Shaft and image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12466674-B2
Application number	US-202318176401-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2023
Priority date	Apr 18, 2022
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

A shaft on which a torque limiter is mounted includes a rotation restricting portion. The rotation restricting portion is inserted into and engaged with an engaging portion of the torque limiter. The rotation restricting portion is provided with an outer circumferential portion which is projected in an outer diameter direction from an outer circumference of the shaft and of which an outer circumferential surface is formed parallel with an outer circumferential surface of the shaft and an engaging portion connected to the outer circumferential portion and engaging with the engaging portion of the torque limiter. The engaging portion of the rotation restricting portion is provided with a tip portion of a R shape opposing the engaging portion of the torque limiter, and a width thereof in a direction perpendicular to an inserting direction into the engaging portion of the torque limiter is a width capable of being inserted into the engaging portion of the torque limiter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A shaft on which a torque limiter, applying a constant rotational load to a rotatable member attached to the torque limiter during rotation of the rotatable member, is mounted, the shaft comprising:
a rotation restricting portion inserted into and engaged with counterpart engaging portions of the torque limiter to restrict rotation of the torque limiter, wherein the rotation restricting portion is provided with an outer circumferential portion which is projected in an outer diameter direction from an outer circumference of the shaft and of which an outer circumferential surface is formed parallel with an outer circumferential surface of the shaft, and at least a pair of engaging portions connected to the outer circumferential portion and engaging with the counterpart engaging portions of the torque limiter, wherein the pair of the engaging portions are provided in positions opposite to each other with respect to a center of the shaft, wherein a tip portion of each of the pair of the engaging portions has a semicircular cylindrical shape of which diameter is widthwise, wherein a height of the outer circumferential surface of the outer circumferential portion from the outer circumferential surface of the shaft is the same height of the pair of engaging portions of the rotation restricting portion from the outer circumferential surface of the shaft, wherein each engaging portion of the pair of engaging portions of the rotation restricting portion is provided with the tip portion having a R shape opposing one of the counterpart engaging portions of the torque limiter, and a width thereof in a direction perpendicular to an inserting direction into the one of the counterpart engaging portions of the torque limiter is a width capable of being inserted into the one of the counterpart engaging portions of the torque limiter, and wherein the outer circumferential portion of the rotation restricting portion is divided into separated outer portions that are connected to the pair of engaging portions of the rotation restricting portion and are not connected to each other.

2 . The shaft according to claim 1 wherein the outer circumferential surface of the outer circumferential portion goes around the outer circumferential surface of the shaft.

3 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
a pair of rotational members configured to convey sheets fed from a cassette to accommodate the sheets, wherein the pair of rotational members include a first rotational member configured to convey the sheet fed and a second rotational member, opposite to the first rotational member, configured to separate the sheets one by one, and wherein the torque limiter mounted on the shaft according to claim 1 is attached to the second rotational member.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Kawarago Atsushi
• Tsukahara Takeshi

Classifications

• B65H3/0669

  Driving devices therefor · CPC title

• B65H2403/732

  Torque limiters · CPC title

• F16D7/042

  with at least one part moving axially between engagement and disengagement (F16D7/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65H2402/60

  Coupling, adapter or locking means · CPC title

• B65H2801/06

  Office-type machines, e.g. photocopiers · CPC title