Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US10162304B2
Timestamp: 2019-08-24 12:04:08
Document Index: 261561001

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 27', 'Application No. 2016152196', 'Application No. 18166842', 'Application No. 107117080', 'Application No. 17171902', 'Application No. 201110148071', 'Application No. 106103515']

US10162304B2 - Process cartridge and image forming apparatus - Google Patents
US10162304B2
US10162304B2 US15/786,958 US201715786958A US10162304B2 US 10162304 B2 US10162304 B2 US 10162304B2 US 201715786958 A US201715786958 A US 201715786958A US 10162304 B2 US10162304 B2 US 10162304B2
US15/786,958
US20180039227A1 (en
2016-10-26 Priority to US15/334,589 priority patent/US9829856B2/en
2017-10-18 Priority to US15/786,958 priority patent/US10162304B2/en
2017-10-18 Application filed by Canon Inc filed Critical Canon Inc
2018-02-08 Publication of US20180039227A1 publication Critical patent/US20180039227A1/en
2018-12-25 Publication of US10162304B2 publication Critical patent/US10162304B2/en
2019-03-20 First worldwide family litigation filed litigation Critical https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=37909796&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=US10162304(B2) "Global patent litigation dataset” by Darts-ip is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
FIG. 27, parts (a) and (b) illustrates an operation of a first force application member according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
General Arrangement of Electrophotographic Image Forming Apparatus
General Arrangement of Process Cartridge
Structure of Drum Unit
Structure of Developing Unit
Assembling of Drum Unit and Developing Unit
Force Receiving Device
Drawer Member of Main Assembly of Electrophotographic Image Forming Apparatus
Positioning of Process Cartridge Relative to Main Assembly of Electrophotographic Image Forming Apparatus
The mechanism for movement of the first force application member 61 in interrelation with the movement of the door 12 will be described. The first force application member 61 is engaged with a connecting member 62 for interrelation with the movement of the door 12. As shown in FIG. 15 to FIG. 19, the connecting member 62 includes a supporting hole 62 c engaged with the supporting shaft 55, a hole 62 a engaged with the projected portion 61 f, and a supporting pin 62 b engaged with the elongated hole 14 b (FIG. 27, part (b)) provided in the tray holding member 14. As shown in FIG. 27, parts (a) and (b), by the movement of the door 12 from the open position to the closed position, the tray holding member 14 moves in the direction of the arrow y2 (FIG. 27, parts (a) and (b)). By this, the supporting pin 62 b engaged with the elongated hole 14 b also receives the force in the direction of the arrow y2. Therefore, the connecting member 62 rotates in the direction of an arrow Z (Figure, parts 27(a) and (b)) about the supporting hole 62 c. As shown in FIG. 19, between the first force application member 61 and the connecting member 62, there is provided a spring 66. The spring 66 is supported by the supporting shaft 55, and is contacted to the projection 62 e provided on the connecting member 62 and to the projected portion 61 f provided on the first force application member 61. By the urging force of the spring 66, the projected portion 61 f urges the projection 31 a provided on the drum frame 34 in the direction of an arrow P so as to position the cartridges 50 y, 50 m, 50 c, 50 k to the positioning portions 101 a of the main assembly 100 of the apparatus.
Spacing Mechanism of Main Assembly of Electrophotographic Image Forming Apparatus
Mounting of Process Cartridge to Main Assembly of Electrophotographic Image Forming Apparatus and Operation of Force Receiving Device
Operations First Force Application Member and Second Force Applying Portion
Spacing Mechanism of Main Assembly of Electrophotographic Image Forming Apparatus and Urging Mechanism for Process Cartridge
a photosensitive drum configured to carry an electrostatic latent image;
a developing roller configured to develop the electrostatic latent image;
a drum frame for supporting the photosensitive drum;
a developing frame for supporting the developing roller, wherein the developing frame is rotatably supported by the drum frame about an rotational axis, and wherein the developing frame is movable, relative to the drum frame, between a contact position in which the developing roller is contact with the photosensitive drum and a spaced-apart position in which the developing roller is spaced apart from the photosensitive drum;
a force receiving member having an end and an urged portion, the force receiving member being configured to move between a regulating position and an operative position, wherein the end is closer to the rotational axis when the force receiving member is in the regulating position than when the force receiving member is in the operative position,
an urging member including a first portion contacting with and urging the urged portion of the force receiving member, a second portion, and an elastic portion disposed between the first portion and the second portion,
wherein, when a force is applied to the end of the force receiving member when the force receiving member is in the operative position, the developing frame is moved such that the developing roller is spaced apart from the photosensitive drum, and
wherein the elastic portion is elastically deformable when the force receiving member is in the regulating position.
2. A process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the force receiving member is movable from the regulating position to the operative position by rotating.
3. A process cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising an elastic member configured to bias the developing roller into contact with the photosensitive drum,
wherein, when the force applied to the end of the force receiving member is greater than the bias, the developing roller is spaced apart from the photosensitive drum.
4. A process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the force receiving member and the urging member are supported by the developing frame.
5. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising:
a main assembly including a force application member; and
a process cartridge detachably mountable to the main assembly, the process cartridge including:
(i) a photosensitive drum configured to carry an electrostatic latent image;
(ii) a developing roller configured to develop the electrostatic latent image;
(iii) a drum frame for supporting the photosensitive drum;
(iv) a developing frame for supporting the developing roller, wherein the developing frame is rotatably supported by the drum frame about an rotational axis, and wherein the developing frame is movable, relative to the drum frame, between a contact position in which the developing roller is in contact with the photosensitive drum and a spaced-apart position in which the developing roller is spaced apart from the photosensitive drum;
(v) a force receiving member having a first surface, a second surface, and an urged portion, the force receiving member being configured to move between a regulating position and an operative position, wherein the first surface is closer to the rotational axis when the force receiving member is in the regulating position than when the force receiving member is in the operative position;
(vi) an urging member including a first portion contacting with and urging the urged portion of the force receiving member, a second portion, and an elastic portion disposed between the first portion and the second portion,
wherein, when a force is applied from the force application member to the first surface of the force receiving member when the force receiving member is in the operative position, the developing frame is moved such that the developing roller is spaced apart from the photosensitive drum, and
wherein the elastic portion is elastically deformable when the force receiving member is in the regulating position with the second surface of the force receiving member is contacting with the force application member.
6. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the force receiving member is movable from the regulating position to the operative position by rotating.
7. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising an elastic member configured to bias the developing roller into contact with the photosensitive drum,
wherein, when the force applied to the first surface of the force receiving member is greater than the bias, the developing roller is spaced apart from the photosensitive drum.
8. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the force receiving member and the urging member are supported by the developing frame.
9. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the force application member is movable between a first position and second position, and
wherein the developing frame moves from the contact position to the spaced apart position by a movement of the force application member from the second position to the first position.
10. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein when the force receiving member is in the regulating position, the second surface of the force receiving member contacts with the force application member in the first position.
11. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 5 further comprising:
a tray supporting the process cartridge, the tray being movable between an inside position in which the cartridge is inside of the main assembly and an outside position in which the cartridge is outside of the main assembly.
12. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the main assembly includes an opening through which the tray is capable of entering the main assembly, and a door movable between open position in which the opening is open and closed position in which the opening is closed, and
wherein the second surface of the force receiving member and force application member are brought into contact with each other by a movement of the door from the open position to the closed position.
US15/786,958 2006-01-11 2017-10-18 Process cartridge and image forming apparatus Active US10162304B2 (en)
US15/334,589 Division US9829856B2 (en) 2006-01-11 2016-10-26 Process cartridge and image forming apparatus
US15/973,874 Division US10234820B2 (en) 2006-01-11 2018-05-08 Process cartridge and image forming apparatus
US16/160,083 Division US20190049895A1 (en) 2006-01-11 2018-10-15 Process cartridge and image forming apparatus
US20180039227A1 US20180039227A1 (en) 2018-02-08
US10162304B2 true US10162304B2 (en) 2018-12-25
Decision on Grant in Russian Patent Application No. 2016152196, dated Feb. 5, 2018 (with English translation).
Examination Report in Malaysian Patent Application No. PI 20182554, dated Mar. 15, 2018.
Extended Search Report in European Patent Application No. 18166842.7, dated Aug. 13, 2018.
Notice of Allowance in Taiwanese Patent Application No. 107117080, dated Oct. 31, 2018.
Oct. 5, 2017 Official Communication in European Patent Application No. 17171902.4.
Office Action in Chinese Patent Application No. 201110148071.2, dated Feb. 22, 2016 (with English translation).
Sep. 19, 2017 Office Action in Taiwanese Patent Application No. 106103515 (with English translation).
CN102169318B (en) 2016-04-06 The process cartridge
US8588647B2 (en) 2013-11-19 Process cartridge and image forming apparatus