Process cartridge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8938187-B2
Application number	US-201213597994-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2012
Priority date	Aug 30, 2011
Publication date	Jan 20, 2015
Grant date	Jan 20, 2015

Abstract

A process cartridge includes: a drum cartridge including a photoconductor; a development cartridge configured to be detachably attached to the drum cartridge and including a developer carrying member for supplying developer to the photoconductor; a locking member provided on the drum cartridge and configured to be switchable between a locking position in which the development cartridge attached to the drum cartridge is in a locked state and restrained from being moved in a removing direction in which the development cartridge is removed from the drum cartridge and a lifting position in which the locked state is released and the development cartridge is movable in the removing direction, and a retaining member configured to retain the development cartridge which has been moved from the locked state in the removing direction by switching the locking member from the locking position to the lifting position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process cartridge comprising:
a drum cartridge including a photoconductor;
a development cartridge configured to be detachably attached to the drum cartridge and including a developer carrying member for supplying developer to the photoconductor;
a locking member provided on the drum cartridge and configured to be switchable between a locking position in which the development cartridge attached to the drum cartridge is in a locked state and restrained from being moved in a removing direction in which the development cartridge is removed from the drum cartridge and a lifting position in which the locked state is released and the development cartridge is movable in the removing direction; and
a retaining member configured to retain the development cartridge which has been moved from the locked state in the removing direction by switching the locking member from the locking position to the lifting position,
wherein the development cartridge comprises a development frame by which the developer carrying member having a rotary shaft is supported, and an agitating member disposed in the development frame,
wherein the drum cartridge comprises a drum frame by which the photoconductor is supported, and the drum frame includes a receiving portion configured to receive the rotary shaft of the developer carrying member,
wherein the locking member includes a contact portion configured to come into contact with the development cartridge when the locking member is moved from the locking position to the lifting position, and
wherein the locking member is configured to disengage the development cartridge from the drum cartridge by displacing a portion of the development frame provided with the agitating member while the rotary shaft of the developer carrying member is received in the receiving portion, and the contact portion of the locking member is located between a center axis of the agitating member and the developer carrying member when the locking member is in the lifting position.

2. The process cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the locking member is rotatably supported by the drum cartridge, and when the locking member is operated to rotate from the locking position to the lifting position, the development cartridge rotates in a direction opposite to a rotating direction of the locking member,
wherein the development cartridge includes a contacting surface, and the contact portion of the locking member contacts with the contacting surface between an axis of rotation of the locking member and the developer carrying member, and
wherein the contacting surface inclines at an angle closer to an inclination angle of a plane connecting an axis of rotation of the developer carrying member and the axis of rotation of the locking member than to an inclination angle of a plane orthogonal to the rotating direction of the locking member at a contacting point between the locking member and the contacting surface.

3. The process cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the drum cartridge includes a pressing portion configured to urge the development cartridge attached to the drum cartridge such that the developer carrying member is pressed against the photoconductor, and wherein the pressing portion has the retaining member.

4. The process cartridge according to claim 3 , wherein the development cartridge is configured to receive a force from the pressing portion when the locking member is operated to disengage the development cartridge from the drum cartridge to thereby cause the development cartridge to pop up in the removing direction.

5. A process cartridge comprising:
a drum cartridge including a photoconductor;
a development cartridge configured to be detachably attached to the drum cartridge and including a developer carrying member for supplying developer to the photoconductor;
a locking member provided on the drum cartridge and configured to be switchable between a locking position in which the development cartridge attached to the drum cartridge is in a locked state and restrained from being moved in a removing direction in which the development cartridge is removed from the drum cartridge and a lifting position in which the locked state is released and the development cartridge is moveable in the removing direction; and
a retaining member configured to retain the development cartridge which has been moved from the locked state in the removing direction by switching the locking member from the locking position to the lifting position,
wherein the locking member is rotatably supported by the drum cartridge, and when the locking member is operated to rotate from the locking position to the lifting position, the development cartridge rotates in a direction opposite to a rotating direction of the locking member,
wherein the locking member includes a contact portion configured to come into contact with the development cartridge when the locking member is moved from the locking position to the lifting position,
wherein the development cartridge includes a contacting surface, and the contact portion of the locking member contacts the contacting surface between an axis of rotation of the locking member and the developer carrying member, and
wherein the contacting surface inclines at an angle closer to an inclination angle of a plane connecting an axis of rotation of the developer carrying member and the axis of rotation of the locking member than to an inclination angle of a plane orthogonal to the rotating direction of the locking member at a contacting point between the locking member and the contacting surface.

6. The process cartridge according to claim 5 , wherein the drum cartridge includes a pressing portion configured to urge the development cartridge attached to the drum cartridge such that the developer carrying member is pressed against the photoconductor, and wherein the pressing portion has the retaining member.

7. The process cartridge according to claim 6 , wherein the development cartridge is configured to receive a force from the pressing portion when the locking member is operated to disengage the development cartridge from the drum cartridge to thereby cause the development cartridge to pop up in the removing direction.

8. A process cartridge comprising:
a drum cartridge including a photoconductor configured to rotate about an axis, the drum cartridge including a first wall and a second wall being opposed to the first wall along a direction parallel to the axis;
a development cartridge configured to be attached to the drum cartridge between the first wall and the second wall;
a locking member provided on the first wall and configured to be switchable between a locking position and a lifting position, the locking member being configured to lock the development cartridge in the locking position, the locking member including:
a contact portion extending from the locking member toward the second wall, the contact portion being configured to lift the development cartridge from the locking position to the lifting position; and

a retaining member configured to retain the development cartridge in the lifting position.

9. The process cartridge to claim 8 , wherein the development cartridge comprises an engagement surface configured to be engageable with the contact portion when the locking member is in the locking position and a contacting surface configured to come into contact with the contact portion and be pushed upward when the locking member is switched from the locking position to the lifting position.

10. The process cartridge according to claim 9 , wherein the development cartridge comprises a development frame by which a developer carrying member, having a rotary shaft and

Assignees

• Fukamachi Yasuo
• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Fukamachi Yasuo

Classifications

• G03G21/1821 Primary

  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

• G03G15/0865

  Arrangements for supplying new developer · CPC title

• G03G21/1842 Primary

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

• G03G15/0867

  cylindrical developer cartridges, e.g. toner bottles for the developer replenishing opening · CPC title