Aspects of the disclosure relate to a developer cartridge.
Electrophotographic image forming apparatuses known in the art include laser printers and light-emitting diode (LED) printers. An image forming apparatus includes developer cartridges and a drum unit. The drum unit includes a plurality of photosensitive drums. The developer cartridges are removable from the drum unit. When a developer cartridge is attached to the drum unit, a developing roller of the developer cartridge contacts the corresponding photosensitive drum of the drum unit.
Each developer cartridge includes a developing roller shaft rotatable together with a developing roller. When the developer cartridge is attached to the drum unit, the developer cartridge rotates, due to weight of the developer cartridge, about the developing roller shaft relative to the drum unit. The developer cartridge is then positioned relative to the drum unit.
When the developer cartridge is attached to the drum unit, the developer cartridge rotates about the developing roller shaft relative to the drum unit. The developing roller of the developer cartridge can apply greatly varying contact pressures to the photosensitive drum of the drum unit depending on the remaining amount of toner in the developer cartridge. Such greatly varying contact pressures between the developing roller and the photosensitive drum can cause inappropriate transfer of toner (white patches or color unevenness) onto a sheet on which images are output.
In response to the above issue, one or more aspects of the present invention are directed to a structure that prevents contact pressure between a photosensitive drum of a drum unit and a developing roller of a developer cartridge from varying greatly depending on the amount of toner remaining in the developer cartridge.
A first aspect of the disclosure provides a developer cartridge with the structure described below. The developer cartridge includes a housing, a developing roller, a first boss, and a pressure receiving surface. The housing extends in a first direction, and may contain toner. The housing has a first end in the first direction, and a second end located away from the first end in the first direction. The developing roller is rotatable about a roller axis extending in a second direction different from the first direction. The developing roller is located nearer the first end than the second end in the first direction. The developing roller has an uncovered surface located at a first end of the developing roller in a third direction and exposed outside the housing, and a covered surface located at a second end of the developing roller in the third direction inside the housing. The first boss extends in the second direction and is movable together with the housing. The first boss is located at a first outer surface of the housing at a first end of the housing in the second direction. The first boss may bear a weight of the developer cartridge when the first boss is supported by a support surface of a first side plate of a drum unit. The first boss is located away from the developing roller in the first direction and the third direction. The pressure receiving surface is located farther away from the developing roller than the first boss in the third direction. The pressure receiving member may receive a pressing force in the third direction from a pressing member of the first side plate of the drum unit. The first boss is located away from the developing roller in the first direction by a first distance. The pressure receiving surface is located away from the developing roller in the first direction by the first distance or by a second distance smaller than the first distance.
A second aspect of the disclosure provides a developer cartridge with the structure below. The developer cartridge includes a housing, a developing roller, a first boss, and a second boss. The housing extends in a first direction and may contain toner. The housing has a first end in the first direction, and a second end located away from the first end in the first direction. The developing roller is rotatable about a roller axis extending in a second direction different from the first direction. The developing roller is located nearer the first end than the second end in the first direction. The developing roller has an uncovered surface and a covered surface. The uncovered surface is located at a first end of the developing roller in a third direction and exposed outside the housing. The covered surface is located at a second end of the developing roller in the third direction inside the housing. The first boss extends in the second direction and is movable together with the housing. The first boss is located at a first outer surface of the housing at a first end of the housing in the second direction. The first boss is located away from the developing roller in the first direction and the third direction. The second boss extends in the second direction and is movable together with the housing. The second boss is located at the first outer surface. The second boss is located farther away from the developing roller than the first boss in the first direction and the third direction.
Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings.
A first direction herein refers to the longitudinal direction of each end face of a developer cartridge. A second direction herein refers to the direction along the axis of rotation of a photosensitive drum. A third direction herein refers to the direction in which a plurality of photosensitive drums are arranged. The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction intersect with one another (at right angles in some embodiments).
1. Structure of Image Forming Apparatus
2. Structure of Developer Cartridge
The housing 11 is a casing configured to contain toner. The housing 11 has a chamber (not shown) configured to contain toner. The housing 11 extends in the second direction. The housing 11 has a first outer surface 111, and a second outer surface 112 located away from the first outer surface 111 in the second direction. The first outer surface 111 is one end face (first end face) of the housing 11 in the second direction. The longitudinal direction of the first outer surface 111 corresponds to the first direction. The second outer surface 112 is the other end face (second end face) of the housing 11 in the second direction. The longitudinal direction of the second outer surface 112 corresponds to the first direction. The housing 11 has a first end 113 in the first direction, and a second end 114 located away from the first end 113 in the first direction.
The developing roller 12 is rotatable about a roller axis extending in the second direction. The developing roller 12 is located between the first outer surface 111 and the second outer surface 112 of the housing 11 in the second direction. The developing roller 12 is located nearer the first end 113 than the second end 114 in the first direction. The developing roller 12 is located at one end (first end) of the housing 11 in the third direction. In other words, the developing roller 12 is located at one outer surface (third outer surface) of the housing 11 in the third direction.
More specifically, the developing roller 12 includes a cylindrical developing roller body and a cylindrical developing roller shaft 12c. The developing roller shaft 12c extends through the center of the developing roller body. The developing roller body rotates together with the developing roller shaft 12c. The developing roller shaft 12c has two ends in the second direction rotatably supported by the two end faces of the housing 11. More specifically, the developing roller shaft 12c has a first end in the second direction rotatably supported by the first outer surface 111 of the housing 11 and a second end in the second direction rotatably supported by the second outer surface 112 of the housing 11.
The developing roller 12 (developing roller body) has an uncovered surface 12a and a covered surface 12b. The developing roller 12 has the uncovered surface 12a located at one end (first end) of the developing roller 12 in the third direction, which is exposed outside the housing 11, and has the covered surface 12b located at other end (second end) of the developing roller 12 in the third direction, which is located inside the housing 11. When the developer cartridge 1 is attached to the drum unit 3, the peripheral surface of the developing roller 12 contacts the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 31.
The agitator (not shown) is rotatable about an agitator axis extending in the second direction. The agitator includes a plurality of agitation blades. The agitator is located between the first outer surface 111 of the housing 11 and the second outer surface 112 of the housing 11 in the second direction. In the first direction, the agitator is located nearer the second end 114 than the developing roller 12. The agitator rotates to agitate the toner contained in the chamber of the housing 11.
The coupling 24 shown in
3. Structure of Drum Unit
The structure of the drum unit 3 will now be described with reference mainly to
As shown in
The photosensitive drums 31 transfer toner fed from the developer cartridges 1 to a print sheet. The photosensitive drums 31 are arranged at intervals in the third direction. Each photosensitive drum 31 is cylindrical. Each photosensitive drum 31 has a peripheral surface. Each photosensitive drum 31 extends in the second direction. The peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 31 is coated with a photosensitive material. Each photosensitive drum 31 is rotatable about a drum axis extending in the second direction.
The first side plate 33, the second side plate 34, and the pullout plate 35 together define a frame. The frame is configured to hold the photosensitive drums 31. The frame has an opening located at one end of the frame in the first direction (in the direction opposite the force of gravity in the present embodiment).
The first side plate 33 supports first ends of the photosensitive drums 31 in the second direction. The first side plate 33 extends perpendicular to the second direction. The first side plate 33 extends in the third direction. The first side plate 33 is a plate. The first side plate 33 includes a plurality of (four in the present embodiment) developer cartridge holders 30. The developer cartridge holders 30 are located at the inner surface of the first side plate 33 in the second direction. The developer cartridge holders 30 are arranged at intervals in the third direction. The developer cartridge holders 30 of the first side plate 33 receive first ends of the developer cartridges 1 in the second direction (ends at the first outer surfaces 111).
The second side plate 34 supports second ends of the photosensitive drums 31 in the second direction. The second side plate 34 extends perpendicular to the second direction. The second side plate 34 extends in the third direction. The second side plate 34 is a plate. The second side plate 34 includes a plurality of (four in the present embodiment) developer cartridge holders (not shown). The developer cartridge holders are located at the inner surface of the second side plate 34 in the second direction. Number of the developer cartridge holders of the second side plate 34 is equal to number of the developer cartridge holders 30 of the first side plate 33. The developer cartridge holders of the second side plate 34 receive second ends of the developer cartridges 1 in the second direction (ends at the second outer surfaces 112).
The pullout plate 35 connects a second end of the first side plate 33 in the third direction and a second end of the second side plate 34 in the third direction. The pullout plate 35 extends perpendicular to the third direction. The pullout plate 35 extends in the second direction. The pullout plate 35 is a plate. The pullout plate 35 has a handle 36. The handle 36 is located at an outer side surface of the pullout plate 35 in the third direction. The handle 36 is gripped by a user to pull or push the drum unit 3 out of or into the body casing 101.
When the developer cartridge 1 is attached to the drum unit 3, the first end of the housing 11 in the second direction held by the developer cartridge holder 30 of the first side plate 33 and the second end of the housing 11 in the second direction held by the developer cartridge holder in the second side plate 34. When the developer cartridge 1 is attached to the drum unit 3, the peripheral surface (uncovered surface 12a) of the developing roller 12 contacts the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 31.
The image forming apparatus 100 with the above structure forms an image on a print sheet. As the coupling 24 and also the photosensitive drum 31 rotate, the toner is fed from the chamber of the housing 11 to the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 31 through the developing roller 12. The toner retained on the peripheral surface of the developing roller 12 moves from the developing roller 12 to the photosensitive drum 31 in accordance with an electrostatic latent image formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 31. The electrostatic latent image thus appears on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 31. The photosensitive drum 31 then transfers the toner onto the print sheet.
4. Detailed Structure for Attachment and Removal
The structure according to the present embodiment for attaching and removing the developer cartridges 1 to and from the drum unit 3 will now be described with reference to
The developer cartridge 1 according to the present embodiment includes a first boss 13, a first collar 14, a first pressure receiving surface (pressure receiving surface) 15, a second boss 16, a second collar 17, a first protrusion 18, a third boss 19, a second pressure receiving surface 21, a fourth boss 22, and a second protrusion 23.
The first boss 13 extends in the second direction. The first boss 13 in the present embodiment is a separate component from the housing 11, and is fixed to the housing 11. In some embodiments, the first boss 13 may be integral with the housing 11. The first boss 13 is movable together with the housing 11. The first boss 13 is located at the first outer surface 111. More specifically, the first boss 13 protrudes from the first outer surface 111 outward in the second direction. As described in detail later, the first boss 13 bears the weight of the developer cartridge 1. The first boss 13 is located away from the developing roller 12 in both the first and third directions. As described in detail later, the first boss 13 is supported by a support surface 41 (described later) of the drum unit 3 when the developer cartridge 1 is attached to the drum unit 3.
The first collar 14 is cylindrical. The first collar 14 is rotatable about the first boss 13. The first collar 14 has hollow. The first collar 14 receives the first boss 13. In some embodiments, the first collar 14 may not be cylindrical. For example, the first collar 14 may be polygonal. The developer cartridge 1 may not include the first collar 14. In this case, a peripheral surface of the first boss 13 may serve as the first collar.
The first pressure receiving surface 15 has arc-shaped surface curved along an arc about a straight line in the second direction. The first pressure receiving surface 15 is located inward from the first outer surface 111 in the second direction. In the third direction, the first pressure receiving surface 15 is located farther away from the developing roller 12 than the first boss 13. The first pressure receiving surface 15 is located at a second end of the housing 11 (opposite to the developing roller 12) in the third direction. In other words, the first pressure receiving surface 15 is located at an outer surface of the second end of the housing 11 in the third direction.
The first boss 13 is located away from the developing roller 12 by a first distance D1 in the first direction. The first pressure receiving surface 15 is located away from the developing roller 12 by the first distance D1 or a second distance D2 smaller than the first distance D1 (D2≤D1) in the first direction. In the present embodiment, as shown in
In the present embodiment, the first distance D1 can be defined as the distance between the peripheral surface of the first boss 13 and the peripheral surface of the developing roller 12, and the second distance D2 can be defined as the distance between the outer surface of the first pressure receiving surface 15 and the peripheral surface of the developing roller 12. In some embodiments, these distances may be defined differently. For example, the first distance D1 may be the distance between the center of rotation of the first boss 13 and the center of rotation of the developing roller 12, and the second distance D2 may be the distance between the center of the arc defined by the outer surface of the first pressure receiving surface 15 and the center of rotation of the developing roller 12. In other embodiments, the first distance D1 may be the distance between the peripheral surface of the first boss 13 and the peripheral surface of the developing roller shaft 12c, and the second distance D2 may be the distance between the outer surface of the first pressure receiving surface 15 and the peripheral surface of the developing roller shaft 12c.
The second boss 16 extends in the second direction. The second boss 16 in the present embodiment is a separate component from the housing 11, and is fixed to the housing 11. In some embodiments, the second boss 16 may be integral with the housing 11. The second boss 16 is movable together with the housing 11. More specifically, the second boss 16 protrudes outward in the second direction. The second boss 16 is located farther away from the developing roller 12 in both the first and third directions than the first boss 13. In other words, the second boss 16 is opposed to the developing roller 12 toward the first boss 13 in the first direction. The second boss 16 is opposed to the first boss 13 toward the developing roller 12 in the third direction. As described in detail later, the second boss 16 receives a pressing force directed from the second end 114 toward the first end 113 in the first direction when the developer cartridge 1 is attached to the drum unit 3.
The second collar 17 is cylindrical. The second collar is rotatable about the second boss 16. The second collar 17 has hollow. The second collar 17 receives the second boss 16. In some embodiments, the second collar 17 may not be cylindrical. For example, the second collar 17 may be polygonal. The developer cartridge 1 may not include the second collar 17. In this case, a peripheral surface of the second boss 16 may serve as the second collar.
The first protrusion 18 extends in the second direction. The first protrusion 18 is located at a first end of the developing roller 12 in the second direction. More specifically, the first protrusion 18 is located at a first end of the developing roller shaft 12c in the second direction. The first protrusion 18 is a separate component from the developing roller 12, and is attached to the developing roller 12. More specifically, the first protrusion 18 is a separate component from the developing roller shaft 12c, and is attached to the developing roller shaft 12c. In some embodiments, the first protrusion 18 may be integral with the developing roller 12. More specifically, the first protrusion 18 may be integral with the developing roller shaft 12c. As described in detail later, the first protrusion 18 contacts a guide 49 of the drum unit 3 when the developer cartridge 1 is attached to the drum unit 3. The first protrusion 18 thus positions the developer cartridge 1 relative to the drum unit 3.
The third boss 19 shown in
The second pressure receiving surface 21 has arc-shaped surface curved along an arc about a straight line in the second direction. The second pressure receiving surface 21 is located away from the first pressure receiving surface 15 in the second direction. The second pressure receiving surface 21 is located inward from the second outer surface 112 in the second direction. The second pressure receiving surface 21 overlaps the first pressure receiving surface 15 when viewed in the second direction. In other words, the second pressure receiving surface 21 is located farther away from the developing roller 12 than the third boss 19 in the third direction.
The third boss 19 is located away from the developing roller 12 by a first distance D1 in the first direction. The second pressure receiving surface 21 is located away from the developing roller 12 by the first distance D1 or a second distance D2 smaller than the first distance D1 in the first direction (D2≤D1).
The fourth boss 22 extends in the second direction. The fourth boss 22 in the present embodiment is a separate component from the housing 11, and is fixed to the housing 11. In some embodiments, the fourth boss 22 may be integral with the housing 11. The fourth boss 22 is movable together with the housing 11. The fourth boss 22 is located at the second outer surface 112. More specifically, the fourth boss 22 protrudes from the second outer surface 112 outward in the second direction. The fourth boss 22 is located at an axis of the second boss 16 extending in the second direction. The developer cartridge 1 has a fourth collar that is rotatable about the fourth boss 22, which is similar to the second collar 17.
The second protrusion 23 extends in the second direction. The second protrusion 23 is located at a second end of the developing roller 12 in the second direction. More specifically, the second protrusion 23 is located at a second end of the developing roller shaft 12c in the second direction. The second protrusion 23 is a separate component from the developing roller 12, and is attached to the developing roller 12. More specifically, the second protrusion 23 is a separate component from the developing roller shaft 12c, and is attached to the developing roller shaft 12c. In some embodiments, the second protrusion 23 may be integral with the developing roller 12. More specifically, the second protrusion 23 may be integral with the developing roller shaft 12c. The second protrusion 23 is located at an axis of the first protrusion 18 extending in the second direction. As described in detail later, the second protrusion 23 and the first protrusion 18 together position the developer cartridge 1 relative to the drum unit 3.
The image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes the developer cartridge holders 30 of the first side plate 33 and the developer cartridge holders of the second side plate 34. More specifically, the developer cartridge holders 30 of the first side plate 33 and the developer cartridge holders of the second side plate 34 in the present embodiment each include a support 46, a pressing member 47, a lock lever 48, and a guide 49 as shown in
The support 46 has a support surface 41 as shown in
The pressing member 47 has a first pressing surface 42. The pressing member 47 is located at the inner surface of the first side plate 33. The first pressing surface 42 is a flat surface substantially perpendicular to the third direction. The first pressing surface 42 is slidable in the third direction. The pressing member 47 includes a spring (not shown), which is an elastic member. When the first pressing surface 42 moves toward a second end of the drum unit 3 in the third direction, the spring of the pressing member 47 presses back the first pressing surface 42 toward a first end of the drum unit 3 in the third direction. The first pressing surface 42 contacts the first pressure receiving surface 15 of the housing 11 when the developer cartridge 1 is attached to the developer cartridge holder 30 of the drum unit 3. The first pressure receiving surface 15 receives, from the first pressing surface 42, a pressing force directed from the second end of the drum unit 3 in the third direction toward the first end of the drum unit 3 in the third direction.
The lock lever 48 is located at a first end of the first side plate 33 in the first direction (end in the direction opposite the force of gravity). The lock lever 48 has a second pressing surface 43 and a guide surface 51. The guide surface 51 is arc-shaped. The second pressing surface 43 is a flat surface continuous with the guide surface 51. The lock lever 48 is pivotable about a pivot axis extending in the third direction between a lock position and a release position. When the lock lever 48 is at the lock position, the guide surface 51 is at least partially located between the first side plate 33 and the second side plate 34, and the second pressing surface 43 is substantially perpendicular to the first direction and faces toward a second end of the drum unit 3 in the first direction. When the lock lever 48 is at the release position, the guide surface 51 is located farther away from the second side plate 34 in the second direction than when the lock lever 48 is at the lock position. The lock lever 48 includes a spring (not shown), which is an elastic member. The spring in the lock lever 48 presses the second pressing surface 43 to the lock position. The second pressing surface 43 contacts the second boss 16 through the second collar 17 when the developer cartridge 1 is attached to the developer cartridge holder 30 of the drum unit 3. The second boss 16 receives, from the second pressing surface 43, a pressing force directed from the first end toward the second end of the drum unit 3 in the first direction.
The guide 49 has a first guide surface 44 and a second guide surface 45. The guide 49 is located at the inner surface of the first side plate 33. The guide 49 is arc-shaped. The first guide surface 44 is a flat surface substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The first guide surface 44 contacts the first protrusion 18 when the developer cartridge 1 rotates about the first boss 13 in the process of being attached to the developer cartridge holder 30 of the drum unit 3. The first guide surface 44 thus positions the developer cartridge 1 relative to the drum unit 3. At this position, the developing roller 12 is adjacent to the photosensitive drum 31.
The second guide surface 45 has a flat surface and a slope surface continuous with the flat surface. The flat surface is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. One end of the slope surface in the third direction connects to the flat surface. The slope surface slopes from one end of the slope surface in the first direction to the other end of the slope surface in the first direction toward the other end of the slope surface in the third direction. The second guide surface 45 is spaced from the first protrusion 18 in the first direction when the developer cartridge 1 rotates about the first boss 13 in the process of being attached to the developer cartridge holder 30 of the drum unit 3. At this position, the developing roller 12 is adjacent to the photosensitive drum 31.
5. Forces Acting Relative to One Another in Attaching Developer Cartridge
The forces acting relative to one another in the process of attaching the developer cartridge 1 to the drum unit 3 will now be described with reference to
To attach the developer cartridge 1 to the drum unit 3, the user first holds the developer cartridge 1 to have the first end 113 of the housing 11 in the first direction facing the second end of the drum unit 3 in the first direction and the second end 114 of the housing 11 of the first direction facing the first end of the drum unit 3 in the first direction. The user then inserts the developer cartridge 1 into the developer cartridge holders (the developer cartridge holder 30 of the first side plate 33 and the developer cartridge holder of the second side plate 34) from the first end of the drum unit 3 in the first direction toward the second end of the drum unit 3 in the first direction (refer to
As the user inserts the developer cartridge 1 further into the drum unit 3 from the first end of the drum unit 3 in the first direction toward the second end of the drum unit 3 in the first direction, the arc-shaped guide surface 51 is pushed by the second boss 16 (second collar 17) to smoothly pivot outward in the drum unit 3 in the second direction against the pressing force of the spring of the lock lever 48. This moves the lock lever 48 to the release position, and allows the developer cartridge 1 to move toward the second end of the drum unit 3 in the first direction. This positions the second boss 16 nearer the second end of the drum unit 3 in the first direction than the lock lever 48. Subsequently, the second pressing surface 43 under the pressing force of the spring of the lock lever 48 pivots inward in the drum unit 3, and places the lock lever 48 to the lock position.
As shown in
As the user inserts the developer cartridge 1 into the drum unit 3 from the first end of the drum unit 3 in the first direction toward the second end of the drum unit 3 in the first direction, the first pressing surface 42 is pushed by the first pressure receiving surface 15 to move toward the second end of the drum unit 3 in the third direction against the pressing force of the spring in the pressing member 47. The first pressure receiving surface 15 thus receives, from the first pressing surface 42, a pressing force directed from the covered surface 12b toward the uncovered surface 12a in the third direction at the same time as or subsequently to slight rotation of the developer cartridge 1 about the first boss 13. At this position, the support surface 41 receives the weight of the developer cartridge 1 applied through the first boss 13. The first boss 13 (first collar 14) thus slides toward the first end of the drum unit 3 in the third direction while being supported by the support surface 41. This moves the developing roller 12 further toward the photosensitive drum 31, and allows the peripheral surface of the developing roller 12 (developing roller body) to contact the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 31 under an appropriate contact pressure. At this position, the support surface 41 bears the weight of the developer cartridge 1. The weight of the developer cartridge 1 is less likely to affect the contact pressure between the developing roller 12 and the photosensitive drum 31. This prevents the contact pressure between the developing roller 12 and the photosensitive drum 31 from varying greatly depending on the amount of toner remaining in the developer cartridge 1.
Immediately before the peripheral surface of the developing roller 12 (developing roller body) contacts the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 31, the first protrusion 18 is held between the first guide surface 44 and the second guide surface 45 in the first direction (refer to
In the manner described above, the developer cartridge 1 is appropriately positioned relative to the drum unit 3 when the developer cartridge 1 is attached to the drum unit 3. At this position, the lock lever 48 is at the lock position. The developer cartridge 1 thus does not easily separate from the drum unit 3 under vibrations or impact applied to the image forming apparatus 100. The structure according to the present embodiment enables reliable attachment and removal of the developer cartridge 1 to and from the drum unit 3.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2018-067897 | Mar 2018 | JP | national |
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/579,778, filed Jan. 20, 2022, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,693,331 which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/110,507 filed Dec. 3, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,249,418, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/680,803, filed Nov. 12, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,859,942, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/143,945, filed Sep. 27, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,520,583, which further claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-067897 filed on Mar. 30, 2018. The contents of the aforementioned applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 17579778 | Jan 2022 | US |
Child | 18317131 | US | |
Parent | 17110507 | Dec 2020 | US |
Child | 17579778 | US | |
Parent | 16680803 | Nov 2019 | US |
Child | 17110507 | US | |
Parent | 16143945 | Sep 2018 | US |
Child | 16680803 | US |