Developing cartridge having coupling and developing roller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9529319-B2
Application number	US-201615061551-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2016
Priority date	Aug 31, 2011
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

In a cartridge, a housing has a developer accommodating portion and includes a first side wall and a second side wall. A coupling member is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the first side wall. A detection body is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the second side wall. A first driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the coupling member with respect to the first side wall, and transmits driving force from the coupling member to a rotating member. A second driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the detection body with respect to the second side wall, and transmits driving force from the rotating member to the detection body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cartridge comprising:
a housing configured to accommodate developer therein;
an agitator configured to agitate the developer, the agitator including an agitator shaft extending in an extending direction, the agitator shaft including a first end portion and a second end portion separated from the first end portion in the extending direction, the agitator being rotatable with the agitator shaft about a first axis extending in the extending direction;
a first gear mounted to the first end portion and rotatable with the agitator shaft;
a second gear mounted to the second end portion and rotatable with the agitator shaft;
a coupling rotatable about a second axis extending in the extending direction;
a coupling gear rotatable with the coupling about the second axis;
an idle gear meshing with the coupling gear and the first gear;
a third gear including a plurality of gear teeth on a portion of a circumference of the third gear, the third gear meshing with the second gear;
a developing roller including a developing roller shaft extending in the extending direction, the developing roller being rotatable about a third axis extending in the extending direction; and
a developing gear meshing with the coupling gear, the developing gear being mounted to one end portion of the developing roller shaft, and the developing gear being rotatable with the developing roller shaft about the third axis.

2. The cartridge according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a developing electrode for providing electric power to the developing roller, the developing electrode including a projection projecting in the extending direction,
wherein the third gear is rotatable about the projection.

3. The cartridge according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a first cover extending along a portion of a peripheral surface of the projection, the first cover rotatable with the third gear.

4. The cartridge according to claim 3 , wherein the first cover covers the portion of the peripheral surface of the projection.

5. The cartridge according to claim 2 , wherein the projection projects from the developing electrode.

6. The cartridge according to claim 5 ,
wherein the developing electrode is made of conductive material, and
wherein the projection is made of conductive material.

7. The cartridge according to claim 2 , wherein the developing electrode is made of conductive material.

8. The cartridge according to claim 7 , wherein the projection is made of conductive material.

9. The cartridge according to claim 2 ,
wherein the developing electrode is for providing electric power to the developing roller shaft.

10. The cartridge according to claim 2 ,
wherein the developing electrode is electrically connected to the developing roller shaft.

11. The cartridge according to claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the coupling and at least a portion of the projection are aligned in the extending direction.

12. The cartridge according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a second cover extending along a portion of a peripheral surface of the projection, the second cover rotatable with the third gear, and the second cover is separated from the first cover along a peripheral surface of the projection.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Itabashi Nao
• Kamimura Naoya

Classifications

• G03G21/1896

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

• G03G15/0865

  Arrangements for supplying new developer · CPC title

• G03G21/1864 Primary

  associated with a positioning function · CPC title

• G03G15/0889 Primary

  for agitation or stirring · CPC title

• G03G15/065

  Arrangements for controlling the potential of the developing electrode · CPC title