Patent ID: 7599645

Claim:
A drive connection mechanism comprising: a sliding unit which is provided at the proximal end of a drive shaft extending through a driven unit with the distal end held rotatably, and has splines extended in an axial direction and formed parallel to each other with equal intervals in the outer circumference; a convex coupling gear which is provided with internal gears to engage with the splines of the sliding part, arranged rotatably together with the drive shaft through the internal gears and slidably in the axial direction of the drive shaft, provided with a first tapered surface inclined in the axial direction to converge toward the distal end on an outer circumference remote from the drive shaft, the first tapered surface having a first bevel gear, and divided into several parts in the circumferential direction; an energizing member which energizes the convex coupling gear divided into several parts in the axial direction toward the driven unit; and a concave coupling gear which is provided in the driven unit, and has a concave part having a second tapered surface opposite to the first tapered surface of each of the convex coupling gear divided into several parts, and a second bevel gear to engage with the first bevel gear on the second tapered surface.