Electrophotographic image forming apparatus and cartridge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12321128-B2
Application number	US-202318377859-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2023
Priority date	Mar 18, 2019
Publication date	Jun 3, 2025
Grant date	Jun 3, 2025

Abstract

A cartridge includes a photosensitive member, a charging member capable of charging the photosensitive member, and a developing member for depositing toner onto the photosensitive member. A unit includes the developing member and is movable between a developing position in which the toner is capable of being deposited onto the photosensitive member from the developing member and a spaced position in which at least a part of the developing member is spaced from the photosensitive member. The cartridge further includes a contact force receiving portion for receiving a contact force for moving the unit to the developing position when the unit is in the spaced position. The cartridge also includes a spacing force receiving portion for receiving a spacing force for moving the unit to the spaced position when the unit is in the developing position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cartridge comprising:
a photosensitive member;
a charging member capable of charging the photosensitive member;
a first unit including the photosensitive member and the charging member;
a developing member for depositing toner onto the photosensitive member;
a second unit including the developing member and movable between a developing position in which the toner is capable of being deposited onto the photosensitive member from the developing member and a spaced position in which at least a part of the developing member is spaced from the photosensitive member;
a contact force receiving portion for receiving a contact force for moving the second unit to the developing position when the second unit is in the spaced position; and
a spacing force receiving portion for receiving a spacing force for moving the second unit to the spaced position when the second unit is in the developing position,
wherein, as viewed along a direction of a rotational axis of the developing member when the second unit is in the spaced position, the cartridge is divided into a first section and a second section by a line that (i) is tangential to a surface of the photosensitive member at a side of the photosensitive member that is opposite to a side of the photosensitive member that is adjacent to the charging roller and (ii) intersects a line that extends through a rotational axis of the photosensitive member and a rotational axis of the charging roller, with the rotational axis of the photosensitive member and the rotational axis of the charging roller being in the first section and the contact force receiving portion and the spacing force receiving portion being in the second section,
wherein, when the second unit is in the spaced position, a space is capable of being formed between the contact force receiving portion and the spacing force receiving portion, and
wherein, as seen in a direction along a rotational axis of the developing member in a state that the space between the contact force receiving portion and the spacing force receiving portion is formed, the contact force receiving portion disposed at a position closer to the rotational axis of the photosensitive member than the spacing force receiving portion is to the rotational axis of the photosensitive member.

2. A cartridge according to claim 1 , further comprising a holding portion movably supported by the first unit or the second unit and movable between a first position for stably holding the second unit in the spaced position by the first unit and a second position for stably holding the second unit in the developing position by the first unit.

3. A cartridge according to claim 2 , wherein, when the holding portion is in the first position, the holding portion is capable of restricting movement of the second unit from the spaced position to the developing position, and, when the holding portion is in the second position, the holding portion permits movement of the second unit from the spaced position to the developing position.

4. A cartridge according to claim 2 , further comprising a holding member including the holding portion,
wherein the second unit includes a frame rotatably supporting the developing member, and
wherein the contact force receiving portion is provided on the holding member, and the spacing force receiving portion is provided on the frame.

5. A cartridge according to claim 2 , further comprising a holding member including the holding portion,
wherein the contact force receiving portion is provided on the holding member so as to be movable relative to the holding member.

6. A cartridge according to claim 5 , wherein the spacing force receiving portion is provided on the holding member so as to be movable relative to the holding member.

7. A cartridge according to claim 2 , further comprising a holding member including the holding portion,
wherein the spacing force receiving portion is provided on the holding member so as to be movable relative to the holding member.

8. A cartridge according to claim 1 , further comprising a lever movable relative to the second unit between a first position for stably holding the second unit in the spaced position by the first unit and a second position for stably holding a second unit in the developing position by the first unit,
wherein, when lever is in the second position, the movement of the second unit from the developing position to the spaced position is restricted, and when the lever is in the first position, the movement of the second unit from the spaced position to the developing position is permitted.

9. A cartridge according to claim 8 , wherein the lever is provided with an urging portion, and
wherein, when the lever is in the second position, the movement of the second unit from the developing position to the spaced position is restricted by urging the second unit in a direction from the spaced position toward the developing position by the urging portion.

10. A cartridge according to claim 9 , wherein, when the lever is in the first position, the second unit is permitted to move to the spaced position by the urging portion not urging the second unit in the direction from the spaced position to the developing position.

11. A cartridge according to claim 9 , wherein, when the lever is in the first position, the urging portion urges the second unit in the direction from the spaced position toward the developing position with an urging force that is less than that when the lever is in the second position.

12. A cartridge according to claim 8 , further comprising a second unit urging member for urging the second unit in a direction from the developing position toward the spaced position.

13. A cartridge according to claim 12 , wherein the second unit urging member includes an elastic member.

14. A cartridge according to claim 13 , wherein the elastic member includes a spring.

15. A cartridge according to claim 2 , wherein the holding portion is provided between the first unit and the second unit, and
wherein, when the holding portion is in the first position, the holding portion is capable of restricting movement of the second unit from the spaced position to the developing position, and when the holding portion is in the second position, the holding portion is capable of restricting movement of the second unit from the developing position to the spaced position.

16. A cartridge according to claim 15 , wherein the holding portion is provided with an urging portion, and when the holding portion is in the first position, movement of the second unit from the spaced position to the developing position is restricted by urging the second unit in a direction from the developing position toward the spaced position by the urging portion, and when the holding portion is in the second position, movement of the second unit from the developing position to the spaced position is restricted by urging the second unit in a direction from the spaced position toward the developing position by the urging portion.

17. A cartridge according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a first positioning portion provided in the first unit to position the second unit in the spaced position;
a second positioning portion provided in the first unit to position the second unit in the developing position; and
an urging portion for urging the second unit toward the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion,
wherein, when the holding portion is in the first position, the second unit is held in the spaced position in a state that the second unit

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Fukui Yuichi
• Toba Shinjiro
• Kawanami Takeo
• Nishida Shinichi
• Egami Yasuyuki

Classifications

• G03G2221/1654

  Locks and means for positioning or alignment · CPC title

• G03G21/1821

  means for connecting the different parts of the process cartridge, e.g. attachment, positioning of parts with each other, pressure/distance regulation (G03G21/1825 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03G2221/1861

  Rotational subunit connection · CPC title

• G03G2221/1853

  having a submodular arrangement · CPC title

• G03G21/1825 Primary

  Pivotable subunit connection · CPC title