Bearing member, end member, photosensitive drum unit, developing roller unit, process cartridge, intermediate member, and bearing member body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9400484-B2
Application number	US-201514923795-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2015
Priority date	Jul 12, 2013
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

Abstract

A bearing member is configured to be arranged in an end portion of a columnar rotary body, in which a shaft member is attached to the bearing member. The bearing member includes a body which includes a cylindrical body and a holding portion which is arranged inside the cylindrical body, and an intermediate member which is held by the holding portion of the body. The holding portion includes an intermediate member guide which guides the intermediate member so that the intermediate member rotates. The intermediate member includes a portion in which the shaft member is arranged.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bearing member configured to be fitted in an end portion of a columnar rotary body, wherein a shaft member is attachable to the bearing member, the bearing member comprising:
a body that includes a cylindrical body and a holding portion which is arranged inside the cylindrical body; and
an intermediate member that is held by the holding portion of the body, wherein
the holding portion includes an intermediate member guide which guides the intermediate member so that the intermediate member rotates,
the intermediate member includes a portion in which the shaft member is arranged, and
the intermediate member includes a portion to receive a rotation force from the shaft member.

2. The bearing member according to claim 1 , wherein
the intermediate member guide is a guide groove into which an outer peripheral portion of the intermediate member is inserted, wherein the guide groove slides and guides the outer peripheral portion, and
at least a portion on a bottom surface of the guide groove is a curved surface.

3. The bearing member according to claim 2 , wherein
the curved surface on the bottom surface of the guide groove comes into contact with the outer peripheral portion of the intermediate member, thereby regulating a movement in a direction along an axis of the cylindrical body of the intermediate member.

4. The bearing member according to claim 1 , wherein
a protruding guide member is disposed in the intermediate member,
the intermediate member guide is a guide surface on which the guide member slides, and
at least a portion of the guide surface is a curved surface.

5. The bearing member according to claim 4 , wherein
a guide member insertion groove is disposed in the holding portion for causing the guide member to reach the guide surface.

6. The bearing member according to claim 5 , wherein
the guide member insertion groove includes a snap-fit structure which is a portion narrower than an outer shape of the guide member.

7. The bearing member according to claim 6 , wherein
a groove into which a portion of a shaft member is inserted is disposed in the intermediate member, and
the groove includes a snap-fit structure which is a portion narrower than an outer shape of the inserted portion of the shaft member.

8. The bearing member according to claim 7 , wherein
the snap-fit structure of the guide member insertion groove can be disengaged with a force weaker than a force for the snap-fit structure of the groove disposed in the intermediate member.

9. The bearing member according to claim 7 , wherein
the snap-fit structure of the guide member insertion groove needs to be disengaged with a force stronger than a force for the snap-fit structure of the groove disposed in the intermediate member.

10. An end member comprising:
a shaft member; and
the bearing member according to claim 1 , wherein
the shaft member includes:
a rotary shaft;
a rotation force receiving portion which is included on one end side of the rotary shaft, which can engage with a rotation force applying portion of an image forming apparatus body, and which receives a rotation force from a drive shaft by maintaining an engaging posture thereof;
a proximal end portion which is arranged on the other end side of the rotary shaft; and
a rotation force transmission projection which projects from the proximal end portion, wherein
a groove with which the rotation force transmission projection engages is disposed in the intermediate member, and
the shaft member is assembled to the intermediate member by the rotation force transmission projection engaging with the groove.

11. A photosensitive drum unit, wherein
the columnar rotary body is a photosensitive drum, and
the photosensitive drum unit includes the photosensitive drum and the end member according to claim 10 which is arranged in at least one end portion of the photosensitive drum.

12. A developing roller unit, wherein
the columnar rotary body is a developing roller, and
the developing roller unit includes the developing roller and the end member according to claim 10 which is arranged in at least one end portion of the developing roller.

13. A process cartridge comprising:
a housing; and
the photosensitive drum unit according to claim 11 which is held in the housing.

14. A process cartridge comprising:
a housing; and
the developing roller unit according to claim 12 which is held in the housing.

15. An intermediate member to be included in a bearing member which is fitted in an end portion of a columnar rotary body and to which a shaft member is attached, wherein the intermediate member is configured to be arranged between a body of the bearing member and the shaft member, the intermediate member comprising:
a portion in which the shaft member is arranged so as to be swingable;
a guided portion which is guided by a portion of the body so that the intermediate member is swingable with respect to the body, and
the intermediate member includes a portion to receive a rotation force from the shaft member.

16. A body of a bearing member to be included in the bearing member configured to be fitted in an end portion of a columnar rotary body and to attach a shaft member to the bearing member, wherein the shaft member is attached to the body via an intermediate member, the body of the bearing member comprising:
a cylindrical body; and
a holding portion that is arranged inside the cylindrical body and holds the intermediate member so as to be swingable, wherein
the holding portion includes an intermediate member guide which guides the intermediate member so that the intermediate member rotates, and
wherein the intermediate member includes a portion to receive a rotation force from the shaft member.

17. A bearing member configured to be fitted in an end portion of a columnar rotary body, wherein a shaft member is attachable to the bearing member, the bearing member comprising:
a body that includes a cylindrical body and a holding portion which is arranged inside the cylindrical body; and
an intermediate member that is held by the holding portion of the body, wherein
the holding portion includes an intermediate member guide which guides the intermediate member so that the intermediate member rotates,
the intermediate member includes a portion in which the shaft member is arranged, and
wherein the shaft member includes a rotation force transmission pin and the intermediate member holds the rotation force transmission pin.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Chem Corp

Inventors

• Ikeda Shuichi
• Iijima Shinichi

Classifications

• G03G21/1647

  Mechanical connection means · CPC title

• G03G15/751

  relating to drum (G03G15/757 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16C11/06

  Ball-joints; Other joints having more than one degree of angular freedom, i.e. universal joints (universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts F16D3/16) · CPC title

• G03G15/757

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

• G03G15/00

  Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern (G03G16/00, G03G17/00 take precedence) · CPC title