Cylindrical Member and Engagement Member Assembly

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cylindrical member, an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a developing roller, and a process cartridge.

The cylindrical member, the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and the developing roller are used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording medium by an electrophotographic image forming method. Examples of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus include electrophotographic copiers, electrophotographic printers (for example, laser beam printers, LED printers, etc.), facsimile machines, word processors, and so on.

2. Related Background Art

The conventional electrophotographic image forming apparatus employing the electrophotographic image forming process uses cylindrical members such as an electrophotographic photosensitive drum or the developing roller. An engaging member so called as a drum flange or the like is attached to an end of these cylindrical members.

An example of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum will be described as a typical example. This electrophotographic photosensitive drum is constructed in such an arrangement that the engaging member, e.g., a drum gear and a drum flange, for receiving a driving force for rotating the photosensitive drum is coupled with an end of a cylinder, the surface of which is coated with a photosensitive, electroconductive material.

A method for coupling the cylinder with the engaging member is the method shown in European Patent Publication No. 0 528 568 Al, in which the engaging member provided with a depression is inserted into the end of a cylinder. Then the end of the cylinder is cut and bent to achieve coupling.

Another method is the method shown in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 6-264920, in which the internal surface of the cylinder is first subjected to the spigot joint processing. Then, the engaging member is engaged with the internal surface of the cylinder. Then, the cylinder is cut and bent at a plurality of portions thereof to engage the cut and bent portions with a depression of the engaging member.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cylindrical member, an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a developing roller, and a process cartridge, improved in the transmitting the coupling force between the cylinder and the engaging member.

Anther object of the present invention is to provide a cylindrical member, an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a developing roller, and a process cartridge, improved in cylindricity.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a cylindrical member, an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a developing roller, and a process cartridge incorporating the foregoing, either one of the cylindrical member, the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and the developing roller comprising a cylinder, the cylinder having a thin portion of a small thickness at a longitudinal end; and an engaging member, the engaging member being fitted to an internal surface of the longitudinal end of the cylinder and being provided with a depression corresponding to the thin portion of the cylinder; wherein the engaging member is attached to the cylinder by bending the thin portion of the cylinder into the depression.

The other objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent by the detailed description below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of a photosensitive drum according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of an end of a cylinder in a cut and bend step;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the end of the cylinder in the cut and bend step;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view to show a step of step processing+cut and bend coupling;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view to show the dimensional relation of the cylinder according to the present invention;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are longitudinal, cross-sectional views, each showing another embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view to show the schematic structure of a normal transfer type electrophotographic apparatus incorporating the photosensitive drum according to the embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view to show the appearance of the apparatus shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of a process cartridge;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of appearance as a view from the upper right of the process cartridge shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a right side view of the process cartridge shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a left side view of the process cartridge shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of appearance as a view from the upper left of the process cartridge shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of appearance for showing the lower left side of the process cartridge shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of appearance to show a mounting portion for the process cartridge in the main body of the apparatus;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of appearance to show another mounting portion for the process cartridge in the main body of the apparatus;

FIG. 17 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of a photosensitive drum and a driving device thereof;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a cleaning unit;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a developing unit; and

FIG. 20 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of a developing roller according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention will be described referring to the drawings with examples of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum (as will be referred to as "photosensitive drum") and the developing roller as cylindrical members. (Cylindrical member)

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a photosensitive drum according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment the photosensitive drum 7 has gear flange 16 as a drum flange. This gear flange 16 is coupled with an end of drum cylinder 7d and has drum gear 16a in the peripheral surface thereof. This gear flange 16 receives a driving force from the main body of the apparatus. This gear flange 16 is for supporting the photosensitive drum 7 on a frame and for rotating the photosensitive drum 7. The gear flange 16 is provided with a cylindrical fitting portion 16b for fitting with the drum cylinder 7d of a hollowed cylinder shape. In this fitting portion 16b there are a plurality of depressions 16c formed at intervals in the peripheral surface thereof. The drum cylinder 7d has a photosensitive layer 7b of a photoconductive layer as a coating of photosensitive substance on the peripheral surface thereof. The drum cylinder 7d is fitted with the fitting portion 16b of the gear flange 16 with a predetermined fitting tolerance. Further, a stepped portion 7g is provided at the end of the drum cylinder 7d.

The axial length L2 of the stepped portion 7g is shorter than the axial length L1 of a portion of the fitting portion 16b in contact with the drum cylinder 7d. An intermediate portion 7c of the drum cylinder 7d has constant inside and outside diameters throughout the entire length thereof. The stepped portion 7g has the same inside diameter as the intermediate portion 7c and the outside diameter of the stepped portion 7g is smaller than that of the intermediate portion 7c. Therefore, the thickness of the stepped portion 7g (thin portion) is smaller than that of the intermediate portion 7c. When a shear force is applied perpendicular to the axis of drum cylinder 7d, no influence is caused by the thinner arrangement of the stepped portion 7g than the intermediate portion 7c and strength and rigidity is kept sufficient.

A cross section of the depression 16c by a plane including the axis of gear flange 16 is rectangular. In the cross section, two opposed sides are parallel to a plane perpendicular to the axis of gear flange 16.

In the assembled state, an end face 7e of the drum cylinder 7d is in contact with a side face 16e of the gear flange 16. Parts of the stepped portion 7g are cut in parallel to the axial direction and bent, thereby forming cut and bent (lanced and bent) portions 7f. The cut and bent portions 7f are fitted just in the depressions 16c in the circumferential direction and are in contact with caulking receiving faces 16f of the depressions 16c perpendicular to the axis. Caulking flanks 16d opposite to the caulking receiving faces 16f of the depressions 16c are on the same plane as the side face 16e of the gear flange 16 in this example.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view to show the cut and bend step of the end of drum cylinder and FIG. 3 is a plan view thereof. The gear flange 16 is inserted into the end of the drum cylinder 7d of the photosensitive drum 7. Then, the parts of the stepped portion 7g are cut and bent toward the depressions 16c provided in the gear flange 16. The gear flange 16 is thus coupled with the end of drum cylinder 7d. A presser tool 23 for cutting and bending the stepped portion 7g will be described.

The presser tool 23 has working faces 23a for contact with the side face 16e and caulking flanks 16d of the gear flange 16. These working faces 23a work to transmit a reaction force of bending stress and shearing stress simultaneously occurring upon cut and bend of the parts of stepped portion 7g to the side face 16e and caulking flanks 16d of the gear flange 16. The side face 16e and caulking flanks 16d of the gear flange 16 desirably have wide areas, accordingly. If not, work flaws could be made in the gear flange 16 where the gear flange 16 is made of a plastic material. In the drawings, reference symbol 7f designates the cut and bent portions which are portions cut and bent by the working faces 23a. In the present embodiment the stepped portion 7g is not simply bent, but is cut and bent by the tool 23, thereby increasing the coupling force.

The tool edge is constructed in such a structure that bend acting portion 23c is provided at an angle .alpha. (approximately 30.degree.) from tool tip 23b with respect to the working face 23a. A cross section of tool shank 23d is nearly a rectangle, having the same width as the circumferential width of the cross section of depression 16c. An angle of cutting edge is an angle between the bend acting portion 23c and the side face being continuous therefrom as crossing it. The angle of the cutting edge is 90.degree. or a positive rake angle. A material for the presser tool 23 is tool steel.

Assembling steps of the cylindrical member will be described.

The gear flange 16 is fitted to the drum cylinder 7d along the outside diameter of the fitting portion 16b of gear flange 16. After this fitting, the end face 7e of drum cylinder 7d and the end face 16e of gear flange 16 are kept in press contact by a jig (not illustrated). At this time, the fitting between the gear flange 16 and the drum cylinder 7d is preferably fitting without play between them and without deformation of the outside diameter of drum cylinder 7d. More specifically, the clearance between the gear flange 16 and the drum cylinder 7d is preferably in the range of approximately 0 to 10 .mu.m. After the gear flange 16 is fitted with the drum cylinder 7d, the aforementioned presser tool 23, having the tips of an acute angle, is moved toward the outer peripheral surface of drum cylinder 7d and comes to contact the outer peripheral surface of drum cylinder 7d at four positions in the circumferential direction of gear flange 16, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.

At this time, the height of the working faces 23a of the presser tool 23 is the same as the position of the end face 7e of drum cylinder 7d. The width of the depressions 16c provided in the fitting portion 16b of gear flange 16 fitted in the drum cylinder 7d is equivalent to the width of the tip portions of the presser tool 23. As keeping the presser tool 23 and the depressions in the positional relation without deviation, the presser tool 23 is linearly moved in the radial direction of the gear flange 16 before it comes to contact the outer peripheral surface of drum cylinder 7d. Then the presser tool 23 is further moved into the gear flange 16 by a predetermined amount of penetration from the contact points, whereby the end portion (the stepped portion 7g) of the drum cylinder 7d is bent along the surface configuration of the bent acting portion 23c of the presser tool 23.

After that, the tool 23 is moved further to soon cut the end portion of drum cylinder 7d along the corners of depressions 16c in the fitting portion 16b of gear flange 16 to form parallel cut lines. Then the end portion (the stepped portion 7g) of drum cylinder 7d, partially cut and bent, is fixed in close fit with the caulking receiving faces 16f and the faces being continuous therefrom as crossing the caulking receiving faces 16f in the depressions 16c, thereby coupling the gear flange 16 with the drum cylinder 7d.

Namely, the advancing of the presser tool 23 completely cuts the stepped portion 7g at the end of the drum cylinder 7d to bring the cut faces into close fit with the configuration of depression 16c. Since the cut faces of the end partially cut and bent are coupled in close fit with the depressions 16c provided in the fitting portion 16b of the gear flange 16, a high coupling force can be maintained without a rattle, looseness, or the like in the rotational direction and in the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 7.

The foregoing described the steps for coupling the cylinder with the engaging portion at the end thereof in the present embodiment. The function of the stepped portion formed at the end of cylinder, which is the feature of the embodiment, will be described referring to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a drawing to show the cut and bent coupling where the end of the cylinder according to the present embodiment is processed by the step forming process.

Comparing this coupling by a cut and bend process with bonding or the like, it has the merits that the coupling force can be kept at so high a strength as to be stable against thermal deformation and that coupling can be achieved instantaneously by a very simple method.

The present embodiment thus provides a highly accurate coupling method with a stable and firm coupling force and without causing deformation. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view to show an example of the photosensitive drum 7 according to the present embodiment described above. As shown in FIG. 4, the end portion of drum cylinder 7d has the stepped portion 7g. When the end portion of drum cylinder 7d is processed by the step forming process so as to make the end thinner than the original thickness, no deformation will take place around the cut and bent portions for the two reasons below.

(1) Thinning of the end of the drum cylinder can decrease resistance upon the cut and bend process.

(2) When the step is provided, stress that may cause deformation is concentrated at the corner a of the step. This can thus minimize propagation of deformation in the axial direction over the corner. In FIG. 4 the corner a of the step is illustrated at about 90.degree., but it may be of an acute angle or an obtuse angle within a range to induce the stress concentration.

FIG. 5 shows the dimensional relation of the step processed portion of the drum cylinder 7d alone.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view to show an axial cross section of the drum cylinder 7d in the present embodiment. In the same drawing, T represents the thickness of the intermediate portion 7c of drum cylinder 7d and t represents the thickness of the stepped portion 7g at the end of drum cylinder processed by the step forming process. There is the following relation between T and t: T>t. Further, L2 represents the length of the step processed portion and D denotes the outside diameter of the cylinder. The results of our experiment showed that the greater the length L2 of the step processed portion, the less the deformation. However, lengths that are too large would affect the photosensitive layer 7b of the photosensitive drum 7 and small lengths are thus preferred as possible. The smaller the thickness t of the stepped portion 7g, the less the deformation. However, thicknesses that are too small would degrade torque loading performance of the coupling part, and the preferred thicknesses are thus approximately a quarter or more of the thickness T of the intermediate portion 7c.

The shape of the stepped portion in the present embodiment is not limited to the above shape. For example, the stepped portion may be formed in such a shape that a plurality of grooves are formed partially in the circumferential direction like circumferential, rectangular groove 7h shown in FIG. 6A or like circumferential V-groove 7i shown in FIG. 6B. (Configurations of photosensitive drum)

Specific configurations of the photosensitive drum will be described in detail.

(1) An aluminum cylinder, which was made of an aluminum drawn pipe (name: H63S, the inside diameter of fitting portion: .phi. 62 mm, the thickness: 1.5 mm, the length: 365.5 mm) available from Kobe Steel, Ltd., was processed by the step forming process at the end thereof to form the stepped portion 7g in the length L2: 4 mm and the thickness t: 1.0 mm, obtaining the drum cylinder 7d.

This cylinder was coated with an ammonia solution of casein (casein 11.2 g, 28% ammonia water 1 g, water 222 ml) by the dip coating method and it was dried to form an under coating layer in a coating amount of 1.0 g/m.

Then a part by weight of aluminum chloride phthalocyanine, a part by weight of butyral resin (trade name: ESLEC BM-2: available from Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.), and 30 parts by weight of isopropyl alcohol were dispersed for four hours by a ball mill dispersion mixer. This dispersion solution was applied onto the under coating layer formed in the above step by the dip coating method and was dried to form a charge generating layer. The thickness at this time was 0.3 .mu.m.

Then a part by weight of hydrazone compound, a part by weight of polysulfone resin (trade name: P1700: available from Union Carbide), and 6 parts by weight of monochlorobenzene were mixed and stirred to dissolve by a stirrer. This solution was applied onto the charge generating layer by the dip coating method and was dried to form a charge transport layer. The thickness at this time was 12 .mu.m. The distance L3 of the end face 7h of the photosensitive layer 7b thus formed from the end face 7e of the drum cylinder 7d was 12 mm.

The drum gear flange 16 was made by injection molding of polyacetal resin (trade name: "Juracon M90-02" a copolymer available from Polyplastic) (with the outside diameter of the fitting portion: .phi.58.6 mm, under the following molding conditions: the nozzle temperature: 200.degree. C., the cylinder temperature: 180.degree. C. at the tip, the intermediate portion 170.degree. C., the rear part 160.degree. C., the injection pressure: 800 kg/cm, the mold temperatures: 60.degree. C. in the cavity and 60.degree. C. in the core). The depressions 16c of the rectangular hole shape (the width 3 mm, the height 1 mm, and the depth 3 mm) were made at four positions in the directions of right angles from the center of gear flange 16 in the fitting portion 16b of the gear flange 16. The drum gear flange 16 was fitted to the drum cylinder 7d (circular barrel) thus fabricated. The presser tool 23 composed of the material SKD 30 having a width of 3 mm at the tip and an angle of 30.degree. was urged against the depressions 16c by the penetration amount of 1.5 mm. In this way, the end of the drum cylinder 7d was cut and bent along the configuration of the depressions 16c, thereby fabricating the photosensitive drum 7 in which the gear flange 16 and drum cylinder 7d were coupled with each other.

For checking deformation around the flange-coupling portion of the photosensitive drum 7 obtained in this way, cylindricity was measured at intervals of 1 mm at the position of about 50 mm from the drum cylinder end face 7e by use of a roundness measuring device (RA-600 available from Mitsutoyo). As a result, the cylindricity was 11 .mu.m.

The photosensitive drum 7 thus obtained was mounted on a process cartridge B of a laser beam printer A available from CANON INC. Then, this process cartridge B was kept still for 48 hours in a high-temperature and high-humidity vessel (specifically, at a temperature of 32.5.degree. C. and a relative humidity of 85 %). After that, the process cartridge B was set in the main body 13 of laser beam printer under the same circumstances and intermittent formation of 10000 images was carried out. After image formation, the photosensitive drum 7 was taken out of the process cartridge B and it was checked whether there was rattle, looseness, or disconnection due to the durability test in the connecting parts of the gear flange 16 and drum cylinder 7d. The result of the check showed that these effects were present not at all, and thus good images were obtained without the problems of pitch nonuniformity, fog, and the like on the images by the drum cylinder 7d. The photosensitive drum 7 after the durability test was kept fixed and torque was applied to the gear flange 16 by use of a commercially available torque gauge to measure the breakdown torque of the coupling parts of the drum cylinder 7d and gear flange 16. As a result, the measured breakdown torque was 154 kg-cm.

(2) The photosensitive drum 7 was fabricated under the same conditions as in Example (1) except that the thickness t of the stepped portion 7g in Example (1) was changed to 0.8 mm. The same measurement and evaluation as in Example (1) were carried out. The evaluation result was the same as that in Example (1). The breakdown torque of the coupling parts of the drum cylinder 7d and gear flange 16 at that time was 122 kg-cm and the cylindricity of the end of the drum cylinder 7d was 8 .mu.m.

(3) The photosensitive drum 7 was fabricated under the same conditions as in Example (1) except that the thickness t of the stepped portion 7g in Example (1) was changed to 0.6 mm. The same measurement and evaluation as in Example (1) were carried out. The evaluation result was the same as that in Example (1). The breakdown torque of the coupling parts of the drum cylinder 7d and gear flange 16 was 110 kg-cm and the cylindricity of the end of drum cylinder 7d was 6 .mu.m.

(4) The photosensitive drum 7 was fabricated under the same conditions as in Example (1) except that the thickness t of the stepped portion 7g in Example (1) was changed to 0.5 mm. The same measurement and evaluation as in Example (1) were carried out. The evaluation result was the same as that in Example (1). The breakdown torque of the coupling parts of the drum cylinder 7d and gear flange 16 was 103 kg-cm and the cylindricity of the end of drum cylinder 7d was 5 .mu.m.

For checking the deformation around the flange-coupling portion of the photosensitive drum 7 thus obtained, the roundness and cylindricity were measured at intervals of 1 mm at the position of about 50 mm from the end portion of drum cylinder 7d by use of the roundness measuring device (RA-600 available from Mitsutoyo). As a result, the cylindricity was 46 .mu.m, which was inferior to those of the foregoing examples.

The results of the above examples are shown together in Table 1.

As apparent from Table 1, the thickness of the thin portion (the stepped portion) is preferably between 0.5 mm and 1.0 mm. The thickness of the thin portion is more preferably between 0.6 mm and 0.8 mm. (Configurations of developing roller) Specific configurations of the developing roller will be described. FIG. 20 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of a developing roller according to the present embodiment.

<Example 4>

An aluminum cylinder, which was an aluminum drawn cylinder 101 (the outside diameter: .phi.16 mm, the thickness: 2 mm, the length: 330 mm) available from Kobe Steel, Ltd., was subjected to the step forming process at the end thereof to form the stepped portion 10j in the length L2: 3 mm and the thickness t of the stepped portion 10j: 0.8 mm.

Then a paint was prepared by mixing 20 parts by weight of phenol resin, 9 parts by weight of natural graphite (average particle diameter 7 .mu.m), a part by weight of carbon black (average particle diameter 0.2 .mu.m), and 20 parts by weight of IPA, dispersing them for three hours with a mixture of glass beads in a paint shaker, and controlling the solid content of the paint to 25%. After that, the paint was applied to the surface of the cylinder by the air spray method to form a coating layer and it was then heated at 150.degree. C. for 30 minutes in a hot-air drying furnace to harden.

The cylinder 101 fabricated in this way was coupled with sleeve flange 10k made by injection molding of polyacetal resin (trade name: "Juracon AW-01" available from Polyplastic) in such a way that the sleeve flange 10k was lightly pressed into a spigot joint portion of the cylinder 101 before the flange 10k was fitted in the cylinder 101. An amount of press fitting between the flange 10k and the cylinder 101 at this time was 10 .mu.m.

The depressions of the rectangular hole shape (the width: 3 mm, the height: 1 mm, the depth: 3 mm) were formed at four positions in the directions of right angles from the center of flange in the coupling part of the flange and then the presser member of the material SKD 30, having a width 3 mm and an angle 30.degree. at the tip, was moved into the depressions by the penetration amount of 1.5 mm. Then a cut and bend (the cut and bent portion 10 m) was made while the end of cylinder was bent along the configuration of depressions, thus fabricating the developing roller in which the flange and cylinder were coupled with each other.

For checking the deformation around the flange-coupling part of the developing roller obtained in this way, the cylindricity was measured at intervals of 1 mm at the position of about 50 mm from the end face of cylinder by use of the roundness measuring device (RA-600 available from Mitsutoyo). As a result, the cylindricity was 11 .mu.m.

The developing roller thus obtained was mounted on a process cartridge of the laser beam printer available from CANON INC. Then this process cartridge was kept still for 48 hours in the high-temperature and high-humidity vessel (specifically, at the temperature 32.5.degree. C. and the relative humidity 85%). After that, the process cartridge was set in the laser beam printer under the same circumstances and intermittent formation of 10000 images was carried out. After the image formation, the developing roller was taken out of the process cartridge and was checked as to whether rattle, looseness, or disconnection occurred in the coupling parts of the flange and cylinder. The result showed that such at all, and thus good images were obtained without the problems of pitch nonuniformity depending upon cycles of sleeve, fog, and the like on the images. After the durability test, the developing roller was kept fixed and the breakdown torque was measured at the coupling part of the flange by a commercially available torque gauge.

As a result, the breakdown torque was 97 kg.multidot.cm.

<Example 5>

The developing roller was fabricated and evaluated by the same methods as in Example 4 except that the thickness t of the step processed portion was changed to 0.6 mm. The result showed that very good images were obtained without the problems, especially without the pitch nonuniformity depending upon cycles of the sleeve, as in Example 4. The cylindricity at this time was 9 .mu.m and the breakdown torque was 90 kg.multidot.cm.

<Example 6>

The developing roller was fabricated and evaluated by the same methods as in Example 4 except that the thickness: t of the step processed portion was changed to 0.4 mm. The result showed that very good images were obtained without the problems, especially without the pitch nonuniformity depending upon cycles of sleeve, as in Example 4. The cylindricity at this time was 7 .mu.m and the breakdown torque was 82 kg.multidot.cm.

The results of the above examples are shown together in Table 2.

As apparent from Table 2, the thickness of the thin portion (the stepped portion) is preferably between 0.4 mm and 0.8 mm.

The cylindrical member according to the present invention is not limited to the photosensitive drum and the developing roller, but it can be effectively applied to any member that is required to have strong coupling between the cylinder and the engaging member at the end. It is also effectively applied to various roller members to which a driving force is transmitted, for example, such as a platen roller, a conveying roller, a fixing roller, or a printing plate roll.

As described above, the present invention can provide a highly accurate cylindrical member, because the engaging member is attached to the cylinder by bending the thin portion of the cylinder toward the depressions.

(Description of electrophotographic image forming apparatus and process cartridge)

The electrophotographic image forming apparatus and process cartridge as an embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In the process cartridge described below, the embodiment described above is applied to at least either one of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum 7 and the developing roller 10d. In the embodiment described below, the drum flange 16 receives the driving force for rotating the electrophotographic photosensitive drum 7 through projection 17a from the main body of the apparatus. Then, the rotating force is transmitted through helical gear 16a to the developing roller 10d.

In the following description, the lateral direction of the process cartridge B is a direction in which the process cartridge B is mounted or dismounted with respect to the main body 13, which is coincident with the conveying direction of the recording medium. The longitudinal direction of the process cartridge B is a direction crossing (nearly perpendicular to) the direction in which the process cartridge B is mounted or dismounted with respect to the main body 13. This direction is parallel to the surface of recording medium and crosses (nearly perpendicular to) the conveying direction of the recording medium. Right or left with respect to the process cartridge is defined when the recording medium is viewed from the top along the conveying direction of recording medium.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory drawing to show the configuration of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus (laser beam printer) as an embodiment. FIG. 8 is a perspective view to show the appearance of the apparatus. FIG. 9 to FIG. 14 are drawings to show the process cartridge to which the embodiment of the present invention is applied. In the following description, the top surface of the process cartridge B is a surface located up when the process cartridge is mounted in the main body 13, and the bottom surface is a surface located down.

(Electrophotographic image forming apparatus A and process cartridge B)

First, the laser beam printer A as an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the embodiment of the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8. FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional side view of the process cartridge B.

This laser beam printer A is for forming an image on a recording medium (for example, recording sheet, OHP sheet, fabric, etc.) by the electrophotographic image forming process. A toner image is formed on an electrophotographic, photosensitive member of a drum shape (as will be referred to as "a photosensitive drum"). Specifically, the photosensitive drum is electrified by a charging device. Then the photosensitive drum is exposed to laser light according to image information from an optical device, whereby a latent image according to the image information is formed on the photosensitive drum. Then, this latent image is developed by a developing device to form a toner image. In synchronization with the formation of the toner image, the recording medium 2 set in sheet feed cassette 3a is conveyed, as inverted, through pickup roller 3b, conveying roller pair 3c, 3d, and registration roller pair 3e. Then, the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 7 of the process cartridge B is transferred to the recording medium 2 by applying voltage to transfer roller 4 as a transferring device.

After that, the recording medium 2 to which the toner image was transferred is conveyed through conveying guide 3f to fixing device 5. This fixing device 5 has driving roller 5c and fixing roller 5b incorporating heater 5a. The toner image thus transferred is fixed by applying heat and pressure to the passing recording medium 2. Then this recording medium 2 is conveyed through discharge rollers 3g, 3h, 3i to be discharged through inversion path 3j onto discharge tray 6. This discharge tray 6 is provided on the top surface of the main body 13 of the image forming apparatus A. The recording medium 2 may also be discharged without passing the inversion path 3j by actuating a rockable flapper 3k to guide it through discharge roller pair 3m.

In the present embodiment the conveying device 3 is composed of the pickup roller 3b, conveying roller pair 3c, 3d, registration roller pair 3e, conveying guide 3f, discharge roller group 3g, 3h, 3i, and discharge roller pair 3m.

On the other hand, the process cartridge B rotates the photosensitive drum 7 having the photosensitive layer 7b (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 17) to uniformly charge the surface thereof by applying the voltage to the charging roller 8 as a charging device, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 9 to FIG. 14. Then the photosensitive drum 7 is exposed to the laser beam light according to the image information from the optical system 1 through an exposure aperture 1e, thereby forming a latent image thereon. Then, this latent image is developed by the developing device 10 with toner. Namely, the charging roller 8 is in contact with the photosensitive drum 7 and electrifies the photosensitive drum 7. This charging roller 8 is rotated as following the photosensitive drum 7. The developing device 10 supplies the toner to the development area of the photosensitive drum 7 to develop the latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 7. The optical system 1 has laser diode 1a, polygon mirror 1b, lens 1c, and reflecting mirror 1d.

Here, the developing device 10 feeds the toner in the toner container 10A to the developing roller 10d by rotation of toner feed member 10b. Then, the developing roller 10d, having a built-in stationary magnet, is rotated and a toner layer with triboelectrification charge is formed on the surface of developing roller 10d by developing blade 10e. The toner is supplied to the development area of photosensitive drum 7. Then, the toner is transferred to the photosensitive drum 7, depending upon the latent image, to visualize the latent image as forming a toner image. The developing blade 10e is for determining a toner amount on the peripheral surface of developing roller 10d and for giving the toner the triboelectrification charge. A toner agitating member 10f for circulating the toner in the developing chamber is mounted as rotatable in the vicinity of the developing roller 10d.

Then the voltage of the opposite polarity to that of the foregoing toner image is applied to the transferring roller 4 to transfer the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum onto the recording medium 2. After that, the residual toner on the photosensitive drum 7 is removed by a cleaning device 11. This cleaning device 11 scrapes off the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 7 by an elastic cleaning blade 11a provided in contact with the photosensitive drum 7 to store the scraped-off toner in waste toner reservoir 11b.

The process cartridge B is constructed by coupling the toner frame 12a having the toner container (toner storing section) 1OA for storing the toner with developing frame 12b for holding the developing device 10 including the developing roller 10d, etc. Then it is coupled with cleaning frame 12c incorporating the photosensitive drum 7, the cleaning device 11 including the cleaning blade 11a, etc., and the charging roller 8. This process cartridge B can be mounted or dismounted with respect to the image forming main body 13 by an operator.

This process cartridge B is provided with the exposure aperture 1e for exposing the photosensitive drum 7 to the light according to the image information and a transfer aperture 12n for opposing the photosensitive drum 7 to the recording medium 2. Specifically, the exposure aperture 1e is formed in the cleaning frame 12c. The transfer aperture 12n is provided between the developing frame 12b and the cleaning frame 12c.

Next described is the configuration of the housing of the process cartridge B according to the present embodiment.

For constructing the process cartridge B shown in the present embodiment, the toner frame 12a is first coupled with the developing frame 12b. Then the cleaning frame 12c is coupled as rotatable with it to form the housing, and the photosensitive drum 7, charging roller 8, developing device 10, and cleaning device 11 are stored in the housing, thus forming a cartridge. Then, this process cartridge B is removably mounted on a cartridge mounting device provided in the image forming main body 13.

(Configuration of housing of process cartridge B)

The process cartridge B according to the present embodiment is constructed by coupling the toner frame 12a, the developing frame 12b, and the cleaning frame 12c with each other to form the housing as described above. The configuration will be detailed below.

As shown in FIG. 9, the toner feed member 10b is attached as rotatable to the toner frame 12a. The developing roller 10d and developing blade 10e are mounted in the developing frame 12b. Further, the toner agitating member 10f for circulating the toner in the developing chamber is mounted as rotatable in the vicinity of the developing roller 10d. In the developing frame 12b an antenna rod 10h is mounted nearly parallel to the developing roller 10d and opposite to the longitudinal direction thereof, as shown in FIG. 9. Then, the toner frame 12a and developing frame 12b are welded with each other (by ultrasonic welding in the present embodiment) to form a developing unit D (see FIG. 19) as an incorporated second frame.

The toner developing unit is provided with drum shutter member 48 for covering the photosensitive drum 7 when the process cartridge B is removed from the image forming main body 13, thereby protecting the photosensitive drum 7 from exposure to light for a long period or from contact with foreign matter or the like.

As shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 18, the cleaning frame 12c is provided with the members including the photosensitive drum 7, charging roller 8, and cleaning device 11, thereby composing a cleaning unit C (see FIG. 18) as a first frame.

Then, the above developing unit D and cleaning unit C are coupled as rotatable with each other by coupling members 22 of circular pins, thereby composing the process cartridge B. Namely, as shown in FIG. 19, a rotation hole 19a of a circular shape is provided in parallel to the developing roller 10d at the distal end of each arm 19 formed on either side of the longitudinal direction (the direction along the axis of the developing roller 10d) of the developing frame 12b (see FIG. 19). On the other hand, recesses 21 for the arms 19 to enter are provided at two positions on the both sides of the longitudinal direction of the cleaning frame 12c (see FIG. 18). The arms 19 are inserted into the recesses 21, and the coupling members 22 are pressed into associated mounting holes 12c5 of the cleaning frame 12c, are fitted into the rotation holes 19a at the ends of the arms 19, and further are pressed into inside holes 12c5. This causes the developing unit D and cleaning unit C to be coupled with each other as rotatable about the coupling members 22.

At this time a compression coil spring 22a seated on an unrepresented dowel standing at the root of each arm 19 comes to contact the upper wall of the recess 21 in the cleaning frame 12c. These compression coil springs 22a urge the developing frame 12b downward, thereby securely pushing the developing roller 10d against the photosensitive drum 7. The upper wall of each recess 21 of the cleaning frame 12c is provided with such an inclination that the above compression coil springs 22a may gradually increase compression from a non-compressing state upon assembly of the developing unit D and cleaning unit C. Spacer rollers 10i having a larger diameter than the developing roller 10d are attached at the both longitudinal ends of the developing roller 10d as shown in FIG. 19.

This arrangement causes the rollers 10i to be urged against the photosensitive drum 7, so that the photosensitive drum 7 and the developing roller 10d may be opposed to each other with a constant gap (approximately 300 .mu.m). Accordingly, the developing unit D and cleaning unit C are rotatable relative to each other about the coupling members 22 and the positional relation between the peripheral surface of photosensitive drum 7 and the peripheral surface of developing roller 10d can be maintained by the elastic force of the compression coil springs 22a. (Configuration of guide means for process cartridge B)

Next described is a guide means used upon mounting or dismounting of the process cartridge B with respect to the main body 13. This guide means is shown in FIG. 15 and FIG. 16. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the left side of the apparatus when viewed along the direction of mounting of the process cartridge B into the main body 13 (i.e., along the arrow X) (i.e., when the apparatus is observed from the developing unit D side). FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the right side.

A guide device for guiding the process cartridge B upon mounting or dismounting thereof into the main body 13 is provided on either side face of the cleaning frame 12c, as shown in FIG. 10, FIG. 11, FIG. 12, and FIG. 13. Each guide device is composed of a cylindrical guide 9aR, 9aL as a positioning guide member and a locking guide 9bR, 9bL as a guide member being a posture holding means upon mounting or dismounting.

As shown in FIG. 18, the cylindrical guide 9aR is a hollow, cylindrical member. The locking guide 9bR is formed as integral with the cylindrical guide 9aR and projects almost in a radial direction integrally from the circumference of the cylindrical guide 9aR. The cylindrical guide 9aR is provided with mounting flange 9aRl integral therewith. The right guide member 9R, having the cylindrical guide 9aR, locking guide 9bR, and mounting flange 9aRl as described, is screwed to the cleaning frame 12c with small screws 9aR2 inserted in associated holes for small screw of the mounting flange 9aRl. The locking guide 9bR of the right guide member 9R fixed to the cleaning frame 12c is located on the side face side of the developing frame 12b so as to extend to the side of development holder 41 fixed to the developing frame 12b.

As shown in FIG. 17, an enlarged diameter portion 7a2 of the drum shaft 7a is fitted in a hole 9kl (see FIG. 17) of the cleaning frame 12c. The cylindrical guide 9aL projects outwardly (in the perpendicularly outgoing direction from the plane of FIG. 12) from a flat plate flange 29 fitted for stop of rotation with positioning pin 9c projecting from the side face of cleaning frame 12c and fixed to the cleaning frame 12c with small screws 9d. Inside this flange 29 there is the stationary drum shaft 7a for rotatably supporting a spur gear 25b fitted in the photosensitive drum 7 (see FIG. 17). The cylindrical guide 9aL and this drum shaft 7a are arranged coaxially. The flange 29, cylindrical guide 9aL, and drum shaft 7a are made as an integral member or as incorporated members of a metal material, e.g., an iron material.

As shown in FIG. 12, the locking guide 9bL is located a little apart from the cylindrical guide 9aL and is elongated almost in a radial direction of the cylindrical guide 9aL. The locking guide 9bL is molded as integral with the cleaning frame 12c so as to project from the cleaning frame 12c on the side. A part of flange 29 that could otherwise interfere with the locking guide 9bL is cut away and the height of projection of this locking guide 9bL on the side is determined so that the top face is almost coincident with the top face of the locking guide 9bL. This locking guide 9bL projects to the side of developing roller bearing box 9v fixed to the developing frame 12b. As described, the left guide member 9L is comprised of the separate members, i.e., the metal cylindrical guide 9aL and the plastic locking guide 19bL.

Described next are regulation contact portions 9j provided in the upper surface 9i of cleaning unit C. The upper surface herein means a surface located up when the process cartridge B is mounted in the image forming main body 13.

In the present embodiment, each regulation contact portion 9j is provided on either of the right end 9p and the left end 9q in a direction perpendicular to the mounting direction of process cartridge in the upper surface 9i of cleaning unit C as shown in FIG. 10 to FIG. 13. The regulation contact portions 9j are for determining the position of the process cartridge B when the process cartridge B is mounted in the image forming main body 13. Specifically, when the process cartridge B is mounted in the image forming main body 13, the regulation contact portions 9j come to contact fixed members 26 (see FIG. 15 and FIG. 16) provided on the image forming main body 13, whereby the process cartridge B is regulated in the position of rotation about the cylindrical guides 9aR, 9aL.

Described next is the guide means on the image forming main body 13 side. When an open/close cover 14 of the image forming main body 13 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 7 about shaft 14a, the top part of image forming main body 13 is opened to expose the mounting portion of process cartridge B as shown in FIG. 15 and FIG. 16. Each of guide members 15 (15R, 15L) is provided on the left side as shown in FIG. 15 or on the right side as shown in FIG. 16 when viewed along the mounting/dismounting direction of process cartridge B through the aperture with the open/close cover 14 open, in the left and right inner walls of the image forming main body 13.

As illustrated, each guide member 15 is provided with a guide portion 15a, 15c inclined forward down when viewed along the arrow X, which is the direction of insertion of the process cartridge B. Further, each guide member 15 is provided with a semicircular positioning U-groove 15b, 15d, connected to the guide portion 15a, 15c, for the cylindrical guide 9aR, 9aL of the process cartridge B to be fitted therein. The lower peripheral wall of this U-groove 15b, 15d is semicircular. The center of this U-groove 15b, 15d does not coincide with a center line connecting the centers of cylindrical guides 9aR, 9aL of process cartridge B when the process cartridge B is mounted in the main body 13. Specifically, the cylindrical guide 9aL is just fitted in the U-groove 15b, so that the position of photosensitive drum 7 is determined on the non-driven side; but, when the cylindrical guide 9aR is fitted into the U-groove 15d, the cylindrical guide 9aR is simply supported and is moved away from the U-groove 15d because of the aligning action of the shaft coupling described below.

The guide portions 15a, 15c have a width for the cylindrical guides 9aR, 9aL to be freely fitted therein in the view along the mounting/dismounting direction of the process cartridge B. The locking guides 9bR, 9bL, which have a width smaller than the diameter of cylindrical guides 9aR, 9aL, are loosely fitted in the guide portions, of course. However, the cylindrical guides 9aR, 9aL and locking guides 9bR, 9bL are restricted from rotating by the guide portions 15a, 15c, whereby the process cartridge B can be mounted in keeping its posture in a certain range. In the state wherein the process cartridge B is mounted in the image forming main body 13, the cylindrical guides 9aR, 9aL of the process cartridge B are fitted in the respective positioning grooves 15b, 15d of the guide members 15R, 15L. The left and right regulation contact portions 9j at the fore end of cleaning frame 12c of process cartridge B come to contact the fixed members 26 of the main body 13.

The process cartridge B described above is constructed in such a weight balance between the cleaning unit C side and the developing unit D side with respect to the center line connecting the centers of the cylindrical guides 9aR, 9aL that the developing unit D side has a greater static moment than the cleaning unit C side with the center line being kept horizontal.

When the process cartridge B is mounted into the image forming main body 13, the operator grasps ribs 47a on the recess 47 side and the lower side of the toner frame 12a by one hand. Then the operator inserts the cylindrical guides 9aR, 9aL into the respective guide portions 15a, 15c of the cartridge mounting portion of the image forming main body 13. Then, keeping the process cartridge B front down when seen in the insertion direction, the operator inserts the locking guides 9bR, 9bL into the guide portions 15a, 15c of the image forming main body 13. On that occasion, the cylindrical guides 9aR, 9aL and the locking guides 9bR, 9bL of the process cartridge B move into the deep inside along the guide portions 15a, 15c of the image forming main body 13. After that, when the cylindrical guides 9aR, 9aL of the process cartridge B reach the positioning grooves 15b, 15d of the image forming main body 13, the cylindrical guides 9aR, 9aL are seated at the positions of the positioning grooves 15b, 15d by gravity on the process cartridge B. Since the center line connecting the centers of the cylindrical guides 9aR, 9aL is that of the photosensitive drum 7, the photosensitive drum 7 is roughly positioned relative to the image forming main body 13. The photosensitive drum 7 is finally positioned relative to the main body 13 when the shaft coupling is made.

In this state a small gap exists between the fixed members 26 of the image forming main body 13 and the regulation contact portions 9j of the process cartridge B. When the process cartridge B is released from the hand keeping it, the process cartridge B moves so that the developing unit D side descends while the cleaning unit C side ascends, about the cylindrical guides 9aR, 9aL. As a result, the regulation contact portions 9j of the process cartridge B come to contact the fixed members 26 of the image forming main body 13, whereby the process cartridge B is positioned relative to the image forming main body 13. After that, the open/close cover 14 is closed by rotating it clockwise about the shaft 14a in FIG. 7.

The removing operation of the process cartridge B from the main body 13 is reverse to the above operation. The operator opens the open/close cover 14 of the main body 13 and captures the aforementioned upper and lower ribs 47a of the grip part of the process cartridge B to lift the cartridge. Then the cylindrical guides 9aR, 9aL of the process cartridge B rotate about the positioning grooves 15b, 15d of the main body 13, so that the regulation contact portions 9j of the process cartridge B are moved away from the fixed members 26 of the main body 13. By further pulling the process cartridge B up, the cylindrical guides 9aR, 9aL leave the positioning grooves 15b, 15d and move into the guide portions 15a, 15c of the guide members 15R, 15L fixed in the main body 13. Lifting the process cartridge B as it is, the cylindrical guides 9aR, 9aL and the locking guides 9bR, 9bL of the process cartridge B move up in the guide portions 15a, 15c of the main body 13. This permits the process cartridge B to be taken out of the main body 13 without hitting the other portions of the main body 13, while being regulated in the posture of process cartridge B.

As shown in FIG. 18, the spur gear 25b is provided at the end on the opposite side to the helical gear 16a in the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 7. When the process cartridge B is mounted in the main body 13, the spur gear 25b meshes with a gear (not illustrated) coaxial with the transfer roller 4 provided in the main body 13, thereby transmitting the driving force for rotating the transfer roller 4 from the process cartridge B.

(Shaft coupling and drive configuration)

Described next is the configuration of the shaft coupling device which is a drive transmission mechanism from the image forming main body 13 to the process cartridge B.

As shown in FIG. 17, a cartridge-side shaft joint member is provided at one longitudinal end of the photosensitive drum 7 mounted in the process cartridge B. This shaft coupling member is constructed by giving a coupling projection shaft 17 (of a cylindrical shape) to the drum flange 16 fixed to one end of the photosensitive drum 7. A projecting portion 17a is formed in the tip face of the coupling projection shaft 17. This coupling projection shaft 17 is fitted in bearing 24, thereby functioning as a drum rotation shaft. In the present embodiment the gear flange 16 is integral with the coupling projection shaft 17 and projecting portion 17a. The gear flange 16 is provided with the integral helical gear 16a, for transmitting the driving force to the developing roller 10d inside the process cartridge B. Therefore, the drum flange 16 is an integrally molded member having the fitting portion 16b to the drum cylinder 7d, the helical gear 16a, the coupling projection shaft 17, and the projecting portion 17a, which is a driving force transmitting part having the function to transmit the driving force.

The projecting portion 17a is a projection of a shape of a twisted regular triangle prism. A depressed portion 18a to be fitted with the projecting portion 17a is a hole gradually twisted along the axial direction, having a cross section of generally a regular triangle. This depressed portion 18a is arranged to be rotated together with a large gear 34 provided in the main body 13. In the configuration of the present embodiment, when the process cartridge B is mounted in the main body 13 so as to fit the projecting portion 17a with the depressed portion 18a provided in the main body 13 and when the rotational force of the depressed portion 18a is transmitted to the projected portion 17a, the ridges of the projecting portion 17a equally contact the respective internal faces of the depressed portion 18a, which matches the shaft centers thereof with each other. Further, the gradually axially twisted configuration of the depressed portion 18a functions to generate a force in such a direction that the depressed portion 18a pulls the projecting portion 17a, whereby the end face of the projecting portion 17a comes to contact the bottom face of the depressed portion 18a. Thus, the photosensitive drum 7 integral with the projecting portion 17a is stably positioned in the axial direction and in the radial direction within the image forming main body 13.

The drum flange 25 is fixed on the other end side of the photosensitive drum 7. The spur gear 25b is molded as integral with the drum flange 25 (see FIG. 17). This drum flange 25 is rotatably fitted with the drum shaft 7a integral with the flange 29 fixed to the cleaning frame 12c.

When the process cartridge B is mounted in the main body 13, the cylindrical guide 9aL concentric with the drum shaft 7a is fitted in the U-groove 15b (see FIG. 15) of the main body 13 to be positioned. The spur gear 25b integrally molded with the drum flange 25 comes to be coupled with the gear (not illustrated) for transmitting the driving force to the transfer roller 4.

Around the projecting portion 17a of the coupling projection shaft 17 of the process cartridge B, the cleaning frame 12c is provided with a hollow cylindrical boss 24a concentric with the projection shaft 17 (see FIG. 10 and FIG. 17). This boss 24a protects the coupling projection portion 17a upon mounting/dismounting of the process cartridge B, for example, from a flaw or deformation due to external force. This can thus prevent rattle or vibration upon coupling drive due to damage of the projection portion 17a.

The material for the drum flanges 16, 25 is selected from resin materials such as polyacetal, polycarbonate, polyamide, and polybutyleneterephthalate. The material may be selected from other materials as the occasion may demand.

In the present embodiment the drum flange 25 is engaged with the drum shaft 7a provided in the cleaning frame 12c (see FIG. 17). In addition, the coupling projection shaft 17 is fitted to the internal face of bearing 24 attached to the cleaning frame 12c. In this state the photosensitive drum 7 is mounted in the cleaning frame 12c of the process cartridge B. Therefore, the photosensitive drum 7 rotates about the coupling projection shaft 17 and the drum shaft 7a.

The large gear 34 on the main body 13 side is a helical gear. This helical gear has teeth with such inclination directions and angles that thrust to move the coupling depression shaft 18 toward the projection shaft 17 is generated when the driving force is transmitted from small helical gear 20 fixed to shaft 30a of motor 30 shown in FIG. 17. In this configuration, when the motor 30 is driven upon formation of image, the thrust moves the coupling depression shaft 18 toward the projection shaft 17 to help engagement between the depressed portion 18a and the projecting portion 17a.

The present embodiment employs the configuration for making the depressed portion 18a engaged with the projecting portion 17a in synchronization with the closing operation of the open/close cover 14 (the description of which is omitted herein).