Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US8121518?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2014-10-30 23:02:21
Document Index: 559807746

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 7', 'art 7', 'art 42', 'art 62', 'art 62', 'art 42', 'arts 67', 'arts 25', 'arts 63', 'arts 67', 'arts 25', 'arts 63', 'arts 67', 'arts 25']

Patent US8121518 - Combination in which toner cartridge is removably installed in developing ... - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsAn image forming apparatus is provided which can be switched between states in which a developing roller is attached to an image carrier body by applying a pressing force to a developing cartridge and a state in which the developing roller can be released from attachment from the image carrier body....http://www.google.com/patents/US8121518?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US8121518 - Combination in which toner cartridge is removably installed in developing cartridge, which is removably installed in photoconductor cartridgeAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS8121518 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 12/823,647Publication dateFeb 21, 2012Filing dateJun 25, 2010Priority dateMay 11, 2005Also published asEP1722279A1, EP1722279B1, US7747192, US20060257163, US20100260516Publication number12823647, 823647, US 8121518 B2, US 8121518B2, US-B2-8121518, US8121518 B2, US8121518B2InventorsShougo SatoOriginal AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (35), Non-Patent Citations (4), Referenced by (1), Classifications (7) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetCombination in which toner cartridge is removably installed in developing cartridge, which is removably installed in photoconductor cartridgeUS 8121518 B2Abstract An image forming apparatus is provided which can be switched between states in which a developing roller is attached to an image carrier body by applying a pressing force to a developing cartridge and a state in which the developing roller can be released from attachment from the image carrier body. When an operation part of a toner cartridge is arranged at an installation position a pressing force can be applied to a developing cartridge by protruding parts fitting with spring parts, and a developing roller can be attached to a photoconductor drum by the applied pressure. When the operation part is arranged at a removal position, the fitting can be undone, causing the applied pressure to be released.
The invention claimed is: 1. A combination comprising:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/382,579, filed May 10, 2006, which claims priority from Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2005-138779, filed on May 11, 2005, and 2005-149750, filed May 23, 2005, the entire subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD Aspects of the present invention relate to an image forming apparatus of a so-called electronic photographic system that forms an image by developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier body using toner and causing the image to adhere to a recording medium, and to a process cartridge, a main body cartridge, an image carrier body cartridge, a developing cartridge, and a toner cartridge that can be used in the image forming apparatus.
BACKGROUND In the past, image forming apparatuses have included an image carrier body, having a surface on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developing roller, which causes toner to adhere to the surface of the image carrier body to develop the electrostatic latent image, a transfer roller, which transfers to a recording medium the toner that has adhered to the surface of the image carrier body by the developing roller, and a toner cartridge, in which the toner is accommodated and that is configured so that it can be installed and removed.
SUMMARY Certain aspects of the present invention are directed to a process cartridge. According to one illustrative aspect a process cartridge includes an image carrier body having a surface on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developing roller configured to cause toner to adhere to the surface of the image carrier body to develop the electrostatic latent image, and a single or plural separable housing configured to support the image carrier body and the developing roller, the housing configured to allow the developing roller to be attached to said image carrier body and to be detached from said image carrier body in response to a pressing force. Also, the process cartridge includes a toner cartridge, for holding the toner, the toner cartridge being configured to be installed in and removed from the housing, and a pressure attachment device that is configured to attach the image carrier body and the developing roller by applying a pressing force when the toner cartridge is installed in the housing and is configured release the pressure attachment of the image carrier body and the developing roller when the toner cartridge is removed from the housing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an oblique view that shows the external appearance of a laser printer to according to illustrative aspects of the present invention.
Next, FIG. 3 is a vertical cross sectional drawing that shows the internal configuration of the laser printer 1. As shown in FIG. 3, a support plate 5 that has energy imparted to it in an upward direction by a spring 6 is provided in the interior of the paper feed cassette 3, and a paper feed roller 9, which feeds paper (not shown in the drawing) held in a stacked state on the support plate 5 toward the image forming part 7 separately one sheet at a time, is arranged further up on the front surface side of the support plate 5. In addition, a conveyance roller 11, which operates in conjunction with the paper feed roller 9 to convey the paper, and a guide 13, which returns the paper conveyed by the conveyance roller 11 approximately 180� along the outer circumference of the paper feed roller 9, and a pair of resist rollers 14 and 15, which catch the front edge of the paper by appropriately stopping and adjusting the angular advance of the paper, are sequentially arranged in the conveyance path of the paper from the paper feed roller 9 to the image forming part 7.
As shown in FIG. 4, guide grooves 42 d that guide this rotary shaft 903 are formed at the left and right end surfaces of the installation part 42. The rotary shaft 903 is guided by the guide grooves 42 d at the time of installation of the toner cartridge 60, so it is easy to engage the protruding stripe 64 a with the long groove 42 b. Next, FIG. 6(A) is a drawing of the photoconductor cartridge 20, the developing cartridge 40, and the toner cartridge 60 as seen from the front surface side when the operation part 62 has been arranged at the aforementioned installation position, and FIG. 6(B) is a drawing of the photoconductor cartridge 20, the developing cartridge 40, and the toner cartridge 60 as seen from the front surface side when the operation part 62 has been arranged at the aforementioned removal position.
In addition, if the toner cartridge 60 is installed in the installation part 42, in the manner discussed above, the photoconductor drum 20, the developing cartridge 40, and the toner cartridge 60 are made into a unit, and it is possible to perform installation and removal as a unit along the guide groove 121. Therefore, in the laser printer 1, the ability to resolve jam handling can be improved. Also, by the protruding parts 67 fitting into the spring parts 25 and pressing the toner cartridge 60 in the direction of the developing cartridge 40, a state in which the photoconductor drum 20, the developing cartridge 40, and the toner cartridge 60 are joined is maintained at least two locations, making it possible to reinforce the strength of the rails 42 c and the engagement parts 63 c. Note that, in the above illustrative aspect, the photoconductor cartridge 20, the developing cartridge 40, and the toner cartridge 60 can correspond to a process cartridge, the photoconductor cartridge 20 and the developing cartridge 40 can correspond to the main body cartridge, the housing portion of the photoconductor cartridge 20 and the developing cartridge 40 can correspond to the housing, protruding parts 67, spring parts 25, and compression coil springs 26 or like can correspond to the pressure attachment device, rails 42 c and engagement parts 63 c can correspond to the engagement parts, protruding parts 67 and the fitting parts can correspond to the action receiving parts, spring parts 25 can correspond to the fitting receiving parts, and shutter 48 and outer cylinder 64 can correspond to the shielding member.
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