Image forming apparatus including coupling member selectively coupled to photosensitive drum

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9477202-B2
Application number	US-201514948591-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 23, 2015
Priority date	Oct 31, 2008
Publication date	Oct 25, 2016
Grant date	Oct 25, 2016

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a main body, endless belt, photosensitive drums, setting unit, contacting/separating mechanism, transmitting mechanism, and coupling members. The photosensitive drums are disposed in confrontation with the endless belt and are arranged in a first direction. Each photosensitive drum has an axis extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The setting unit sets the image forming apparatus to a monochrome mode or color mode. The contacting/separating mechanism controls at least one photosensitive drum to contact or separate from the endless in accordance with the set mode. The transmitting mechanism selectively transmits drive power to photosensitive drums. Each coupling member is selectively coupled to the corresponding photosensitive drum and has a coupling axis extending in the second direction. Each coupling member is uncoupled from the corresponding photosensitive drum when the contacting/separating mechanism controls the corresponding photosensitive drum to separate from the endless belt.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a main casing having a receiving area;
a process frame movably engaged with the receiving area and having a mounting portion, the process frame including a first wall extending in a first direction in which the process frame moves into and out of the main casing, a second wall extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and a third wall extending in the first direction, the second wall extending between the first wall and the third wall, the first wall being disposed on a first side of the receiving area; and
a cartridge including an electrode for supplying power to the cartridge, the electrode being disposed on the first side of the receiving area,
wherein, when the cartridge is in a mounted position within the mounting portion:
a first portion of the first wall of the process frame aligns with the electrode in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, and
a top edge, in the third direction, of the first wall at the first portion is lower than a lowest point of the electrode in the third direction.

2. The image forming apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is exposed from the first wall when viewed in the first direction.

3. The image forming apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge includes a first frame disposed on the first side of the receiving area, and
wherein the electrode protrudes from the first frame outward in the first direction.

4. The image forming apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first wall includes a first side plate and a second side plate.

5. The image forming apparatus of claim 4 , wherein a top edge of the first side plate at the first portion of the first wall and a top edge of the second side plate at the first portion of the first wall are lower than the lowest point of the electrode in the third direction.

6. The image forming apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first side plate includes a metal plate.

7. The image forming apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first side plate includes a rail part extending along a bottom edge of the first side plate in the first direction.

8. The image forming apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the rail part protrudes inward in the second direction.

9. The image forming apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge includes a photosensitive drum.

10. The image forming apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the cartridge further includes a coupling disposed on a second side of the receiving area, and
wherein the second wall includes a cutout part aligned with the coupling in the second direction and the coupling is exposed from the cutout part when viewed in the second direction.

11. The image forming apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the cutout part is U-shaped when viewed in the second direction.

12. The image forming apparatus of claim 10 , wherein a peripheral surface of the cutout part conforms to a peripheral surface of the coupling.

13. The image forming apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the cartridge further includes a developing roller, and
wherein the coupling is a developer coupling for inputting a drive force from the main body to the developing roller.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Okabe Yasushi
• Hashimoto Junichi

Classifications

• G03G2221/166

  Electrical connectors · CPC title

• G03G21/1842

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

• G03G15/0194

  primary transfer to the final recording medium (G03G15/0184 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03G2221/1869

  Cartridge holders, e.g. intermediate frames for placing cartridge parts therein · CPC title

• G03G15/5008

  Driving control for rotary photosensitive medium, e.g. speed control, stop position control · CPC title