connection portions that connect to the plurality of power supply terminals at the fixed locations, but each changes a combination of respective voltages applied to the plurality of powered components.

13. The removable unit of claim 12 , further comprising a photoconductor drum.

Assignees

• Yoshida Tomofumi
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yoshida Tomofumi

Classifications

• G03G15/80 Primary

  Details relating to power supplies, circuits boards, electrical connections · CPC title

• G03G21/1867 Primary

  for electrically connecting the process cartridge to the apparatus, electrical connectors, power supply · CPC title

• G03G2221/1884

  Projections on process cartridge for guiding mounting thereof in main machine · CPC title

• G03G21/1652

  Electrical connection means · CPC title