Drive transmitter, process unit incorporating the drive transmitter, and image forming apparatus incorporating the drive transmitter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016004205-A1
Application number	US-201514741294-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 16, 2015
Priority date	Jul 7, 2014
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A drive transmitter, which is includable to a process unit and an image forming apparatus, includes a first gear, a second gear, and a rotation regulator. The first gear has at least one tooth. The second gear has multiple teeth, one of which is meshed with the at least one tooth of the first gear and rotated with the first gear. The first gear continuously rotates and the second gear remains stationary when not in mesh. The number of rotations of the second gear per unit time is smaller than the number of rotations of the first gear. The rotation regulator regulates rotation of the second gear such that a tip of the second gear meshing with the first gear is located downstream from an intersection start point in a rotation direction of the second gear and upstream from an intersection end point in the rotation direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A drive transmitter comprising:
a first gear having at least one tooth located on an outer circumference thereof, the first gear being rotated by a drive source; a second gear having multiple teeth located on an outer circumference thereof, one of the multiple teeth of the second gear being meshed with the at least one tooth of the first gear and rotated with the first gear, the first gear continuously rotating and the second gear remaining stationary in a state in which the first gear and the second gear are not in mesh, the first gear transmitting a driving force transmitted by the drive source to the second gear in a state in which the number of rotations of the second gear per unit time is smaller than the number of rotations of the first gear, a trajectory of a tip of the at least one tooth of the first gear and a trajectory of a tip of the one of the multiple teeth of the second gear intersecting with each other at an intersection start point and an intersection end point; and a rotation regulator to regulate rotation of the second gear such that a position of the tip of the one of the multiple teeth of the second gear meshing with the at least one tooth of the first gear is located downstream from the intersection start point in a rotation direction of the second gear and is located upstream from the intersection end point in the rotation direction of the second gear.

2 . The drive transmitter according to claim 1 ,
wherein the rotation regulator is a rotational load applier to apply a rotational load to the second gear.

3 . The drive transmitter according to claim 2 , wherein the rotational load applier contacts a rotary shaft of the second gear.

4 . The drive transmitter according to claim 3 , further comprising a gear train to include the first gear and the second gear and to transmit the driving force between a latent image bearer to bear a latent image on a surface thereof and a rotator to either convey or stir powder used for image formation to the latent image,
wherein the first gear is disposed on a side of the latent image bearer, wherein the second gear is disposed on a side of the rotator.

5 . The drive transmitter according to claim 4 ,
wherein the rotator includes a rotary shaft that is rotatably supported by a bearing, wherein the second gear is mounted on one axial end of the rotary shaft of the rotator, wherein the rotational load applier is a seal to prevent powder from coming in between the rotary shaft of the rotator and the bearing.

6 . The drive transmitter according to claim 5 ,
wherein the seal is a urethane foam having an apparent density of 58 kg/m 3 or greater.

7 . The drive transmitter according to claim 5 ,
wherein the seal includes an elastic member provided with an opening having an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the rotary shaft of the rotator, wherein, when the rotary shaft of the rotator is inserted into the opening of the seal, the seal is secured to the rotary shaft without rotating with respect to the rotary shaft.

8 . The drive transmitter according to claim 5 ,
wherein the bearing is formed with a recess to which the rotary shaft of the rotator is inserted in a direction intersecting an axial direction of the rotary shaft, wherein, in a state in which the rotary shaft of the rotator is inserted to the recess, the seal is pressed to an exposed part of the rotary shaft exposed from the recess and the seal is secured to the rotary shaft without rotating with respect to the rotary shaft.

9 . The drive transmitter according to claim 5 ,
wherein a sliding friction generated between the rotary shaft of the rotator and the bearing is smaller than a sliding friction generated between the rotary shaft of the rotator and the rotational load applier.

10 . A process unit comprising,
a latent image bearer to bear a latent image on a surface thereof; a rotator to either convey or stir powder used for image formation to the latent image; and the drive transmitter according to claim 3 to further include a gear train to include the first gear and the second gear and to transmit the driving force applied from the drive source to the latent image bearer and the rotator, wherein the first gear is disposed on a side of the latent image bearer, wherein the second gear is disposed on a side of the rotator.

11 . An image forming apparatus comprising the drive transmitter according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Kichise Mitsutoshi
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kichise Mitsutoshi

Classifications

• G03G15/757 Primary

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

• F16H1/20

  involving more than two intermeshing members · CPC title