Patent ID: 9500977
Filing Date: 2016-11-22
CPC Classification: G03G

Claim Text:
1. A roller member used in an image forming apparatus including a bearing portion comprising: a metallic shaft; and a covering layer configured to cover the metallic shaft, wherein the metallic shaft has a cylindrical shape formed so that one end portion and the other end portion of a metallic plate oppose each other, the one end portion and the other end portion each include a straight portion, a projection, and a depression, the projection on the one end portion engages the depression on the other end portion, and the projection on the other end portion engages the depression on the one end portion in an opposing area in which the one end portion and the other end portion oppose each other, a straight area in which a straight portion on the one end portion and a straight portion on the other end portion oppose each other is located outside a projection and depression area in which the projection on the one end portion and the projection on the other end portion are aligned in an axial direction of the metallic shaft, and wherein all of corner potions of the projection and depression area are entirely covered with the covering layer, and wherein at least part of the straight area is positioned in an exposed portion which is a portion of an outer periphery surface of the metallic shaft and is exposed from the covering layer, the exposed portion contacting the bearing portion in a case where the exposed portion is used in the image forming apparatus.