Drive transmitter, drive device, and image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12306569-B2
Application number	US-202318388858-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2023
Priority date	Nov 30, 2022
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

A drive transmitter includes a connector, an electromagnetic clutch, a shaft, and a restriction member. The electromagnetic clutch includes the connector as a single unit. The shaft serves as a rotation axis of the electromagnetic clutch. The restriction member restricts a position of the connector in an axial direction of the shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drive transmitter comprising:
a connector;
an electromagnetic clutch including the connector as a single unit;
a shaft as a rotation axis of the electromagnetic clutch, the rotational axis extending in an axial direction;
a gear coaxial with the electromagnetic clutch, the gear facing the connector in the axial direction; and
a single restrictor to restrict a position of the connector in the axial direction which is toward the gear, and to restrict the connector from rotating around the rotation axis.

2. The drive transmitter according to claim 1 , further comprising:
another gear coaxial with the electromagnetic clutch,
wherein said another gear is on an opposite side of the gear across the electromagnetic clutch in the axial direction.

3. The drive transmitter according to claim 1 , further comprising:
multiple gear coaxial with the electromagnetic clutch,
wherein the electromagnetic clutch is between one of the multiple gear and another of the multiple gear in the axial direction.

4. The drive transmitter according to claim 1 , wherein the single restrictor includes:
a rotation lock to lock a rotational movement of the electromagnetic clutch around the shaft.

5. The drive transmitter according to claim 1 , wherein;
the connector has an opening to which another connector is removably insertable to the connector in a radial direction of the shaft.

6. The drive transmitter according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing made of resin, the housing including the single restrictor.

7. The drive transmitter according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a support including a metal plate, the support contacting the single restrictor.

8. The drive transmitter according to claim 1 , wherein the single restrictor has includes:
two opposing side faces sandwiching the connector in a rotational direction of the shaft to restrict the connector from rotating around the rotation axis; and
an end face orthogonal to the two opposing side faces to restrict an axial movement of the connector in the axial direction.

9. A drive device comprising:
the drive transmitter according to claim 1 ; and
a drive source to generate a power to be transmitted to the drive transmitter.

10. An image forming apparatus comprising:
the drive device according to claim 9 ; and
an image forming unit driven by the drive device.

11. The drive transmitter according to claim 1 , wherein:
an end face of the restrictor which restricts the position of the connector in the axial direction is outside a periphery of the gear.

12. The drive transmitter according to claim 1 , wherein:
the single restrictor is unitary.

13. The drive transmitter according to claim 12 , wherein:
the single restrictor includes resin.

Assignees

• Sakamoto Shogo
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sakamoto Shogo

Classifications

• F16D27/14

  Details · CPC title

• G03G21/1647

  Mechanical connection means · CPC title

• F16D27/00

  Magnetically- {or electrically-} actuated clutches; Control or electric circuits therefor (clutches with magnetisable particles F16D37/02; {with electro-rheological fluids F16D37/008}) · CPC title

• F16D11/14

  with clutching members movable only axially (F16D11/02, F16D11/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• G03G15/757 Primary

  Drive mechanisms for photosensitive medium, e.g. gears · CPC title