Drum cartridge and developing cartridge capable of suppressing variation in position of electrical contact surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12360491-B2
Application number	US-202318336666-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2023
Priority date	Oct 14, 2016
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

Abstract

A drum cartridge includes: a drum frame to which a developing cartridge including a storage medium having an electrical contact surface is detachably attachable; a photosensitive drum; a transfer roller; and a conveying roller. The drum is rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction and positioned at one end portion of the frame in a second direction. The transfer roller is rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction and in contact with the drum. The conveying roller is rotatable about a third axis extending in the first direction and separated from the transfer roller in the second direction. A first opening of the frame is positioned between the transfer roller and the conveying roller in the second direction. The electrical contact surface is exposed to an outside through the first opening in a case where the developing cartridge is attached to the frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A developing cartridge comprising:
a casing configured to accommodate toner therein, the casing having a first side and a second side being spaced apart from the first side in a first direction, the casing having a third side and a fourth side being spaced apart from the third side in a second direction, the casing having an upper surface facing upward and a lower surface facing downward;
a developing roller rotatable about a developing roller axis extending in the first direction, the developing roller being positioned at the third side of the casing;
a coupling rotatable about a couple axis extending in the first direction, the coupling being positioned at the first side of the casing,
an agitator rotatable about an agitator axis extending in the first direction, the agitator including an agitator shaft extending in the first direction, the agitator shaft being spaced apart from the coupling in the second direction, and
a storage medium having an electrical contact surface, the electrical contact surface being positioned at the lower surface of the casing, the electrical contact surface facing downward, the electrical contact surface being closer to the first side of the casing than the second side of the casing is to the first side of the casing in the first direction, the electrical contact surface being closer to the third side of the casing than the fourth side of the casing is to the third side of the casing in the second direction,
wherein the electrical contact surface is closer to the developing roller than the agitator shaft is to the developing roller in the second direction.

2. The developing cartridge according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an electrode being positioned at the second side of the casing, and
a conductive path that extends from the electrode to the first side of the casing in the first direction.

3. The developing cartridge according to claim 2 ,
wherein the developing roller includes a developing roller shaft extending in the first direction, and
wherein the electrical contact surface is closer to the developing roller shaft than the agitator shaft is to the developing shaft in the second direction.

4. The developing cartridge according to claim 2 ,
wherein the electrode is made of an electrically conductive resin.

5. The developing cartridge according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an agitator gear rotatable with the agitator shaft, the agitator gear being positioned at the first side of the casing, and
a cover covering at least a portion of the first side of the casing, the cover being positioned at the one first of the casing, the cover covering at least a portion of a circumference of the agitator gear,
wherein the electrical contact surface is positioned at the cover.

6. The developing cartridge according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a developing gear rotatable with the developing roller, the developing gear being positioned at the first side of the casing.

7. The developing cartridge according to claim 6 ,
wherein the cover covers at least a portion of a circumference of the developing gear.

8. The developing cartridge according to claim 5 ,
wherein the electrical contact surface is positioned at an outer surface of the cover.

9. The developing cartridge according to claim 1 ,
wherein the developing cartridge is for use with a drum cartridge including a photosensitive drum.

10. The developing cartridge according to claim 9 ,
wherein the developing cartridge is configured to be attached to the drum cartridge.

11. The developing cartridge according to claim 1 ,
wherein the storage medium is positioned at the lower surface of the casing.

12. The developing cartridge according to claim 1 ,
wherein the storage medium includes a memory configured to store information of the developing cartridge, the memory being positioned at the lower surface of the casing.

13. The developing cartridge according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a handle positioned at the fourth side of the casing.

14. The developing cartridge according to claim 13 ,
wherein the electrical contact surface is positioned between the developing roller and the handle in the second direction, and
wherein the electrical contact surface is closer to the developing roller than the handle is to the developing roller in the second direction.

15. The developing cartridge according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a supply roller rotatable about a supply roller axis extending in the first direction, and
wherein the electrical contact surface is closer to the supply roller than the agitator shaft is to the supply roller in the second direction.

16. The developing cartridge according to claim 1 ,
wherein the casing includes a plurality of ribs, the plurality of ribs being positioned at the lower surface of the casing, and
wherein the plurality of ribs are positioned closer to the second side of the casing in the first direction than the electrical contact surface of the storage medium is to the second side of the casing in the first direction.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Shimizu Takashi
• Abe Koji

Classifications

• G03G15/0863 Primary

  provided with identifying means or means for storing process- or use parameters, e.g. an electronic memory · CPC title

• G03G2215/0697

  being an electronically readable memory · CPC title

• G03G15/0865

  Arrangements for supplying new developer · CPC title

• G03G2215/085

  Stirring member in developer container · CPC title

• G03G21/1825

  Pivotable subunit connection · CPC title