Cartridge and image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12072667-B2
Application number	US-202318207190-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2023
Priority date	Jun 24, 2022
Publication date	Aug 27, 2024
Grant date	Aug 27, 2024

Abstract

A cartridge includes a container, a light guide including incident and emergent portions, and a cover including outer and inner surfaces. When a direction directing from the outer surface toward the inner surface is a first direction, and a direction in which the incident and emergent portions are arranged is a second direction, (i) the outer surface is recessed toward a downstream side of the first direction between the incident and emergent portions, (ii) a first end of a bottom of the recessed portion on an incident portion side is positioned on a side downstream with respect to the first direction, of a second end of the bottom on an emergent portion side, and (iii) the bottom is curved so as to be recessed toward the downstream side of the first direction between the first and second ends relative to an imaginary rectilinear line connecting these ends.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cartridge comprising:
a container configured to accommodate developer;
a light guide including an incident portion and an emergent portion, wherein the incident portion has a columnar shape with a center line as a center and guides light so that the light enters from outside of the cartridge into an inside of the container, and wherein the emergent portion guides the light so that the light entered into the inside of the container through the incident portion emerges toward outside of the cartridge; and
a cover configured to partially cover the light guide and including an outer surface facing outside of the cartridge, an inner surface on a side opposite from the outer surface, a first opening through which an incident surface of the incident portion is exposed to outside of the cartridge, and a second opening through which an emergent surface of the emergent portion is exposed to outside of the cartridge,
wherein, when a direction which is a direction of the center line and which directs from an outer surface side toward an inner surface side of the cover is a first direction, a direction which crosses the first direction and in which the incident portion and the emergent portion are arranged is a second direction, and a direction crossing both the first direction and the second direction is a third direction, in a cross section perpendicular to the third direction:
(i) the outer surface includes a recessed portion recessed toward a downstream side of the first direction between the incident portion and the emergent portion with respect to the second direction,
(ii) a first end of a bottom of the recessed portion on an incident portion side with respect to the second direction is positioned on a side downstream with respect to the first direction of a second end of the bottom on an emergent portion side with respect to the second direction, and
(iii) the bottom is curved so as to be recessed toward the downstream side of the first direction between the first end and the second end relative to an imaginary rectilinear line connecting the first end and the second end.

2. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein in the cross section, the bottom of the recessed portion is formed in an arcuate shape, and
wherein a center of the bottom formed in the arcuate shape is in a position overlapping with the incident portion as viewed in the first direction.

3. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the bottom of the recessed portion is formed in a spherical shape, and
wherein a center of the bottom formed in the spherical shape is in a position overlapping with the incident portion as viewed in the first direction.

4. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the cover includes a projected portion provided between the second end of the bottom and the emergent surface of the light guide with respect to the second direction, and the projected portion projects to a position that is more upstream in the first direction than the position of the second end.

5. The cartridge according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a photosensitive drum; and
a developing roller configured to develop an electrostatic latent image into an image on a surface of the photosensitive drum with a developer,
wherein the cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, and the main assembly includes a light emitting element configured to emit light toward the incident portion, and
wherein, in a case that the cartridge is mounted in the main assembly, the photosensitive drum is provided so as to be positioned below the light emitting element, and at least a part of the cover is provided in a position which is between the light emitting element and the photosensitive drum with respect to a direction of gravitation and which overlaps with the photosensitive drum as viewed from above.

6. The cartridge according to claim 5 , wherein the light guide further comprises an inside emergent surface and an inside incident surface which are provided inside the container,
wherein the light guide is constituted so as to guide the light so that the light entering the incident surface emerges from the inside emergent surface and enters the inside incident surface through an inside space of the container, and then emerges from the emergent surface of the emergent portion, and
wherein the incident portion and the emergent portion are provided at an end portion of the cartridge with respect to a rotational axis direction of the photosensitive drum, and the inside emergent surface and the inside incident surface are provided at positions closer to a center of the cartridge in the rotational axis direction than the incident portion and the emergent portion are to the center of the cartridge.

7. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a main assembly including an optical unit which includes a light emitting element, a light receiving element, and a substrate having a mounting surface on which the light emitting element and the light receiving element are mounted and which is configured to generate a detection signal depending on light received by the light receiving element, wherein a direction normal to the mounting surface is a first direction, and a direction parallel to the mounting surface is a second direction; and
a cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the cartridge is detachably mountable to the main assembly.

8. A cartridge comprising:
a container configured to accommodate developer;
a light guide including an incident portion and an emergent portion, wherein the incident portion guides light so that light entering from outside of the cartridge into an inside of the container, and the emergent portion guides the light so that the light entered into the inside of the container through the incident portion emerges toward outside of the cartridge; and
a cover configured to partially cover the light guide and including an outer surface facing outside of the cartridge, an inner surface on a side opposite from the outer surface, a first opening through which an incident surface of the incident portion is exposed to outside of the cartridge, and a second opening through which an emergent surface of the emergent portion is exposed to outside of the cartridge,
wherein, when a direction which is a direction of an optical axis of the incident portion and which directs from an outer surface side toward an inner surface side of the cover is a first direction, a direction which crosses the first direction and in which the incident portion and the emergent portion are arranged is a second direction, and a direction crossing both the first direction and the second direction is a third direction, in a cross section perpendicular to the third direction,
(i) the outer surface includes a recessed portion recessed toward a downstream side of the first direction between the incident portion and the emergent portion with respect to the second direction,
(ii) a first end of a bottom of the recessed portion on an incident portion side with respect to the second direction is positioned on a side downstream with respect to the first direction of a second end of the bottom on an emergent portion side with respect to the second direction, and
(iii) the bottom is curved so as to be recessed toward the downstream side of the first direction between the first end and the second end relative to an imaginary rectilinear line connecting the first end and the second end.

9. The cartridge according to claim 8 , wherein in the cross section, the bottom of the recessed portion is formed in an arcuate shape, and
wherein a center of the bottom formed in the arcuate shape is in a position overlapping with the incident portion as viewed i

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Harada Yuko
• Murakami Ryuta
• Tatsumi Masakazu
• Yoshimura Akira
• Koga Satoshi

Classifications

• G03G15/0862

  the level being measured by optical means · CPC title

• G03G21/1832

  Shielding members, shutter, e.g. light, heat shielding, prevention of toner scattering · CPC title

• G03G21/1875

  provided with identifying means or means for storing process- or use parameters, e.g. lifetime of the cartridge · CPC title

• G03G21/1814 Primary

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

• G03G15/0848 Primary

  Arrangements for testing or measuring developer properties or quality, e.g. charge, size, flowability · CPC title