Patent ID: 7424247
Filing Date: 2008-09-09
Classification: F16D,G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier rotated by a drive section and carrying a toner image to transfer onto a medium to be transferred; and a drive-side coupling and an image carrier side coupling that are capable of being connected to and being separated from each other by relative movement in an axial direction of a rotary shaft of the drive section and capable of connecting and separating the drive section and the image carrier, wherein the drive-side coupling has a plurality of abutting surfaces for transmitting a driving force of the drive section, the image carrier-side coupling has a plurality of abutting surfaces to which the driving force is transmitted, and the drive-side coupling and the image carrier-side coupling have a difference in angles of each of the abutting surfaces of the couplings with respect to a direction in which the couplings are connected to and separated from each other, wherein the rotary shaft with which at least one of the couplings is engaged is loosely fitted into a hollow cylindrical section to form a clearance between entire circumferential surfaces of the rotary shaft and the hollow cylindrical section, and wherein, when the couplings are connected, a clearance is formed between the drive-side coupling and the image carrier-side coupling in the axial direction of the rotary shaft.