Image forming unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016209803-A1
Application number	US-201614992424-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 11, 2016
Priority date	Jan 15, 2015
Publication date	Jul 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An image forming unit mountable to an image forming apparatus includes a main assembly including an image bearing drum and insertable into the apparatus; a cover portion engaging with the main assembly of the unit to cover the drum; an inserting portion provided on the cover portion for insertion into the apparatus; a movable locking portion for locking the cover portion with the apparatus; and a moving mechanism for moving the locking portion to a locking position after the cover portion is mounted to the apparatus, and the main assembly of the unit is inserted into the apparatus by a predetermined amount from an insertion starting position, and for moving the locking portion from the locking position an unlocking position before completion of mounting of the main assembly of the unit to the apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An image forming unit detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, said image forming unit comprises:
a main assembly including an image bearing member and insertable into the image forming apparatus; a cover portion engaging with the main assembly of said unit to cover said image bearing member; an inserting portion provided on said cover portion for insertion into said image forming apparatus; a movable locking portion configured to lock said cover portion with the image forming apparatus; and a moving mechanism configured to move said locking portion to a locking position after said cover portion is mounted to the image forming apparatus, and the main assembly of said image forming unit is inserted into the image forming apparatus by a predetermined amount from an insertion starting position, and configured to move said locking portion from the locking position an unlocking position before completion of mounting of the main assembly of said image forming unit to the image forming apparatus.

2 . An image forming unit according to claim 1 , wherein said moving mechanism moves said locking portion to the unlocking position when said main assembly of said image forming unit having been inserted by a first predetermined amount is returned to the insertion starting position.

3 . An image forming unit according to claim 1 , wherein said locking portion includes a locking engaging portion configured to lock said cover portion by engagement with the image forming apparatus.

4 . An image forming unit according to claim 1 , wherein said locking portion is provided with a projection, and said image forming unit further comprises a guide portion configured to engage with said projection to guide the projection, wherein by contact of said projection to said guide portion, said locking portion is switched between the locking position and the unlocking position.

5 . An image forming unit according to claim 4 , wherein said guide portion is formed such that when said main assembly of said image forming unit moves from a position corresponding to the predetermined amount to a position where the mounting of the main assembly of said image forming unit is completed, said locking portion is placed in the locking position, and then before the completion of mounting of the main assembly of image forming unit, said locking portion is placed in the unlocking position.

6 . An image forming unit according to claim 5 , wherein said guide portion is formed such that said locking portion is kept in the unlocking position until the main assembly of said image forming unit is inserted by the predetermined amount from the insertion starting position.

7 . An image forming unit according to claim 1 , wherein said locking portion includes an elastic deformation portion capable of engagement locking and unlocking of said locking portion using elastic deformation of said elastic deformation portion, and wherein said guide portion is formed such that when the main assembly of said image forming unit is moved from the position corresponding to the predetermined amount to a position corresponding to a second predetermined amount, said elastic deformation portion is placed in the locking position, and before the completion of the mounting of said main assembly of said image forming unit, said elastic deformation portion is moved to the unlocking position.

8 . An image forming unit detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, said image forming unit comprises:
a main assembly including an image bearing member and insertable into the image forming apparatus; a cover portion engaging with the main assembly of said unit to cover said image bearing member; an inserting portion provided on said cover portion for insertion into said image forming apparatus; a locking portion configured to lock said cover portion with the image forming apparatus; and a moving mechanism configured to move said locking portion to a locking position after said cover portion is mounted to the image forming apparatus, and the main assembly of said image forming unit is inserted into the image forming apparatus by a first amount from an insertion starting position, and configured to move said locking portion from the locking position to an unlocking position when the main assembly of said image forming unit is inserted by a second amount which is larger than the first amount.

9 . An image forming unit according to claim 8 , wherein said moving mechanism moves said locking portion to the unlocking position when said main assembly of said image forming unit having been inserted by a first predetermined amount is returned to the insertion starting position.

10 . An image forming unit according to claim 8 , wherein said locking portion includes a locking engaging portion configured to lock said cover portion by engagement with the image forming apparatus.

11 . An image forming unit according to claim 8 , wherein said locking portion is provided with a projection, and said image forming unit further comprises a guide portion configured to engage with said projection to guide the projection, wherein by contact of said projection to said guide portion, said locking portion is switched between the locking position and the unlocking position.

12 . An image forming unit according to claim 11 , wherein said guide portion is formed such that when said main assembly of said image forming unit moves from a position corresponding to the first amount to a position corresponding to the second amount, said locking portion is placed in the locking position, and when the main assembly of said image forming unit which is the position corresponding to the second amount, said locking portion is placed in the unlocking position.

13 . An image forming unit according to claim 12 , wherein said guide portion is formed such that said locking portion is kept in the unlocking position until the main assembly of said image forming unit is inserted by the first amount from the insertion starting position.

14 . An image forming unit according to claim 8 , wherein said locking portion includes an elastic deformation portion capable of engagement locking and unlocking of said locking portion by elastic deformation of said elastic deformation portion, and wherein said guide portion is formed such that when the main assembly of said image forming unit is moved from the position corresponding to the first amount to a position corresponding to the second amount, said elastic deformation portion is placed in the locking position, and when said main assembly of said image forming unit which is the position corresponding to the second amount, said elastic deformation portion is moved to the unlocking position.

15 . An image forming unit according to claim 8 , wherein the position corresponding to the second amount is a position where a gravity center of said unit enters the image forming operation.

16 . An image forming unit according to claim 8 , wherein the positions corresponding to the second amount is a position where opposite end portions of the image bearing member and as the image forming apparatus.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Katayama Hiromasa

Classifications

• G03G21/1842

  for guiding and mounting the process cartridge, positioning, alignment, locks (G03G21/1864 and G03G21/1871 take precedence) · CPC title

• G03G21/1661 Primary

  means for handling parts of the apparatus in the apparatus (G03G21/1604, G03G21/1642 take precedence) · CPC title

• G03G21/185

  the process cartridge being mounted parallel to the axis of the photosensitive member · CPC title

• G03G21/1832 Primary

  Shielding members, shutter, e.g. light, heat shielding, prevention of toner scattering · CPC title