Cartridge, image forming apparatus and main assembly of image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9304483-B2
Application number	US-201414320730-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2014
Priority date	Jul 3, 2013
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

A cartridge includes a receiving recessed portion, a contact portion and a main assembly electrical contact. In a state in which the cartridge is mounted at an image forming position of the main assembly, the cartridge includes a first positioning projection held in the receiving recessed portion; a second positioning projection, provided at a position different from a position of the first positioning projection, contacting the contact portion; and an information storing member including a storing element for storing information and a storing element contact electrically connected with the storing element, wherein the storing element contact contacts the main assembly electrical contact. Moment, about the first positioning projection, applied to the cartridge by a force applied from the main assembly electrical contact to the storing element contact acts in a direction of urging the second positioning projection to the contact portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, including a receiving recessed portion, a contact portion and a main assembly electrical contact, for forming an image on a recording material, wherein said cartridge contributes to an image forming process for forming the image on the recording material, said cartridge comprising:
a first positioning projection to be held in the receiving recessed portion;
a second positioning projection, provided at a position different from a position of said first positioning projection, to be contacted to the contact portion; and
an information storing member including a storing element for storing information and a storing element contact electrically connected with said storing element, wherein said storing element contact contacts the main assembly electrical contact,
wherein a moment applied to said cartridge by a force applied from the main assembly electrical contact to said storing element contact acts in a direction of urging said second positioning projection to the contact portion.

2. A cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein said storing element is provided downstream of said first positioning projection with respect to a mounting direction of said cartridge into the main assembly, and said second positioning projection is provided upstream of said first positioning projection with respect to the mounting direction.

3. A cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein said storing element is provided upstream of said first positioning projection with respect to a mounting direction of said cartridge into the main assembly, and said second positioning projection is provided downstream of said first positioning projection with respect to the mounting direction.

4. A cartridge according to claim 1 , which is a process cartridge of an integral type including a rotatable image bearing member for forming a latent image and image forming process means actable on said image bearing member.

5. A cartridge according to claim 4 , wherein said image forming process means is at least a developing device unit including a developer carrying member for developing the latent image by supplying a developer to said image bearing member and a developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer.

6. A cartridge according to claim 4 , wherein said first positioning projection is provided substantially coaxially with a rotational axis of said image bearing member.

7. A cartridge according to claim 1 , which is a process cartridge of a separation type in which a rotatable image bearing member for forming a latent image and image forming process means other than developing means for developing the latent image, formed on said image bearing member, with the developer.

8. A cartridge according to claim 1 , which is a developing cartridge including a developer carrying member for developing a latent image by supplying a developer to a rotatable image bearing member on which the latent image is formed, and including a developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer.

9. A cartridge according to claim 1 , which is a developer cartridge in which a developer is accommodated.

10. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, said image forming apparatus comprising:
a receiving recessed portion;
a contact portion;
a main assembly electrical contact; and
a cartridge according to claim 1 .

11. A cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein said force applied from the main assembly electrical contact to said storing element contact is from a bottom of said cartridge to a top of said cartridge.

12. A cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein said storing element contact is located below the main assembly electrical contact.

13. A cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein said storing element contact is located at a lower side of said cartridge.

14. A main assembly of an image forming apparatus, for forming an image on a recording material, to which a cartridge including a first positioning projection, a second positioning projection provided at a position different from a position of the first positioning projection, and an information storing member which includes a storing element for storing information and a storing element contact electrically connected with the storing element is detachably mountable, said main assembly comprising:
in a state in which the cartridge is mounted at an image forming position of the image forming apparatus,
a receiving recessed portion holding the first positioning projection;
a contact portion to which the second positioning projection is contacted; and
a main assembly electrical contact contacting the storing element contact,
wherein a moment applied to the cartridge by a force applied from the main assembly electrical contact to the storing element contact acts in a direction of urging the second positioning projection to the contact portion.

15. A main assembly according to claim 14 , wherein said force applied from said main assembly electrical contact to said storing element contact is from a bottom of said cartridge to a top of said cartridge.

16. A main assembly according to claim 14 , wherein said main assembly electrical contact is located above the storing element contact.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Komatsu Noriyuki
• Nakamura Yuuki

Classifications

• G03G21/1652 Primary

  Electrical connection means · CPC title

• G03G21/1867

  for electrically connecting the process cartridge to the apparatus, electrical connectors, power supply · CPC title

• G03G21/1875

  provided with identifying means or means for storing process- or use parameters, e.g. lifetime of the cartridge · CPC title

• G03G21/1896

  mechanical or optical identification means, e.g. protrusions, bar codes · CPC title

• G03G21/1842

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