Drive transmission mechanism and image forming apparatus provided with the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9291993-B2
Application number	US-201414565958-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2014
Priority date	Dec 11, 2013
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

A drive transmission mechanism includes a driving coupling element having a first engaging portion and a first operating portion; and a holder having a second engaging portion and a second operating portion, wherein when the first and second engaging portion are engaged, the driving coupling element is held in a middle position to be prevented from moving therefrom to a projected position. When the driving coupling element is moved from the middle position toward a retracted position, the first and second operating portions contact each other so that the driving coupling element rotates to a second angular position where they are disengaged from each other. By the driving coupling element rotating from the first angular position to the second angular position, the driving coupling element is enabled to move to the projected position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drive transmission mechanism comprising:
a driving side coupling member for transmitting a rotational force; and
a holder member for holding said driving side coupling member,
said driving side coupling member being provided with a first engaging portion,
said holder member being provided with a second engaging portion which is capable of engaging with said first engaging portion when said driving side coupling member is in a first rotation angular position relative to said holder member,
said driving side coupling member being further provided with a first operating portion,
said holder member being further provided with a second operating portion for rotating said driving side coupling member when contacting said first operating portion,
said driving side coupling member being movable along a rotational axial direction thereof between (1) a projected position projected from said holder member, (2) a retracted position retracted toward said holder member and (3) a middle position between the projected position and the retracted position,
wherein when said first engaging portion and said second engaging portion are engaged with each other, said driving side coupling member is held in the middle position to be prevented from moving from the middle position to the projected position,
wherein when said driving side coupling member is moved from the middle position toward the retracted position, the first operating portion and the second operating portion contact each other so that said driving side coupling member rotates relative to said holder member to a second rotation angular position where said first engaging portion and said second engaging portion are disengaged from each other, and
wherein by said driving side coupling member rotating from the first rotation angular position to the second rotation angular position, said driving side coupling member is enabled to move to the projected position.

2. A mechanism according to claim 1 , further comprising an elastic member for urging said driving side coupling member from the retracted position to the projected position.

3. A mechanism according to claim 1 , further comprising a moving mechanism for moving said driving side coupling member to the projected position and to the retracted position.

4. A mechanism according to claim 3 , wherein said moving mechanism includes an elastic member for urging said driving side coupling member from the retracted position to the projected position, and a retracting member for retracting said driving side coupling member from the projected position to the retracted position against an urging force of said elastic member.

5. A mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein one of said first operating portion and said second operating portion is provided with an inclined portion inclined relative to the rotational axis of said driving side coupling member, and the other of said first operating portion and said second operating portion slides on the inclined portion by which said driving side coupling member rotates relative to said holder member.

6. A mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said driving side coupling member is provided with a first transmitting portion, and wherein said holder member is provided with a second transmitting portion for transmitting the rotational force to said driving side coupling member through said first transmitting portion.

7. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, said apparatus comprising:
a driving side coupling member for transmitting a rotational force; and
a holder member for holding said driving side coupling member,
said driving side coupling member being provided with a first engaging portion,
said holder member being provided with a second engaging portion which is capable of engaging with said first engaging portion when said driving side coupling member is in a first rotation angular position relative to said holder member,
said driving side coupling member being further provided with a first operating portion,
said holder member being further provided with a second operating portion for rotating said driving side coupling member when contacting said first operating portion,
said driving side coupling member being movable along a rotational axial direction thereof between (1) a projected position projected from said holder member, (2) a retracted position retracted toward said holder member and (3) a middle position between the projected position and the retracted position,
wherein when said first engaging portion and said second engaging portion are engaged with each other, said driving side coupling member is held in the middle position to be prevented from moving from the middle position to the projected position,
wherein when said driving side coupling member is moved from the middle position toward the retracted position, the first operating portion and the second operating portion contact each other so that said driving side coupling member rotates relative to said holder member to a second rotation angular position where said first engaging portion and said second engaging portion are disengaged from each other, and
wherein by said driving side coupling member rotating from the first rotation angular position to the second rotation angular position, said driving side coupling member is enabled to move to the projected position.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising an elastic member for urging said driving side coupling member from the retracted position to the projected position.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising a moving mechanism for moving said driving side coupling member to the projected position and to the retracted position.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said moving mechanism includes an elastic member for urging said driving side coupling member from the retracted position to the projected position, and a retracting member for retracting said driving side coupling member from the projected position to the retracted position against an urging force of said elastic member.

11. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein one of said first operating portion and said second operating portion is provided with an inclined portion inclined relative to the rotational axis of said driving side coupling member, and the other of said first operating portion and said second operating portion slides on the inclined portion by which said driving side coupling member rotates relative to said holder member.

12. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein said driving side coupling member is provided with a first transmitting portion, and wherein said holder member is provided with a second transmitting portion for transmitting the rotational force to said driving side coupling member through said first transmitting portion.

13. An apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising a driven side coupling member for receiving the rotational force from said driving side coupling member by engagement with said driving side coupling member.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising a main assembly provided with said driving side coupling member, and a cartridge detachably mountable to said main assembly and provided with said driven side coupling member.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein said cartridge includes a developing roller which is rotatable by said driving side coupling member transmitting the rotational force to said driven side coupling member.

16. An apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein said ca

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Sawashima Fumiya

Classifications

• G03G21/186 Primary

  Axial couplings · CPC title