Cartridge used in image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11294299-B2
Application number	US-201916722319-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2019
Priority date	Dec 26, 2018
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

A cartridge configured to be attachable to an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus includes a first unit including a photosensitive drum, a second unit attached to the first unit and including a developing roller, and a second frame member including a toner storage portion and including a toner reception port, the toner storage portion including a first end portion and a second end portion in a rotational axis direction of the photosensitive drum, the toner reception port provided in the first end portion, a toner container configured to be attachable to the second unit, the toner container including a toner discharge port configured to discharge the toner to the toner storage portion through the toner reception port, and a memory, the memory provided in an end portion of the cartridge on the same side as the second end portion of the toner storage portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cartridge configured to be attachable to and detachable from an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus, the cartridge comprising:
a first unit including a photosensitive drum and a first frame member configured to support the photosensitive drum so that the photosensitive drum is rotatable;
a second unit attached to the first unit and including a developing roller configured to supply toner to the photosensitive drum, and a second frame member including a toner storage portion configured to store the toner to be borne on the developing roller, the toner storage portion including a toner reception port, the toner storage portion including a first end portion and a second end portion on the opposite side of the first end portion in a rotational axis direction of the photosensitive drum, the toner reception port being provided in the first end portion of the toner storage portion;
a toner container configured to be attachable to and detachable from the second unit and store the toner, the toner container including a toner discharge port from which the toner is discharged to the toner storage portion through the toner reception port; and
a memory configured to store information regarding the cartridge, the memory being provided in an end portion of the second unit on the same side as the second end portion of the toner storage portion in the rotational axis direction,
wherein the first frame member includes an opening portion in a surface thereof opposing to the second unit, and
wherein the memory is exposed outside the cartridge through the opening portion of the first frame member.

2. The cartridge according to claim 1 , the first frame member supports the photosensitive drum in one end portion thereof in an intersection direction intersecting the rotational axis direction, has a grip portion in the other end portion thereof in the intersection direction, and has an attaching portion thereof to which the second unit is attached, the attaching portion being arranged between the photosensitive drum and the grip portion in the intersection direction.

3. The cartridge according to claim 2 ,
wherein in the intersection direction, the toner reception port is provided at a position closer to the grip portion than the photosensitive drum, and
wherein in the intersection direction, the memory is provided at a position closer to the photosensitive drum than the grip portion.

4. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the photosensitive drum is rotatable about a first rotational axis, and
wherein the toner container is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the second unit by being rotated, with respect to the second unit, about a second rotational axis paralleled with the first rotational axis.

5. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the second unit includes a driving force receiving member configured to receive a driving force by which the developing roller is rotated, and wherein the driving force receiving member is provided on the end portion of the second unit.

6. A cartridge configured to be attachable to and detachable from an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus, the cartridge comprising:
a first unit including a photosensitive drum, a first frame member configured to support the photosensitive drum so that the photosensitive drum is rotatable, and a transfer roller configured to transfer an image from the photosensitive drum onto a recording material, the first frame member having a covering portion covering the photosensitive drum;
a second unit attached to the first unit and including a developing roller configured to supply toner to the photosensitive drum, and a second frame member including a toner storage portion configured to store the toner to be borne on the developing roller, the storage portion including a toner reception port, the toner storage portion including a first end portion and a second end portion on the opposite side of the first end portion in a rotational axis direction of the photosensitive drum, the toner reception port being provided in the first end portion of the toner storage portion;
a toner container configured to be attachable to and detachable from the second unit and store the toner, the toner container including a toner discharge port from which the toner is discharged to the toner storage portion through the toner reception port; and
a memory configured to store information regarding the cartridge, the memory being provided in an end portion of the covering portion of the first frame member on the same side as the second end portion of the toner storage portion in the rotational axis direction,
wherein the memory overlaps with the photosensitive drum when viewed in a direction from a rotational axis of the photosensitive drum toward a rotational axis of the transfer roller, and the memory is provided on an opposite side of the transfer roller across the photosensitive drum when viewed in the rotational axis direction.

7. The cartridge according to claim 6 ,
wherein the first unit includes a charging member configured to charge the photosensitive drum, and wherein the charging member is arranged between the covering portion of the first frame member and the photosensitive drum when viewed in the rotational axis direction.

8. The cartridge according to claim 7 ,
wherein the charging member is between the photosensitive drum and the memory when viewed in the rotational axis direction.

9. The cartridge according to claim 6 , wherein the photosensitive drum is rotatable about a first rotational axis, and
wherein the toner container is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the second unit by being rotated, with respect to the second unit, about a second rotational axis paralleled with the first rotational axis.

10. A cartridge configured to be attachable to and detachable from an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus, the cartridge comprising:
a first unit including a photosensitive drum and a first frame member configured to support the photosensitive drum so that the photosensitive drum is rotatable, the first frame member having a covering portion covering the photosensitive drum;
a second unit attached to the first unit and including a developing roller configured to supply toner to the photosensitive drum, and a second frame member including a toner storage portion configured to store the toner to be borne on the developing roller and including a toner reception port, the toner storage portion including a first end portion and a second end portion on the opposite side of the first end portion in a rotational axis direction of the photosensitive drum, the toner reception port being provided in the first end portion of the toner storage portion;
a toner container configured to be attachable to and detachable from the second unit and store the toner, the toner container including a toner discharge port configured to discharge the toner to the toner storage portion through the toner reception port; and
a memory configured to store information regarding the cartridge, the memory being provided in an end portion of the covering portion of the first frame member on the same side as the second end portion of the toner storage portion in the rotational axis direction,
wherein the first unit includes a charging member configured to charge the photosensitive drum, and wherein the memory overlaps with the charging member when viewed in a direction from a rotational axis of the photosensitive drum toward the charging member.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Hamada Takatoshi
• Komatsu Noriyuki
• Numata Tetsuya
• Makiguchi Daisuke
• Asanuma Naoya

Classifications

• G03G21/1676

  for the developer unit · CPC title

• G03G15/0877

  Arrangements for metering and dispensing developer from a developer cartridge into the development unit · CPC title

• G03G21/1814 Primary

  Details of parts of process cartridge, e.g. for charging, transfer, cleaning, developing (G03G21/1835 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03G15/0887

  Arrangements for conveying and conditioning developer in the developing unit, e.g. agitating, removing impurities or humidity · CPC title

• G03G21/1885

  position of the memory; memory housings; electrodes · CPC title